Treloar's Direct latest news

Treloar's represented at disability forum

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Treloar's exhibited yesterday (Wednesday 20 July) at one of the district's best-known disability forums.
The East Hampshire Disability Forum - set up more than 10 years ago - staged an event in Petersfield named "Frontline Services - surviving the age of austerity in East Hampshire".
It aimed to highlight the experiences and issues of people with disabilities in the area, and offer information and advice on a range of topics.
Outreach Services Director, Nigel Harvey-Whitten and Treloar's Direct Project Manager, Deborah King, attended to showcase the work that Treloar's - who run a School and College in Hampshire for young people with complex disabilities and learning difficulties - do in the wider community, including mobile multi-disciplinary assessments at schools and colleges throughout the area using the state-of-the-art Treloar's Direct Trailblazer vehicle.
Nigel said: "This is a brilliant platform for us to inform disabled people in Hampshire about what Treloar's can do to help them. The day was a great experience for us, as we got to learn first hand about the issues faced by disabled people in the area as they shared their stories. It will help us to tailor our services to each individual who Treloar's assists, enabling them to live their life as independently as possible."

Ed Balls' welcome words on SEN

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

We warmly welcome Ed Balls' recent statement on special educational needs.
While much progress has been made, students with special educational needs (SEN) and disabilities deserve better care and support in the wider community. The independent review into the supply of teachers trained to meet the needs of children with severe learning difficulties will help to improve standards and ensure best practice is shared across schools.

But, just as importantly, Balls has recognised that the student assessment process needs to be clearer and more transparent. Without a proper assessment of their individual needs, students with complex needs can be left floundering, with parents and teachers unable to provide effective support despite their best efforts.
Part of the onus lies with local authorities, who need to test existing systems and consider new assessment techniques. In that vein, we have received a very positive early response from councils, schools and colleges to the launch of our new mobile assessment service, Treloar's Direct.

As the first mobile assessment of its kind in the UK, the Trailblazer provides state-of-the-art assistive technologies and other learning equipment, as well as occupational therapists and technology experts.

Tony Reid, chief executive, Treloar Trust

BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Schools and colleges in Hampshire are set to benefit from the UK's first mobile assessment and therapy service for disabled students.

Treloar's Direct sends a trailer full of state-of-the-art equipment to schools to determine students' capabilities.
The therapists onboard are from Treloar's school and college in Alton.
This mobile unit is touring the region to help young people and their teachers cope with special educational needs.

Specialist service
The service will provide hundreds of students with learning disabilities an expert assessment of their needs on-site at both mainstream and specialist schools.
Its ultimate aim is to ensure more young people achieve greater independence via increased mobility and communication.
Treloar's Direct is the culmination of over 100 years of expertise and experience of assistive technology and therapy skills for which Treloar's is widely renowned.
Many young people who live with complex or multiple disabilities, who are not based in Alton, can now benefit from their services.
Graham Jowett, Director of Education at Treloar's said: "Expert therapists and engineers can be hard to find and the cost of transport to specialist facilities for disabled students in particular - in terms of money and time - can be very high.
"Any service that provides cost-effective access to experts on-site at individual schools and colleges will be welcomed."
Growing need for support
According to the Office for National Statistics, there are more than 600,000 young people with disabilities and/or learning difficulties in the UK, 6,000 of which are technologically dependent, requiring 24 hour support.
Treloar's Direct is currently available to local authorities and schools in the south east. A national roll-out of the service is planned in late 2010.
Bob Bayley, from Treloar's Direct, said: "The Government's inclusion policy means there is an increasing number of disabled young people with learning difficulties in mainstream education.
"While for many there is adequate provision, for others there is a need for more appropriate help and equipment, especially relating to speech and language therapy.
"We are delighted we can now reach out to pupils and professionals who are crying out for this new service."

The Treloar Trust
The Treloar Trust was founded by Sir William Purdie Treloar while he was Lord Mayor of the City of London in 1906. Now, over 100 years later, it supports Treloar School (for pupils 7-16) and Treloar College (further education for students over the age of 16).
Both the school and college are specialists in providing education, care, therapy, medical support, independence training and opportunities for young people with physical disabilities from all over the country.
They rely on public support to sustain the level of care students receive. Each year, Treloar's must raise £2 million to survive.
Over 40 disabilities are represented at Treloar's - the most common are cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy. The students often also have a communication or sensory impairment or associated learning difficulties.
They currently support around 300 students each year. With this new service they hope to at least double this in the next year.

By Victoria Bartlett

High-tech bus drives in to speed up SEN services

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0100

News | Published in The TES on 18 September, 2009 | By: Kerra Maddern

Overwhelming demand for special-needs assessment satisfied by mobile units with £94k worth of kit

Parents and teachers fed up with waiting months for special needs assessments are turning to a mobile service in an attempt to get the right services for children.

Special school staff are taking to the road with the adapted vehicle in an attempt to satisfy the demand for quick help with disabilities or learning problems.

The bus has £94,000 worth of equipment designed to help pupils with communication or movement problems. Some assessments can take six months but staff on the bus can see three children a day.

The service is being run by Treloar's, an independent special school in Hampshire. The bus, part-funded by the Learning and Skills Council, has traveled around the South East and will go nationwide next year.

Department for Children, Schools and Families' research this year showed only a third of parents with disabled children had been given a formal assessment of their support needs or annual special educational needs (SEN) review.

One of the major concerns from families was the time it takes for assessment, with 14 per cent of parents paying for it to be done privately.

