THE DIFFERENCE NORWOOD MAKES TO
PEOPLES' LIVES

Norwood’s Major Achievements

• Norwood has given a voice to our service users by setting up a number of fora and representative committees across all our service divisions. These give service users the opportunity to provide feedback on the quality of services they receive and help identify service needs for the future.

• Norwood has focussed on sport not only as a recreational activity but as a means of personal development. A team of 30 adults with a wide range of learning disabilities supported by 16 members of staff, participated in the 2005 Special Olympics in Glasgow. They accounted for a quarter of the Southern region Team and returned victorious with 6 gold medals, 10 silver and 7 bronze. It was a memorable experience that the participants still talk about today with great pride and a sense of achievement.

• For some years, Norwood has provided a lifeline to the orthodox Jewish community in Hackney, a recognised area of deprivation. This year, additional services were launched – an outreach service for young mothers at home with a learning disabled child, and a mobile dental unit visited the centre weekly giving isolated young mothers and their children access to dental health care.

Other Significant Achievements

• Caring for a child with profound learning disabilities can be exhausting and stressful. Norwood’s Buckets and Spades Lodge together with our Fostering Service, provided short-break care for a number of disabled children, enabling 42 families to rest and relax for an average of 3 weeks per year and spend time with their other children.

• Nearly all children placed by Norwood with foster families went on to further or higher education as compared with the national average for foster care of less than 33%

• No Norwood foster children have had any involvement with the police during their placement, compared with a high national average for foster children.

• No Norwood Jewish domestic adoption has broken down compared with a national average of approximately 30% breaking down. (1995-2005)

• Nearly all the children who were excluded from school or had never been accepted or were in danger of exclusion and came to Norwood’s learning support service (Binoh) for help, have gained or maintained a place at school.

• Over 10% of learning disabled residents, living at Ravenswood Village, participated in international sponsored bike rides. Riding tandem with staff and volunteers, they cycled an average of 60 miles each day in Brazil and Israel, developing high levels of fitness and increasing their confidence and social skills.