Charity rolls out Free accredited online activity sessions for disabled children across UK 

Caudwell Children, the national charity that provides practical and emotional support to disabled children and their families, has announced that it is to extend its programme of online activity sessions, for disabled children, across the UK.

The 'LifeSkills' programme, open to disabled children and those with additional needs aged 8-18, will be delivered through online video calls, three times a week, and has been designed to encourage children and their families to participate in activities outside a school setting.

“The activity sessions, currently only available in Staffordshire, will be extended across the UK, through the free Zoom online platform that allows video conferencing,” said Julia Lunn, from Caudwell Children. “We aim to establish small groups of up to five or six families per group.

“This will allow a staff member to host the group and fully interact with each participant and observe them completing their activities.”

The activities are based around ‘life skills’ and are designed to recognise and reward small steps of achievement.

There are over 1000 activities to choose from including tidying a room, recycling a plastic item, cleaning a bathroom, understanding money and preparing a snack or a meal.

The choice of activity would be made based on the information provided by each group member.

Activities could take up to 10 hours to complete through three weekly sessions, which last up to 40 minutes per session, and the work done between each online session.

The charity is asking parents and carers to register their interest now so that members of the Caudwell Children team can match families with their interests before the programme begins.  

“There will be online discussions between members of the group and the host,” continued Julia. “They will talk about how to undertake the activity and then they will then have to complete it between meetings.

“They will have to show evidence of how they go about their activity and this will be done through a combination of observation sheets, oral questioning and photographic evidence.

“We want to see families signing up from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, for what’s sure to be terrific family fun and a fantastic opportunity to gain new sills.”

The programme is accredited by ASDAN, a pioneering curriculum development organisation and awarding body which ensures that accredited programmes grow skills for learning, employment and life.

The ASDAN accreditation can be extremely helpful in the employment market as Julia concluded: “Any child or young person who completes an activity will gain the external accreditation. 

“This can be extremely useful as it is highly valued by employers as they recognise that ASDAN programmes are built around personal, social and employability skills.

“An ASDAN LifeSkills accreditation would be great on a CV and could be invaluable for those that we support.”   

Families would need to be able to access Zoom via a laptop, PC, phone or tablet device. 

For more information and to register call Julia Lunn on 07792 540804 or email: shortbreaks@caudwellchildren.com

Or you can register online here: www.caudwellchildren.com/asdan-lifeskills-challenge/