Name: Deafblind Conference 2023 - Connected Lives
Start: 05/10/2023 08:00 AM +00:00
End: 06/10/2023 04:00 PM +00:00

Nikki Morris

Tim Locke (Lip speaker) 

Liz Duncan Deafblind UK

Carolyn Greig

Tom Mould (RSLI)

Naomi Dainty

Amy Miller (RSLI)

BSL Interpreter Karen Houlihan 

Jackie Dennis (RSLI)

( RSLI) Danielle Beckwith (BSL/English Interpreter)

Lesley Weatherson (Lipspeaker)

Laura Bradbury (Lipspeaker)

Kirsty Last (Lipspeaker)

Mandy Allen (Lipspeaker)

Eileen Church (Lipspeaker)

Welcome 

Living with deafblindeness is complicated (and I know this because I live it) but there are things we can do that harness our own capabilities and make life a little easier and safer. This session will this session will talk about how to be prepared with do-it-yourself hospital kits, being prepared for older age; exploring a variety of touch messaging systems.&nbsp;

Annmaree. Watharow

Option 1 | Being Prepared: Going to hospital, getting older and living life 

Being a parent who has lived experience of deafblindness isn&rsquo;t often explored. In this presentation, we will hear from two mothers: Kelly, who has two young children, and Angela, who has three children who are now young adults.
They share their very different experiences of parenting as a person living with deafblindness. They will talk about the challenges, the dark moments, as well as the joy and the &lsquo;fun stuff&rsquo;. It is their personal experience, presented in their own words of how they have connected with their children.

Angela Priestley

Option 2 | Connecting as a parent living with deafblindness

This talk will primarily focus on a caregiver&rsquo;s journey with her deafblind ward and the various challenges that she had to face in the process. Although this narrative is going to be particularly from a South Asian perspectives, we believe it will resonate with the experiences of caregivers all across the world. Along with challenges, occasions of assertion and even self-empowerment will be highlighted in the talk. The journey of two individual, who are interdependent on each other will enable the listeners to reflect on the overglorified/ much celebrated ableist notion of self-reliance and &lsquo;non-dependence&rsquo;.&nbsp;

Ishan Chakraborty

Option 1 | Disability and Caregiving: A Narrative of Self-Discovery and Assertion 

This talk explores the role of the Deafblind UK support worker, including how they connect with the people they support, and the impact that this has on different areas of their life. We will hear from Peter Hopkins who supports people in at their homes and in the local community across Staffordshire, and James Griffin, who supports residents of our supported living complex in Peterborough.&nbsp;&nbsp;

James Griffin

Peter Hopkins

Option 2 | A day in the life of a support worker

This session, presented by Cheryl Northway from Wiltshire Council and Jo Brady and Tracey Osbourne, Co-chairs of LAWDIG (Local Authority Workers Deafblind Interest Group) will explore how Local Authorities meet the challenges of identifying, assessing, and supporting people living with Deafblindness in their areas. Cheryl will look at how the services in Wiltshire are structured, how they prioritise Deafblindness, what the challenges are, for example recruiting staff who are specifically trained and/or qualified, and how support is developed and offered. Jo and Tracey will detail the work of LAWDIG, how it has, over many years, supported workers who are often isolated within their teams, working alongside colleagues and possibly managers who know little about their specialism. LAWDIG works to share knowledge across its members, influence policy, support career development, and to raise awareness and understanding throughout Social Care and Government. Dr Peter Simcock, lead lecturer in Social Work studies and Director of the Deafblind Studies Course, Birmingham City University, will conclude the session by reflecting on training and developing students in Social Work to be more aware of Deafblindness, and their statutory responsibilities. He will explore how the Deafblind studies course develops workers who are specifically trained in Deafblindness and some of the wider support networks available.

David Melling

Cheryl Northway

Option 1 | How do we connect, support, and develop our workforce?

In this talk, Tracy will highlight some of the latest developments in creative technologies, drawing on applications in entertainment, consumer and industry. She will discuss uses and potential for access.

Tracy Harwood

Option 2 | State of the Art: Creative Tech for Access

Christopher will discuss a few key factors to think about how to build inclusive, innovative products - using Google's AT as examples of this in action.

Christopher Patnoe

Option 1 | Inclusive Innovation

We are all aware of the devastating impact that the Covid pandemic had on the world. &nbsp;Many of us are also aware, through lived experience or specialist knowledge, of how infinitely greater the challenges of this period were for people living with sensory loss. &nbsp;Whilst many of our lives have now returned to some form of normality, this journey is yet to be completed for large numbers of deafblind individuals, who may still be striving to readjust to normal lives in a changed world or are still searching for the inner confidence to regain their lost independence. &nbsp;This session, jointly presented by Deafblind UK team members from across the country, reflects upon the feedback and concerns expressed by deafblind people over the last three years and also gives an outline on how this knowledge helped organisations like Deafblind UK to adjust their support service strategies to meet these changing demands. &nbsp;The session encourages attendees of the Deafblind Conference 2023 to maintain contact with one another and to work together, so that we can all collectively ensure we are part of a cohesive and lasting solution in line with our conference title, Connected Lives, and remembering that we are stronger together.

