This page is for information about including families, but especially those that are disadvantaged in some way eg: low/ single INCOME; fathers & mothers in PRISON; TEENAGE parents; ADOPTIVE /FOSTERING families etc...

Main Related Pages on this Wiki:

• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender
• Looked After Children
• Reading Difficulties
• Travellers

NB To see the guide to the abbreviations used to indicate original sources see the Social Inclusion Information main page

New Stuff:

• Resource file for supporting asylum seeker and refugee learners http://www.gtce.org.uk/shared/contentlibs/85419/137277/199948/asr_resources.pdf The General Teaching Council for England has just published an updated version of its comprehensive resource file. It includes information about and links to resources on: useful websites; key publications, research and reports; resources for teaching and learning; Teachers’ TV programmes. (WTYL 24/11/08 and refed. http://www.refugeeeducation.co.uk/mailing.htm) The European Council on Refugees and Exiles has launched a new website: http://www.ecre.org/ (WTYL 24/11/08)
  
• Prison Libraries: The PL's Group 2008 conference is 'Seeing the Bigger Picture', 7-8 October, Leicestershire: www.cilip.org.uk/specialinterestgroups/bysubject/prison/conferences . There will be a session on families. Update magazine also had an article on the 'African Prison Project': http://www.africanprisons.org/ which will feature in the conference as well. (UM 7 (9) September 2008)

Families (general)

• Anti-bullying charity Beatbullying has launched a new website for young people, with social networking and video features. The site will let young people share videos and photos and download music, as well as blog about their thoughts around bullying issues. The new site follows a new adult and professionals' website, which was launched earlier in 2008, and was developed after consultation with hundreds of young people. See www.beatbullying.org (Mary Harrington, Doncatser Libraries 22/08/08)
• Forced Marriage Unit has information on Men and Forced Marriage - see http://www.mensadviceline.org.uk/HelpAdvice/MaleVictimsofForcedMarriage/tabid/194/Default.aspx for an overview of the work of this UK-based men's advice helpline for male victims of forced marriage. "Some 15% of victims that are identified by the Forced Marriage Unit of the [UK] Foreign Office are men." Provides a forced-marriage survivors handbook, a leaflet, a timeline of one man's story of forced marriage, and a presentation. From Devon Male, a government-supported service. (Librarians' Internet Index http://lii.org/ Feb 2008)
• A new children’s picture book exploring the importance of memories Elfa and the box of memories, Written by Michelle Bell, Illustrations by Rachel Fuller, £9.95, BAAF, May 2008, 28 pages. We all have memories of happy times and sad times; we all want to remember the good things and want to forget the bad things. All memories, good or bad, help us to remember the story of our lives. But what happens when you don’t have anybody to share your memories with, and they start to fade and disappear? In this bright colourful picture book, for young children aged four to eight years old, Elfa the elephant carries her precious memories around with her in a brightly coloured box. When she discovers that some of them are missing she sets out on a journey to revisit some of the key people, places and events in her past and recapture her lost memories. This book reinforces the importance of memories and the part they play in making us who we are. Adults can use this story as an aid to doing life story work with young children, to help them remember the good times and also the bad, thus helping them deal with troubled pasts. A booklet called My Book of Memories is included at the back of the book, for children to draw and write the things they remember. To find out more visit: http://www.baaf.org.uk/res/pubs/books/book_elfa.shtml How to order this title: Order online at http://www.baaf.org.uk/res/pubs/books/book_elfa.shtml; Or call our publications sales team on 020 7421 2604; Or email pubs.sales@baaf.org.uk
• “Every Object Tells a Story” Between January and April 2008, MLA Yorkshire will be working in partnership with the University of Sheffield on a family learning project, 'Every object tells a story', building on research already carried out on the meaning families place on narratives and objects in their homes, and a website inspired by this research: www.ferhamfamilies.com . Also, a free event aimed at family learning tutors and museum, library and archive practitioners involved in working with families will take place on 17 March from 10am until 1pm in Burngreave, Sheffield. The event will be an opportunity to hear about the project, share good practice, and take away learning resources and ideas. For more information about this project, or the event on 17 March, contact Karen Kitchen, email: k.kitchen@sheffield.ac.uk or telephone: 0114 222 811. (WTYL 11/02/08 & MLA Yorkshire Professional Development & Training e-bulletin, 30 January 2008)
• Sheffield Archives and the Local Studies Library (in the Central Library) have received funding from MLA Yorkshire to develop 16 events as part of the Family Learning initiative. Details to be published in early 2008 (Sheffield History Reporter, Issue 115, Dec07-Jan08)
• A RHYMING picture book all about battling for the bathroom in a busy household has scooped the Sheffield Children's Book Award in its 19th year. Who's on the Loo? by Jeanne Willis and Adrian Reynolds was also crowned best picture book in the awards, which are voted for by children from across the city. The Star 1st December 2007 http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/Flushed-with-book-success.3542972.jp
• Reading Aloud is a unique and colourful little booklet designed to share simple techniques that will actually help adults be confident and enjoy reading aloud to young children. The booklet is full of easy to follow techniques using short extracts from well-loved children's books such as The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Free workshop notes are provided and the booklets (sold in packs of 10) can be available for as little as £1 per copy. Try out a sample pack of 2 booklets and the session notes for £4.45 (money refunded on subsequent orders!) Further details, the free notes and an order form are available from http://www.southgatepublishers.co.uk (LACJ 27/11/07)
• Their Past Your Future 2 - £1.5m New Funding: Closing date for the first year of the programme: 19 October 2007 Museums, libraries and archives have been invited to apply for a pot of funding totalling £1.5million for Their Past Your Future 2, the second phase of the project to promote understanding the impact of conflict. The programme will run until 2010 and will see grants of between £500 - £10,000 being offered to museums, libraries and archives that successfully apply. Your work needs to focus on two areas: inter-generational learning and work with children and young people. For more information about the scheme, application guidance, etc, visit: http://www.mla.gov.uk/website/aboutus/grants (MLA 17/09/07)
• Every home a reading home - creating an effective local strategy Thu 11 Oct 2007, 9.15-15.45, Mezzanine at Vinopolis, London. This National Literacy Trust conference takes place during Family Learning Week. It will discuss how the principles underpinning the Family Reading Campaign can be developed strategically so that ideas and approaches can be expanded and effectively put into practice in a variety of settings to help reach those most in need of support. See http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/familyconf.html for more information and how to book.
• National Literacy Trust magazine, aimed at professionals who work with parents, contains lots of ideas for getting fathers and male carers reading with their children. If you've never worked with dads before, or would just like a few extra ideas, "Getting the Blokes on Board" is for you. See: http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/familyreading/Blokes.html [LACJ 31/05/07 and also see UM 6 & [7-8] July/ August 2007 pg 13]
• Survival Strategies for doomed youth is an article about Meg Rosoff prize-winning novels for young people by Elspeth Hyams. (UM 6 & [7-8] July/ August 2007 - pp16-18)
• National Literacy Trust has a website for its Family Reading Campaign: www.familyreading.org.uk (includes case studies of projects in Libraries) (UM p12 Jan/Feb 07)

