Powerful conference where Colin and Derek shared their person centred planning training along with friends and comrades from across the UK.

Jonathan Bryan was trapped in silence for seven years and now used his eyes to communicate.

•  Jonathan Bryan was starved of oxygen in the womb after a car crash

•  He was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and dismissed as a ‘lost cause’

•  But his mother has helped him to communicate through a spelling board 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3671847/The-lionhearted-Locked-Boy-Lad-trapped-silence-seven-years-miraculously-finding-way-signal-say-truly-astonish-you.html#ixzz4EBmSHaZ7

Colin and Derek together with Tara Flood director of the Alliance for Inclusive Education.

Colin and Derek return to provide further Person Centred Planning training for over 100 people in West Sussex.

Colin and Derek worked with SENCOs of Newark, Nottinghamshire on person centred planning and demonstrated the PATH process.

PATH Process – Step by Step guide

Circles of Adults Article

Adult Circles of Support:

Reflecting and Problem Solving Around

Emotional Needs and Behaviour

By Colin Newton and Derek Wilson

 Introduction

When in doubt build a team!

Circles of Adults are based on this idea. The more complex the problem the more diverse the team needs to be if understanding and relationships with challenging young people are to be at their best. We developed this approach in the face of intractable behaviour problems in schools, a rising tide of exclusions from school and a deep instinctive attitude that a high number of pupils ‘ just don’t belong here’. Building on earlier attempts to develop group work and mutual support among teachers this model has evolved  in which regular meetings are held between a concerned circle of adults, as diverse a group as possible. In these groups emotions are shared, personal feelings and reactions explored as well as deeper understandings of individual young people and what they bring, gained. Aspects of the system which help and hinder are explored, and detailed problem solving is engaged in. These groups are powerful and do make a difference. 

Problems with IQ and Psychometric Assessment

When diagnosing a child’s learning difficulties, the IQ test and other forms of Psychometric Assessment continue to be used across the UK and elsewhere as an indication of a child’s ‘intelligence’ and continue to be a key factor in special school placement.

Jacqui & Colin carry out some Person Centred Planning Training with Donaldson’s Transitions team in Scotland.