James McVicker

Michael Wycherley

Carys Jones

Option 2 | Reconnecting after lockdown 

A Deafblind, neurodivergent, ambulatory wheelchair user with one hell of a story to tell! Learn how my life-saving Assistance Dogs, Ruby and Rowley, helped me to embrace my disabilities and gave me the confidence to climb UK's tallest mountain for Deafblind UK!

Megan Taylor

Option 1 | Life with Superdogs

This will use an example of a child entering a school and help to think through these key issues and look for the different perspectives of the people involved. &nbsp;There are no absolute answers! &nbsp;But this could challenge you to help think through the important questions. &nbsp; 
How can a school prepare for a deafblind child joining? &nbsp;What does this mean for the school, for staff, for &nbsp;the parents, and of course, most importantly for the child? &nbsp;
 How should the school respond in relation to issues such as the arrangement of the classroom, the use of resources, time management and timetabling, subjects and content including additional curriculum, organising support, using support services, managing the paperwork, working with other agencies, supporting staff, and the vitally important aspects of &nbsp;facilitating social inclusion. &nbsp; 
&nbsp;&ldquo;A well-educated mind will always have more questions than answers&rdquo;. (Helen Keller)&nbsp;

Liz Hodges

Option 2 | More questions than answers - a school story 

Alexandra takes us through her journey so far of being, and becoming the UK&rsquo;s first deafblind doctor. &nbsp;A profession and lifestyle that much of general society still views as a taboo for deafblind and disabled people, she shares with us the reality that comes with trying to dispel the myths and misconceptions of being a deaf and blind healthcare professional; what and how she was inspired to become a Doctor, the discrimination and hurdles she encountered, both on applying to, and navigating through medical school, and what Alexandra has learnt about workplace cultures and general society views, whilst navigating something that is still viewed as being so seemingly impossible to others. &nbsp;With an appreciation that everybody&rsquo;s journey is unique, Alexandra hopes that by sharing just a snippet of the journey so far, it can help to lay down foundations and lessons for both her own future, and for so many others too. &nbsp;You can follow her journey on Instagram, at @alexandraelaineadams.

Alexandra Adams

Setting Sights on the Impossible 

Chair of Deafblind UK, Robert Nolan, refects on today's talks and offers an insight into his own experience of living with deafblindness. Robert will explore how the wide range of support available from Deafblind UK can impact people's lives, and help them to feel better connected.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Agenda

Speakers37 Speakers

Tim Locker

Annmaree. Watharow

Tracy Harwood

Ishan Chakraborty

Angela Priestley

James Griffin

Liz Hodges

Megan Taylor

Nikki Morris

Robert Nolan

Christopher Patnoe

Michael Wycherley

James McVicker

Carys Jones

David Melling

Cheryl Northway

Naomi Dainty

Tim Locke (Lip speaker)

Amanda Easton Deafblind UK

Andrew William Barnes

Vanessa Bradley

Tonicha Frith

Liz Duncan Deafblind UK

Peter Hopkins

Alexandra Adams

Amy Miller (RSLI)

Carolyn Greig

Tom Mould (RSLI)

BSL Interpreter Karen Houlihan

Jackie Dennis (RSLI)

( RSLI) Danielle Beckwith (BSL/English Interpreter)

Lesley Weatherson (Lipspeaker)

Laura Bradbury (Lipspeaker)

Kirsty Last (Lipspeaker)

Mandy Allen (Lipspeaker)

Eileen Church (Lipspeaker)

Cheryl Northway

Agenda

Speakers.css-2zwi6c{margin:0;font-size:1.4rem;font-weight:500;line-height:1.5;color:#494949;font-family:'Poppins',sans-serif;margin-left:0.8rem;}37 Speakers

Tim Locker

Annmaree. Watharow

Tracy Harwood

Ishan Chakraborty

Angela Priestley

James Griffin

Liz Hodges

Megan Taylor

Nikki Morris

Robert Nolan

Christopher Patnoe

Michael Wycherley

James McVicker

Carys Jones

David Melling

Cheryl Northway

Naomi Dainty

Tim Locke (Lip speaker)

Amanda Easton Deafblind UK

Andrew William Barnes

Vanessa Bradley

Tonicha Frith

Liz Duncan Deafblind UK

Peter Hopkins

Alexandra Adams

Amy Miller (RSLI)

Carolyn Greig

Tom Mould (RSLI)

BSL Interpreter Karen Houlihan

Jackie Dennis (RSLI)

( RSLI) Danielle Beckwith (BSL/English Interpreter)

Lesley Weatherson (Lipspeaker)

Laura Bradbury (Lipspeaker)

Kirsty Last (Lipspeaker)

Mandy Allen (Lipspeaker)

Eileen Church (Lipspeaker)

Cheryl Northway

Speakers37 Speakers