Makaton Sign Course (FULL)
This event is for parents/carers of a child born with a cleft lip and/or palate in the United Kingdom.
Want to feel more confident speaking up, asking questions, and supporting your child to develop confidence and independence?
CLAPA is excited to offer an interactive Self Advocacy Workshop for Parents and Carers in partnership with Vital Projects, a user-led advocacy organisation with experience supporting communities like ours.
As a parent or carer of a child born with a cleft, you are already advocating every day – at appointments, in education settings, and in everyday life. This workshop is designed to help you recognise and strengthen those skills, while also exploring how self-advocacy can be taught and developed over time to help children build independence and confidence as they grow.
Workshop Details
- Date: Wednesday 1st July
- Time: 7:00pm–8:30pm
- Location: Zoom
- Format: Introduction to Self Advocacy followed by a discussion
What we’ll explore
- What self-advocacy means in everyday life
- Communication skills and asking for what you need
- Advocacy in healthcare and education settings
- Confidence, empowerment, and self-awareness
- Supporting children to gradually develop their own self advocacy skills
Why join?
- Build confidence in advocating for yourself and your child
- Learn practical communication strategies
- Recognise the advocacy skills you already use
- Explore ways to encourage independence and confidence in your child
- Connect with other parents and carers in the cleft community
Watch the video below to hear more about the session from Lucy, CLAPA’s Family Services Coordinator.
This session is open to all parents and carers of a child born with a cleft, at any stage of their cleft journey. The workshop will provide a supportive and safe space to share experiences, ask questions, and learn together.
If you have any issues on the day or any questions before then, please get in touch with Lucy, [email protected].
Taking part in this event
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This is an online event
This is an online video event and we will send the link to join the event the day before, to the email address you use to register for this event.
Please check your spam/junk folders to ensure you don't miss the link. -
You don't have to join in
If you'd like to hear from others but you'd prefer not to take part in the informal chat, you are very welcome to come along and listen to the discussion.
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Tell us how we can help
If you have any access requirements, or if there's anything else we can do to make you feel more comfortable and welcome at the event, please let us know when you sign up.
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All parents, carers and family members are welcome
As always, we welcome parents/carers at any stage of their parenting journey, including those who might have older children and wish to share their experiences to offer support. Other close relatives, including grandparents, are welcome to join this event if they would find it helpful.
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Accompanied children can join
Children are welcome to join but must be accompanied for the duration by a parent/carer. If you have children (who aren't participating in the discussion) around please don't feel you need to have a private quiet space, as we can mute your microphone unless you are speaking.
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Follow the rules
Read the 'Ground Rules' below before registering. A CLAPA staff member or volunteer will contact you directly if you breach any of these rules. If you repeatedly breach these rules, we will remove you and you will not be able to attend any future CLAPA events.
Ground rules for online events
Cleft Lip and Palate Action (CLAPA) is committed to ensuring our online events are safe spaces where everyone feels comfortable sharing their experiences and asking questions. We ask everyone attending to read and follow these ground rules.
We ask that everyone is respectful of others’ feelings, views and opinions.
We’re here to listen, share our experiences, ask questions, gain information, and support each other so that everyone leaves the session having had a positive experience.
The format we follow for events ensures there is time to ask questions and share your own experiences and feelings.
Please allow everyone to take their turn and be mindful of sharing the space and time available so that everyone who wants to contribute can do so.
We recognise not everyone feels comfortable contributing to discussions and there is no pressure to do so.
If you would prefer, you can use the Zoom function to ‘raise your hand’ or use the chat box to share information.
You are also welcome to turn off your camera and microphone, and it’s okay if you need to attend to other duties (children, pets, etc.) during the event.
More events for parents and carers
Check out these other upcoming events for parents and carers of a child born with a cleft
Grandparents’ Coffee Club
This event is for grandparents of a child born with a cleft lip and/or palate in the United Kingdom. If you are a parent (including those who are expecting) or carer, you are also welcome to join.
Antenatal Support Group
This event is for new and expectant parents and grandparents of a baby born with a cleft lip and/or palate in the United Kingdom.