Charity for Children with Special Needs Described as an Essential Safe Space

An organization offering respite to parents caring for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) has been characterized as an essential safe environment. Claire Drelincourt, a mother assisted by Ruby’s in Congleton, Cheshire, described the group as “amazing.” She stated, “There’s no judgement anywhere; it’s just a safe place to be,” following the staff’s support in her daughter’s diagnosis of special educational needs. Children in Need has committed an additional £34,000 to the charity to sustain its operations. This funding will facilitate an increase in the short breaks provided to parents, which involve one-to-one, two-hour sessions for their children. Katie, a mother of three, stated that the center offered a secure setting for her child, who experiences developmental delays, enabling them to “thrive.” She further remarked, “I don’t see any of the negative behaviour from Marley when we are here because he’s comfortable.” She contrasted this with typical soft play areas, where “people will scowl or get annoyed when they try and steal things.” Katie also noted that the empathy among other parents of SEND children at the center was beneficial for acknowledging accomplishments and providing mutual assistance during what she termed the “battle” of the diagnosis process. Ruby’s was established 16 years prior, when founder Alison Parr’s daughter, Ruby, received a diagnosis of infantile spasms, a type of epilepsy. Parr recalled, “There wasn’t help for families like ours.” This experience motivated her to raise funds to establish a sensory room in Congleton, which subsequently expanded over time into a community hub featuring a soft play area, an outdoor playground, and a cafe. She expressed that receiving Children in Need funding for her “never-ending journey” to assist families was an honor. BBC Children in Need Day is scheduled for 15 November. Additional information can be found here. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding their approach to external linking is available.