Contact a Family - Manchester
Key Facts
Location
Project Criteria
Project funding
£99,592
Funding round
Contact a Family is a national charity established in 1979. We provide advice, information, support and contact with other families to the parents and families of disabled children.
Our Manchester project is for local parents who have children with a disability. It is called 'Parents Supporting Parents' and the aims are:
- parent-led activities in all parent support groups
- groups for parents who are isolated or excluded
- aparent-led network of groups across the city
- more influence by parents on local services.
To achieve this our project will include:
- activities and fun events
- setting up networks
- running a helpline
- facilitating support groups
- training
- exchanging ideas via meetings and a newsletter
- raising awareness of families' needs.
We expect to deliver:
- skills training for group leaders e.g. starting a group, chairing meetings, listening skills, equal opportunities
- workshops for individual parents on topics they identify as helpful - e.g. music therapy, managing challenging behaviour
- mutual support among fathers e.g. a fathers' meeting, a fathers' network
- increased involvement of minority ethnic communities in support groups
- professionals facilitating parents in leading groups
- an up to date register of parents' groups
- a regular bulletin for parents' groups
- stronger mechanisms for parent groups to influence services - e.g. build a city wide Parents' Forum
- an annual fun event to celebrate and publicise the achievements of parents' groups.