https://www.parksforplay.org/

Parks for Play Background Info:

For seventeen years Parks for Play has consistently delivered inclusive play-based services at weekends and during the holidays for local children and young people; we cater for the most complex needs and disabilities who are at the highest risk of social isolation. Many of the attendees are non-verbal and Autism is their primary or secondary disability. The majority require facilitation with eating, movement, personal care, managing behaviours and responsive observation to ensure we are supporting their evolving needs.

Our group sizes are small staff ratio is high to meet their needs. Many of our attendees are NOT accommodated elsewhere even by specialist services due to their complex needs.

Parks for Play is a unique charity that was created by families with disabled children in partnership with play and youth experts. We deliver an affordable, high-quality, local service to families with disabled children, autism, and additional needs.

We specialise in ‘Play’ which is self-directed by children and young people (our members) and facilitated by a diverse team of play workers. This approach is fundamental to the creation of accessible, inclusive and supportive environments for our members to grow and flourish.

We run holiday and Saturday sessions for 4–12-year-olds as well as youth services for 12-17’s and over 18’s. Parks for Play have been putting our SEND children, young people and their families at the centre of our service, and we have done so consistently for the last 17 years. This is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain on a cocktail of small grants.

We are the best at what we do and pride ourselves on never excluding a young person from our service, regardless of their disability, background, medical needs, emotional needs or challenging behaviour.

The trustees are in the main parents of children with disabilities or mental health issues. The families of SEND children and young people have lived challenging experiences. The Board also bring professional skills to help the charity to strategically develop. It includes therapeutic social workers, early years lecturers, autism support managers, solicitors, national health staff and small business owners.

How the fundraising donations would be used:

After the huge financial loss occurred from the vital electrical works carried out in September, we ran out of funds to finish converting a space into an office so our team has been working in a cold shipping container without a door, which during the winter months has meant we’ve been working in conditions as cold as -4.

As well as the unfinished office, we have had to make cuts across the board to stay afloat, including the services we provide to the young people, the number of children we can welcome into sessions, the resources we can afford, and so on.

With the funding, we would implement the plan to finish the conversion immediately as it is vital that we can get back into the office and make the space useable for our team and parents. We will again invest in weekly planning sessions with staff to ensure we go above and beyond for every child and young person with disabilities and complex needs. We could also afford to replace broken resources and can welcome more young people into our service.