Jump to content
Lyndalou

Funhouse, Aberdeen

Recommended Posts

This is just a wee post to spread the word about 'FunHouse' which is a free meet-up for kids with special needs under 5 monthly at Ferryhill Community Centre in Aberdeen. (Saturday morning)

 

They have a website you can look at for more information. FunHouse is a non-profit organisation, set up by a lady who recognised that with the closure of the Raeden Centre that a lot of kids and their parents could have difficulty maintaining contact with each other. So, it's a place to go for the children to play in a safe, special needs friendly environment and mums and dads to hook up. Most months they have a music session.

 

Today, we attended and it was very relaxed and friendly and my son enjoyed it a lot.:thumbs:

Edited by Lyndalou

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Did they finally actually close Raeden then Lyndalou? I think that's unbelievable - I don't get how they couldn't see a need for it. They were threatening to close it when L was diagnosed 7 years ago! I'm glad someone has set up something new for the kids.

 

Lynne

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Did they finally actually close Raeden then Lyndalou? I think that's unbelievable - I don't get how they couldn't see a need for it. They were threatening to close it when L was diagnosed 7 years ago! I'm glad someone has set up something new for the kids.

 

Lynne

Unforunately, they did Lynne and it was all very hush-hush until it was announced is my understanding (presumably, they didn't want the hoo-haa which happened when they talked about closing first time round?! :wallbash: ). Even the staff didn't know until the decision was reached - I may be speaking out of turn but I don't think there was any consultation process at all!

 

The assessment process is all going to be community-based now and what I was told was that instead of an assessment over the course of a week, inhouse at Raeden (Struan was assessed Monday to Thursday and then the outcome/decision was discussed with all the professionals and ourselves present on the Friday) it would be conducted over the course of anything up to 9-10 weeks, allowing for when the various professionals could organise appointments. TBH, to me it sounds like a logistical nightmare with so much scope for error (information-sharing) and an extremely stressful process for parents and child alike! :wacko:

 

Anyway, of course the powers that be say that this approach will deliver the same standards etc, blah-de-blah.....I'm just so happy we got in at the last minute with Stru!

 

They are building a new resource on the site. I'd be lying if I said I knew what it was all about but I think it is possibly a resource for older children. I think money is being directed more in the direction of teenagers which is not a bad thing but at the same time I think it's like any other short-sighted approach...where's the early intervention and catching kids when they are young, heading a lot of problems off at the pass?

 

FunHouse won't fill the gap but at least it's a resource for the little ones and I'd like to give it as much support as possible :thumbs:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I think it's a shame that it's gone - Logan had the same assessment process as Struan and it was a great way to do it in my opinion. He'd had input from SALT/Physio/Paed etc in the months prior as well but the whole week assessment seemed to make things easier for us and him, and because they spend time in the nursery every day, staff get a real measure of the kids and not just an hour in a weeny box room. People down here have been impressed when I have told them of the set up that did exist. I can see how community based assessment might be okay in Aberdeen itself but in Aberdeenshire I completely agree it'll be a logistical nightmare :/

 

Will be interesting to see what they do do with the site now then.

 

Lynne

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I think it's a shame that it's gone - Logan had the same assessment process as Struan and it was a great way to do it in my opinion. He'd had input from SALT/Physio/Paed etc in the months prior as well but the whole week assessment seemed to make things easier for us and him, and because they spend time in the nursery every day, staff get a real measure of the kids and not just an hour in a weeny box room. People down here have been impressed when I have told them of the set up that did exist. I can see how community based assessment might be okay in Aberdeen itself but in Aberdeenshire I completely agree it'll be a logistical nightmare :/

 

Will be interesting to see what they do do with the site now then.

 

Lynne

Haven't looked into things in great detail but it would appear that there is supposed to be a new specialist facility being built on the site to open late 2013. From what I can see, this would cater for a range of ages and needs. Seemingly, back when closure of Raeden was announced, the funding needed (£16 million) to complete the project was still not secured :whistle:

 

By all accounts, there was a consultation process to gauge opinion on 'restructuring' services (which also included parents) prior to it's closure. However, if it was anything like the meetings I attended in the lead up to Adult Disability Services throughout the city being 'restructured' then IMO the decision will have already been reached beforehand and the 'Consultation' would have just served to pad out the plans Perhaps I'm cynical?

 

It does look like they made contingency plans for the interim period in the city (Nursery provision etc) but I didn't see any mention of what plans were put forward for the shire. I'm assuming that the nursery my son attends must have taken up some of the slack out this way :unsure:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...

×
×
  • Create New...