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parenting

Activities include drama, sensory story time,
messy and sensory play, yoga, art, pottery and
a sing and sign choir

because their child is often the only one
with sensory impairments and cannot
keep pace.
The groups at TouchBase Pears are run
by MSI-trained children and family support
workers and a specialist MSI teacher. They
offer advice and early intervention for the
children and their families, and engage
with other professionals who are often
supporting families.
The sessions and activities on offer start
with the child and consider how best to
stimulate and engage them. Parents can
receive practical support in modelling and
advising around communication,
stimulating and functionally assessing
vision and hearing, and creating suitable
environments for play.
teenagers develop social relationships TouchBase. We have also supported them
Teen social outside school, which is often difficult as to learn the route to TouchBase as part of
At the same time, we host a teen social they use school transport so get less time their mobility training.
for young people craving more for informal interaction with their peers. TouchBase continues to develop and
independence, space and the opportunity Because of the effects the facility has grow in response to the needs of those
to socialise. This group continues to grow had, some young people have been who use it and the community it sits
from strength to strength and has helped supported to gain work experience at within. Next year, an employment project
will be set up to support people with
disabilities to gain work experience and
skills, and to support people into paid
employment and voluntary roles.
There will also be a new programme of
inclusive children’s theatre, as well as
more inclusive social groups for both
adults and children. n
t @touchbasepears
f @touchbasepears
● See the programme of activities at
www.touchbasepears.org.uk/whatson.
Anyone interested in finding out more
about TouchBase Pears is welcome to visit.

Rebecca Hodgson is practice development
team manager at Sense. Email: rebecca.
hodgson@sense.org.uk

www.cl-initiatives.co.uk Community Living Vol 32 No 2 | Winter 2018 15