Low/ Single Income Families

• Take It Away http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/takeitaway/ This Arts Council initiative is designed to help more people get involved in learning and playing music. The scheme allows individuals to apply for a loan of up to £2,000 for the purchase of any kind of musical instrument, and pay it back in nine monthly instalments, completely interest free. Take it away is open to everyone (over the age of 18), but primarily designed to help those who might otherwise be unable to afford an instrument appropriate for their needs. (WTYL 24/09/07)
• There is an article by Helen Milner in May's Update looking at the social impact of four library projects connecting various groups to ICT: Older people, carers, adults with mental health problems (Cambridgeshire); Older people & adults with mental health problems (Lincolnshire); Families in poverty (Leeds); Older people and teenage parents (Suffolk). (UM p40-43 May 2007)

Fathers/ Mothers in Prison

• Update Magazine has articles on a Leeds based audiovisual studio's work with socially excluded young people (pp26-28), and Wendy Bond (Lincolnshire) has written a report on work with prison inmate fathers(pp29-31) (UM May 2006)

Teenage Parents

• London Libraries Development Agency, London Health Commission and MLA London are running five year long pilots of Skilled for Health learning sessions in five London boroughs. The sessions are to help disadvantaged adults (eg migrants, ex-offenders, young mothers & the homeless), to improve their helath and well-being while developing literacy, language or numeracy skills. (UM 6 (11) Nov 2007 pg 15)

Adoptive/ Fostering Families

• Talking about adoption to your adopted child: A guide for parents by adoption (4th edition) Written by Marjorie Morrison £8.50 BAAF, November 2007 206 pages. This comprehensive guide outlines the whys, whens and hows of telling the truth about an adopted child’s origins. This new edition has been revised and updated to reflect current advice and good practice. Based on the experience and knowledge of many people who have been adopted, as well as adoptive parents, this book offers guidance on: why telling your child is so important; what to tell your child and when; the responsibilities you face if your child is of a different ethnicity or from a different country; how adopted children and their birth parents feel; how to trace birth parents; and where you can get more help. Talking about adoption to your adopted child is packed with practical ideas suitable for children of all ages. The wealth of information and advice is brought to life with case studies detailing the experiences of adoptive parents and adopted children. To find out more visit: http://www.baaf.org.uk/res/pubs/books/book_talkaboutadopt.shtml How to order this title: Order online at http://www.baaf.org.uk/res/pubs/books/book_talkaboutadopt.shtml Or call our publications sales team on 020 7421 2604, Or email pubs.sales@baaf.org.uk Please note we always require prepayment. (LACJ 27/11/07)
• Working with children and young people with disabilities - a new briefing for foster carers, produced by the Children's Workforce Development Council (LACJ 09/10/07)
• The British Association for Adopting and Fostering have a range of titles aimed at children, carers and professionals concerning various challenging situations: http://www.baaf.org.uk/res/pubs/books/ [LACJ 19/06/07]
• The Fostering Network is the UK's leading charity for everyone with a personal or professional involvement in fostering: http://www.fostering.net/ (they have a section on 'Information & Resources'). [LACJ 24/06/07]
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