Integrating Children offers a service to children & young people with a range of disabilities and learning difficulties aged 6 to 18 years. We are in the process of seeking funding to develop our work with young disabled adults to the age of 25 years. All beneficiaries live in or are able to access the districts of Durham City or Chester-le-Street. The organisation works with up to 80 children & y
oung people a year and offers up to ten thousand activity hours each year during term time and school holidays. By involving children with disabilities in mainstream activities we can help them build key life skills such as; confidence, friendships and being able to interact with others. This is particularly important as about half the children worked with have autistic spectrum conditions. This work reduces stigma, promotes emotional wellbeing and has an overall positive impact on young people’s health and self-image. The service is provided on average for 2 hours per week per child during term time and 9 hours per week of school holidays. Referrals are made by schools, social workers, doctors or by the family themselves. Activities are organised between Integrating Children’s staff, the family and young person and take place on a one to one basis, in groups and in exceptional cases two workers to a single child with high needs. Activities include:
• taking part in ten pin bowling or swimming;
• football training;
• going to the pictures or theatre;
• taking part in sports teams;
• shopping or going as a group to a restaurant. These deliberately everyday activities are intended to help young people and families to be able to pursue the same outings in their own time. There have been more ambitious activities such as attending football matches and group trips to adventure parks.