There are no official statistics for the length of time children wait to be assessed, but experts say electric wheelchair services can take at least six months - leaving the pupil dependent on parents or teachers for mobility.

Treloar's "technologists" and therapists review the child's needs and capabilities. The service costs £600 - no more than a usual assessment - and is typically funded by local authorities or health trusts.

Children are given technology to help them use the computer or speak, and are able to try out the latest wheelchairs. This allows them to spend more time in lessons.

Bob Bayley, business development director at Treloar's, said: "The Government's inclusion policy means an increasing number of disabled young people are in mainstream education.

"For these young people, access to experts is often difficult to find and hard to achieve in the necessary timeframe. We're delighted we can now reach out to pupils who are crying out for this new service."

Graham Jowett, a consultant for the scheme, said: "The cost of transport to specialist facilities for disabled students, in terms of money and time, can be very high. Any service that provides cost-effective access to experts on-site at individual schools and colleges will be welcomed."

It is estimated that 6,000 pupils with physical or learning difficulties depend on technology in the UK.

Hampshire Chronicle

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Special needs pupils to benefit from new mobile assesment unit.

HAMPSHIRE'S schools and colleges are set to benefit from the UK's first mobile assessment unit for students with special needs.

The mobile trailer will provide hundreds of students with learning difficulties and disabilities with an expert assessment of their needs and capabilities from a trailer.

The scheme is run by Treloars, the Alton based School and College for young people with disabilities and is expected to be rolled out across the country in late 2010.

Bob Bayley, Business Development Director for Treloar's Direct, said: "The Government's inclusion policy means an increasing number of disabled young people and pupils with learning difficulties are in mainstream education.
"While for many there is adequate provision, for others there is a need for more appropriate help especially relating to speech and language therapy and alternative and augmentative communication equipment.
"For these young people, access to experts is often difficult to find and hard to achieve in the necessary timeframe. Treloar's Direct is a unique service that will help local authorities serve the mobility and communication needs of a wide community of young people across the country."

By Ash Bolton

Treloar’s trailblazing website opens for business

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Treloar's has today launched a new website to provide information and news on its groundbreaking service, the Treloar's Direct Trailblazer.

The Trailblazer is the UK's first mobile assessment service for young people with learning difficulties and disabilities. The vehicle has a busy few months ahead, with a jam packed programme of assessments and presentations at schools, colleges and local authorities throughout September and October.

The Trailblazer provides state-of-the-art assistive technologies and other learning equipment, as well as occupational therapists and technology experts. The extra facilities include a pod which opens out to double the space inside, providing room for all the most up-to-date equipment, including hoists, mats, keyboards and the latest Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) technologies. There is even enough room for presentations to be given on the inbuilt HD screen.

Bob Bayley, Business Development Director responsible for Treloar's Direct said: "Treloar's Direct has taken a lot of hard work and dedication to set up, but it's been worth it. Students and ex-students of Treloar School and College have already had a chance to look around the equipment and are really impressed by the facilities, particularly the space and privacy the trailer affords them. We know there are a significant number of students in mainstream education with learning difficulties and disabilities who can benefit from this unique resource that is delivered to their doorstep."

The Treloar's Direct website will provide news on the latest developments of the Trailblazer, with details of future visits and availability regularly updated. Schools and colleges can book a free consultation to discover how the Trailblazer can help them and their students. The Treloar's Direct team is now taking appointments for the autumn term in November and December. Details can be found at www.treloarsdirect.org.uk or by calling 01420 526575.

The website will also allow interested parties to receive regular updates on assistive technology and learning difficulties and disabilities issues through its newsletter.

Bayley added: "Treloar's Direct is our most ambitious outreach project to date. Schools and colleges have already shown a great deal of interest in the service and we're looking forward to showing what it can do. The Treloar's Direct website will detail our work and the help we can provide. We have a wealth of knowledge at Treloar's and are delighted we can now share this and our top range assistive technologies and equipment with mainstream schools and colleges at their own premises via the Trailblazer."

All aboard the Trailblazer!

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Treloar's Direct is ready for launch. The unique custom-built assessment vehicle, the Trailblazer, arrived on time and is already booked for a busy programme of assessments and presentations to local authorities, schools and colleges throughout September and October.

Proud students from the college were the first to view the amazing facilities on board the trailer. Some took advantage of the access lift; others used the ramp. Inside they were surprised to find so much space. The clever pod device almost doubles the space inside and holds the equipment safely in transit. The pod walls allow for display of the lighter technology essentials with a HD screen for DVDs and presentations. They marvelled at the stunning array of equipment, keyboards, switches, all the best AAC technology, plus vital extras such as the mobile hoist, mats, slings, etc.

The Trailblazer vehicle and programme of assessments would not have been possible without the generous support of these funders: The ACT Foundation, The Ian Karten Charitable Foundation, The Learning & Skills Council and The Worshipful Company of Merchant Taylors'.

The Treloar's Direct team is now taking appointments for the rest of the autumn term in November and December. One click on www.treloarsdirect.org.uk or a call to the Treloar's Direct line - 01420 526575 - is all it takes to find out more. Schools and colleges can book a free consultation to discover how best to take advantage of Treloar's expertise, experience and now the mobile assistive technology and therapy service.

Although busy on the road all over Hampshire, Surrey, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and London, a couple of days have been reserved as open days for staff to take a look. Treloar School open day is Wednesday 16th September and Treloar College open day is Thursday 17th September. Staff can meet the Treloar's Direct team and ask any questions they have on their minds.