We had a very merry May half-term and squeezed lots of fun into the week. The different groups of stars enjoyed their own variety of activities and shined bright!
At the Children’s Respite Trust we are always looking for new and exciting outings for the children and young people we care for. We pride ourselves on providing person centred care and being child led. This means that we are passionate about championing choice and creating as many opportunities as possible for the young people to express their opinion and choose activities.
We offered our older superstars some tailored options and asked them to choose what they’d like to do. Using their communications devices and support from the team they decided on a picnic. This called for a trip to the local supermarket where they choose their snacks and exercised independence helping to pack items. As the young people grow, we consider activities that their mainstream peers may partake in and how we can then make this more accessible. Simple tasks like hanging out in a group of teenagers can be daunting and pose a challenge for many with additional needs. Adaptions like using communication aids and taking extra time for processing delays help to curb these challenges and ultimately contribute to our stars’ success.
We also had our fair share of adventure with visits to Wakehurst and a local fairy garden. These outings really enrich the children’s lives and further their development in areas of social interaction and use of their imagination. Visiting new places can lead to discoveries of new interests and create an environment for relationships to thrive. A few cheeky teenagers enjoyed teasing the support workers and hiding their snacks. Not only is this a demonstration of the fun we have at the Trust, but is also a massive compliment to the staff and volunteers who have built such a great rapport that the children feel safe in messing around.
A group of the Sibling’s enjoyed their very own day out to Planet Golf in Eastbourne followed by a paddle in the sea. They encouraged each other round the golf course and offered a supportive hand to hold when dipping their toes into the cold waves. As time passed, the children visibly relaxed into the group and had a great time. It’s so lovely to see the friendships in the club blossom and we are so pleased to give the Siblings the space and time to do so.
There’s no rest for us at CRT as plans are already underway for an action packed Summer holidays with some exciting developments for all the groups. We look forward to welcoming everyone back.
