Solas - Belfast

Sólás is a charity for children and families with ASD and Additional needs. We are based in South Belfast; however, we provide services to the whole of Belfast, and our back on track service is based in schools through-out Northern Ireland. Below are the services that we provide, however for advice or more information get in touch with our team on the numbers below. ASD and Additional Needs Services. Afterschool and Saturday club For primary school aged children with ASD or additional needs. In our after school & Saturday clubs, we encourage children to engage with one another and improve their communication and interaction skills through various forms of play, group activities, sensory play, arts & craft and story time. Our afterschool/ Saturday Clubs run for 2.5 hours and are £20 a session, a range of payment options: including childcare vouchers can be accommodated for these clubs, for more information or to get an application form, contact Catriona McGarvey on 02890247600 or Catriona@solasbt7.com. Early Years Intervention Programme This program supports children presenting with developmental delays aged 2-3 years old aiming to develop their play skills, social interaction, communication and fine and gross motor skill development. Within Early years we work with multi-disciplinary teams, including Sure-Start, speech and language therapists, Occupational Therapists and health visitors. This programme runs from September – June each year. For more information contact Kathryn Kelly on 02890247600 or KKelly@solasbt7.com. Early Years - Play and Stay Meeting every other Thursday from 12-1pm. This group is aimed for children aged 0-4 who may be displaying signs of developmental delay. A space where Parents can chat to other parents and staff and engage in a variety of facilitated play. To book a space or for more details, contact Kathryn Kelly on 02890247600 or KKelly@solasbt7.com. Early Years - Summer Scheme We have limited spaces for a week of summer scheme for children with ASD and additional needs. For more information please contact Jeanne For information on the early years summer scheme contact Kathryn Kelly on 02890247600 or KKelly@solasbt7.com. Home Support An 8-week program working with families and children with a diagnosis of ASD, or awaiting an ASD assessment, in the Belfast Area. Our home support provides practical advice, information and visual support for a range of issues. Referrals can be made for home support through the family support hub. For more information contact Michelle Murdock on 02890247600 or Michelle@solasbt7.com. Respite We can provide 2 different types of services for respite: Thursday and Friday Club– encouraging children to engage and interact together with the support of staff. Outings— involves taking a child or young person outside of the home, helping to provide them with a sense of independence. Both of our respite services are charged at the rate of direct payments. For more information contact Liz Carton on 02890247600 or Respite@solasbt7.com. Siblings Programme Our siblings program runs several times a year for 8 weeks where young carer’s are given the opportunity to meet with other children who have a sibling with ASD while doing fun activities and learning new skills. For more information contact Liz or check out our facebook page. Youth Club The youth club is for young people aged between 12-18years old with a diagnosis of ASD. The young people are encouraged to try a range of new activities, such as trampolining, whilst being supported to practice their social and interactional skills in a safe environment. For more information contact Catriona McGarvey on 02890247600 or Catriona@solasbt7.com. Educational Support Services. Kids Den The Kids Support Den is an early-intervention initiative providing weekly one-to-one homework support outside of school. The beneficiaries are children of primary school age with literacy, numeracy, social, emotional and/or behavioural problems who may be disengaging from their education. A wide range of children are supported including those who do not speak English as a first language and children in the Irish Medium education. We also provide support to children who are on the Special Educational Needs register and would benefit from extra educational and social support in a friendly and positive atmosphere. The Kids Den is open during term time, every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and slots are available on an hourly basis from either 3pm - 4pm or 4pm - 5pm. The programme is run at Apsley Hall, Apsley Street, Belfast. For more information contact Nikita on 02890247600 or Kidsden@solasbt7.com. Back on Track Programme Back-On-Track’ is an early intervention programme which supports the educational, social and emotional development of primary school children experiencing difficulties in literacy and/or numeracy, and who are at possible risk of failure. We at Sólás recruit retired teachers, and people who have experience, skills and expertise in the field of education to support the children identified for the programme for a specific period. The programme provides 30 minute ‘tailored’ sessions each week during the school year on a one-to-one and small group basis. The 'Back-On-Track' programme is designed to: • Improve the quality of early school experiences for children. • Positively influence children’s motivation and help them to progress to secondary and higher level education and training. • Create a positive perception of learning amongst those children who may be 'struggling’ with their learning· • Provide child focused support from volunteers who are well equipped to ensure appropriate intervention where the child is at the centre of the process· • Facilitate higher levels of achievement than would be expected had the intervention not been put in place. • Develop confidence and improve communication skills. • Improve social skills and develop self-esteem to ensure each child is in the best place to learn and reach his/her full potential. • Build emotional resilience to help children cope with day to day issues, become more self-aware and ensure hope for a brighter future There are schools participating in the 'Back On Track' programme throughout Northern Ireland including Belfast, Armagh, Craigavon, Derry, Glengormley, Ballymoney, Enniskillen, Dungannon and Aughnacloy. The programme is run within the participating school premises. If your school is not currently listed as a participating school and you would like more information on how we can help, please contact us. Phone Kate (temporary programme coordinator) on 02890247600 or e mail progs@solasbt7.com