Aside from its Saturday club, Focus Surrey has also become synonymous with its successful Guest Speaker series. Determined that this should continue for the sake of the ABA community, Chairperson Sue Archdall set about creating an on-line platform, and the On-Line Guest Speaker Series was launched in October last year.
The first speakers to take their talk on-line were BCBA James Adcock and Specialist Paediatric SLT Emma Pomroy. They gave advice on how to build a successful working relationship between ABA and Speech Therapy, a model that could be used with other collaborative partnerships too. This was quickly followed by a talk on ABA and SEN Provision given by Focus Trustee and SOS!SEN Advisor June Goh. June focussed on how families with ABA Programs can seek LA/School support; how to get ABA provision written into an EHCP and finally how to negotiate a Tribunal.
Three more talks followed covering Surviving the Teenage Years, ABA at Home and taking ABA Beyond Manding and Tacting. All the talks have proved extremely popular, not just with our local members, but also with the national and international ABA community. We've even had attendees from Australia, Brazil, Puerta Rico and the United States! The feedback has been incredibly positive, with the majority of attendees feeling they took something new away from each talk with one attendee saying “I enjoyed the frank discussion. It was like getting very helpful advice from a good friend. Really well presented". Someone else who attended the ABA & Sen Provision talk said they felt “(I am) more informed about my rights from the legal perspective. Real life examples gave me some ideas. June's knowledge is vast and useful”.
All the talks are recorded and can be accessed by those who aren't able to attend the actual event - a bonus for busy parents who can't always clear their diaries but want to be able to watch the talk in their own time.
The On-line Guest Speaker series will continue this month with OT Heather Greenaway talking about "Living with Sensory Needs". You can find the full details on this talk and all our upcoming events on our website. Places on our talks are FREE so always book your place early to avoid disappointment!
Comments