FairyNormal

verydull : My daughter has been accepted on SYHA Thursday project and maybe this could be some help to you. It's a supported housing project for vulnerable adults and offers 2 years support. They help with everything, making sure you pay your bills to aranging counselling and any other support you may need to live independantly. You get given housing priority with the council and bid on propertys as normal but when offered, SYHA sign on your behalf and sublet it to you for 2 years. It give you 2 years with support and is a fantastic project. A named worker meets with you every week and will help with any problems that arise. They help you get the flat sorted out and furnish it too. It could be worth you looking into it. My only worry is the lack of properties available. She's been advised not to bid on any with district heating charge as there is no way she could afford £15 a week on top of all her normal bills and expenses so that cuts those ones out, loads are over 40's, over 60's or for mobility so they're a no no. She has to bid on at least 3 properties a week but sometimes there just aren't any that she fits the criteria for. Her priority is for 4 weeks then can be extended by another 4 weeks. The housing woman reckoned it takes about 6 weeks to be re-housed. She was given priority a few weeks ago but has been living in a B&B since mid october and has been bidding since then with no luck at all. If she doesn't bid on at least 3 properties a week, they can bid on her behalf which means she could end up anywhere. They say she is vulnerable and in need of support but could end up somewhere like Exeter Drive just because there is nowere else.

I could give you a few choice words about Malin Bridge!! Probably best that I don't though!!

My daughter has been in a council B&B since mid October and was given her proirity just last week. They are currently paying £57 per night for her to stay there. Surely it would be cheaper to re-house people quicker?

I've been a SYHA tennant for 12 years now and have found them excellent landlords. Since moving here we have had a new roof, central heating, double glazing and new doors, a new kitchen a year ago and a new bathroom just before christmas. Day to day I find communication generally ok as is the repairs service. Some of their workers really go the extra mile when doing repairs and have often ended up doing other stuff that I hadn't even asked for just because they were there! The main problem I have had is the contractors they use for the big jobs such as the bathrooms and windows etc. The people who did the kitchen were fantastic, no complaints at all. My windows were made a complete hash of and some of them had to be ripped out and re-done. My bathroom was done just before christmas and was a complete nightmare. A company called KMS from Hull did the work and they were the most unprofessional bunch I have ever seen. I was told it would take a week to complete and it ended up taking 5 weeks! The workers were more interested in sitting in my back yard smoking than working and on average turned up 3 hours late for work, that is when they actually bothered to come! Trying to get hold of the planned maintanance officer was a nightmare and he never returned my calls. I have just sent in a lengthy letter of compliant to them about it so I shall see what their response is!

In my constant battles with the LEA I have found two fantastic organisations. One is Ipsea who offer advice and support on all matter relating to SEN. Their website offers good adice and they operate a free helpline too. The Children's Legal Centre / is also a very good resource. They have solicitors who deal specifically in Education Law and their advice to me was invaluable. If anyone is battling with the LEA with regard to SEN matters or are just in need of some general advice then they are most definately the organisations to contact.

I have a problem with media player. Whenever I rip CD's to play on the computer that belong to a series, for instance the Radio 1 live lounge or my son's Pop party cd's the tracks are always wrong. They play the correct track but are named wrong. For instance, I havce just ripped Live Lounge vol 2 and it plays the correct tracks but they are all listed as the ones on Volume 1!! It's the same with my son's pop party CD's, plays volume 4 but listed as the tracks on volume 3!! It's mad and means I have to re-name every single track. Does anyone have any idea how I can sort this out as it's driving me crazy!! :confused: Thanks in advance

Hillsborough here too!!!

My son is 10 and has AS, TS, ADHD, OCD, ODD and motor learning difficulties. He spent most of last year without a school place as mainstream provision wasn't adequate and all the special schools and integrated resources were either full or wouldn't take him as he didn't 'fit'. We even looked at out of town provisionand there was nothing. If he had moderate to severe learning difficuties or was physically disabled he would have been in a much better position as provision for these kind of difficulties is much better. He has complex needs but is a bright and sociable boy who needs an education. He eventually got a place at a special school in September but I am now battling with them because he still doesn't go full time. He has less than 2 terms and he will move to senior school so needs to be there full time ASAP. Again, at senior level, there is a HUGE choice of 1 school!! We either take that or it's tough! My feelings and experiences are that if your child falls into the catagory of having an autistic spectrum disorder, ADHD or similar, there is a huge lack of provision. And don't get me started about the schools who cater for children with mental health issues as there are precisely none! I get the feeling that ASD etc aren't seen as 'proper' disabilities by the authorities. The lack of provision, not just within education but social services etc is appalling. Just because our kids can walk and talk (and I mean no offence to anyone with a physical disability or a child with one) it doesn't mean that they are any less needy. Life is still a struggle for them and their families! Sorry, I could rant for hours about this!! :rant::rant:

I suppose that is a risk you can run most places nowadays. I do think that a place is what you make it. I lived on Kelvin for 8 years and never had one spot of trouble and despite the awful reputation it had, I loved it! BTW, if anyone was wondering, Portobello House is the new build on Sidall Street at the back of West Street / Broad Lane.

