Information workshops

Purpose
To provide siblings with information about their brother or sister's condition, and allow them the opportunity to ask questions

You will need

Information about the specific conditions relevant to the siblings' brothers and sister e.g. autistic spectrum disorder, general learning difficulties, cerebral palsy, epilepsy. You may need to do an Internet search for a specific condition (start with www.cafamily.org.uk )

How to do it

Leaders prepared in advance to lead small groups on different disabilities. Allow the siblings to choose two workshops to go to. Allow about 10 or 15 minutes at one, then move round to a second.

Alternative

Specialist speaker

Invite a specialist to come to answer questions e.g. community learning disability nurse, nurse or teacher from the local special school, or paediatrician. Ask siblings to prepare some questions in advance and then workers can give the visitor a flavour of the potential discussion.