Giving our children and young people a voice
Children and Family Health Devon (CFHD) has created Your Voice In Action to share its work with young advisors, parents, carers, service users, and staff.
CFHD want to celebrate the ways feedback shapes their services and highlight the changes they make together. By listening, learning, and acting on what matters, CFHD aim to continually improve the support they provide.
You can find out more by visiting the CFHD web page: Your voice in action
Inclusive play clubs for neurodiverse and home-educated children
Young people with special educational needs and home educated children can benefit from three play clubs until the end of the year.
Play Torbay is running two evening clubs at ASRUS in Brixham and Mayfield School in Torquay aimed at children with autism, while Indigos Forest School in Brixham will host sessions on Wednesday mornings for young people who are electively home educated.
The ASRUS and Mayfield sessions offer weekly outdoor play sessions tailored to the sensory and social needs of neurodiverse children. Activities include music, sports and crafts. At Indigos, youngsters get a forest school curriculum under the guidance of a skilled forest school practitioner.
Dan Rees-Jones, of Play Torbay, said: “Our ASRUS and Mayfield clubs are safe, welcoming environments where children can make friends and develop their confidence. We also offer access to information and guidance to parents thanks to partners including SENDIASS.
“At Indigos, children receive a safe outdoor space for socialisation and the chance to take part in a forest school curriculum that’s structured yet playful. They develop a sense of community while their parents and carers get much-needed peer support.”
To book a place at one of the afterschool clubs visit Play Torbay’s website.
Torbay Tinnitus support group
People who suffer from noise, ringing or buzzing in their ears can get support from Torbay Tinnitus, which now meets at the new time of 10am-noon on the fourth Monday of every Monday.
Tinnitus affects around one in seven adults and is often linked to hearing loss or other ear conditions, and can cause distress, insomnia or anxiety.
The group, which meets at Jasmyn House in Midvale Road, Paignton welcomes new people and Bevis Taylor, the group’s coordinator, has vast experience supporting people with hearing loss. Our senior audiologist who specialises in tinnitus often attends to provide clinical advice and support.
Please contact Bevis on 01803 219782 or email bevistaylor@nhs.net for more details. For more details, visit Torbay Tinnitus Support Group.
Have your say on draft Torbay Health and Wellbeing Strategy
There’s still time to help shape how people in Torbay can be supported to leave happy, healthy and fulfilling lives by sharing your thoughts about the draft Torbay Health and Wellbeing Strategy.
The strategy highlights our population and covers direct health issues such as obesity, suicide, the variation in health and wellbeing, and the gap in healthy life expectancy across the Bay.
It also covers issues which have an impact on our health, such as deprivation, employment, school absence, levels of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, levels of dependence on adult social care, and the requirements of a rapidly ageing population.
The draft strategy also identifies three priority areas the Board will sponsor in year one. These are:
- Healthy spaces for children and young people: activities which build physical, mental and social health and wellbeing.
- Healthy work for working age people: activities which support people who are off work through ill-health, and for those furthest from employment.
- Healthy ageing for older adults: Age-friendly activities focusing on housing, transport and health.
The consultation ends on 08 February. You can read the strategy on Torbay Council’s website. You can also complete the online survey.
Network Rail works at Lowes Bridge entrance, Torbay Hospital
Network Rail is carrying our essential drainage works near Torbay Hospital until early March. The work is taking place below our boundary line along the footpath between Lowes Bridge and adjacent to Lowes Bridge car park. We’re supporting Network Rail to house a small compound on our land while the works take place, which means the pathway will be narrower than usual. We know this may cause some inconvenience, so thank you for your understanding while these important works take place.
Please be assured that the memorial trees planted near the area will be safeguarded throughout.