Thanks everyone. Now found out where it is!

You can also pick up some nice bits and pieces in Poundland of all places. I have had some lovely stuff fom in there including scrapbooking papers and embelishments.

I was given a washing machine which was a godsend as my son has special needs and had completely broken the door off our old one with his compulsive opening and shutting! We also got a Boglin puppet which helped him immensely with his doctors and therapists visits. His and the doctors Boglins 'talked' to each other and lots more was achieved with the puppet than without it. I do tend to offer more than ask but I get so fed up with the people who just email saying "I'll have it. I can pick it up tonight" without a please or thank you. Good manners cost nothing just like freecycling! I have to admit to taking stuff to a charity shop rather than giving it to someone rude.

Mine: http://www.flickr.com/photos/fairynormal/652649117/in/set-72157600403324653/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/fairynormal/742353021/in/set-72157600403324653/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/fairynormal/750544164/in/set-72157600403324653/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/fairynormal/812734592/in/set-72157600403324653/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/fairynormal/840311477/in/set-72157600403324653/

I'd love to come but it's a bit late for us really. If it started a bit earlier then I'd most likely come. Bit late when they have school the next day and you have a bus ride home.

Thanks EmilyM! I feel ok abouther getting a flat on there. Anyone know anything about Portobello House, even where it actually is please? :confused:

Thanks. I went for a wander yesterday but all I could find was the Springfield estate and no-one that I asked had even heard of Portobello House so still none the wiser. Ivor and Mel ....... good manners cost nothing! I always pride myself on being polite. It's nice to be nice

My daughter has been given priority housing status to bid for a 1 bed property and the housing have bid on her behalf for some properties. 2 are at Portobello House which we have never heard of but they said it was near the University Tram stop near West Street, 1 is on Castle Court (Hyde Park flats) and is one on Hyde Park Cricket Inn Road. What are these areas like? I know Hyde Park (Castle Court) was done up really nicely for the student games and a friend had a flat there which was lovely but what is it like as an area? We've never heard of Portobello House so any info would be great thanks. She is 18 and pretty vulnerable/naieve so want to make sure the areas are decent. Many thanks.

We've just come back that way on the tram and saw loads of police still there. Looked like forensics or whoever in and out too. It was still all taped off and looked pretty serious. Hope no-one has been hurt.

Sorry I should have said where. He was on the tram from the Gleedless area and it was stopped around Arbourthorne area. He said that the police had abviously taken it all very seriously. My mum was on another tram going into town around the same time and it too stopped, this time on Netherthorpe Road. Nothing was said at all to the passengers and it was stopped for about 20 minutes before carrying on with it's journey. The tram staff wouln't tell them anything at all. All very odd and just a little bit scary!

Does anyone have any further info about what happened on the Halfway/Malin Bridge tram this morning sometime shortly after 10am? A relative of ours was on the tram when it stopped without warning. They said it was a fault and not to sorry. A short while later, 5 police cars pulled up with officers in body armour type uniforms and dragged a young asian man complete with large holdall off the tram. The man in question had been sat opposite our relative and he said he was very fidgity and nervous looking. Once the man and bag were off the tram, it continued on it's journey. Does anyone know anymore about this? I've done a search but couldn't find anything. Our relative was very shaken by the experience and we were all just wondering what it was all about. Thanks!

Thanks so much. Much apreciated you two

The Travel South Yorkshire site isn't working properly so I can't check on the journey planner. I need a bus that goes up Halifax Road to Chaucer School please. Anyone?

Can someone please tell me which but to get from Hillsborough to St Cecelias Church at Parson Cross? We have a funeral to go to this afternoon and don't want to be late. Many thanks.

Hi and thanks for replying. It was 2 years ago that I made this post lol! Strattera was a total disaster for him. He became depressed and did nothing but cry and want to kill himself. Not good for an 8 year old. After about 6 month we decided to stop it as it had no positive effects at all. He's now on Risperidone and Sertraline for OCD and Aspergers and may well be starting on Ritalin or similar in the near future.

Some of mine: (Hillsborough Park) (Hillsborough Library) (Blackpool) (Hillsborough Park) (Hillsborough sky)