Early Support parents’ workshops

Click here to download the training brochure page for these workshops.

These four workshops are specially designed for families with a young disabled child – parents, carers, grandparents and others. They will help you to:

• understand national and local services for children and families and what they can offer
• understand Early Support and the Early Support materials such as the Family pack
• feel more confident about working with practitioners and making decisions about your child’s journey.

The workshops have been planned and written by parent consultants who have direct experience of a disabled child in the family. They are open to practitioners working directly with very young disabled children and their families but only if the practitioner has been invited to attend by a parent/carer. They promote understanding and help practitioners to take forward a partnership approach to working with families.

What the four workshops cover

Workshop 1: Understanding this new world – national and local services, Early Support and the Early Support materials
Workshop 2: Changing relationships – working in partnership with service providers
Workshop 3: The child beyond the disability - dealing with feelings, enjoying your child
Workshop 4: The importance of the ordinary – the wider family, time for you, using key workers effectively.

"Above all else we want these workshops to help parents cope with what ever 'label' their child has been given; to then take pleasure in being with them - to enjoy parenthood, not just struggle with it."   Anna Gill, Parent

How the workshops are structured

These half-day workshops are informal, with plenty of opportunity to meet other families, chat and share experiences. In addition there are:

• presentations
• group discussions
• opportunities to look at Early Support materials
• opportunities to stay in touch with other families.

The workshops are led by parents of disabled children, often in conjunction with other trainers. Training providers can provide information about the timing, spacing and access to these workshops as well as childcare and other support arrangements.

"These workshops have been designed to support the inclusion of disabled children in their homes, families and and communities. They explore families' needs around information, partnership, emotional well-being and the ordinary things in life. In doing so they seek to support families in finding their own unique solutions to their own unique challenges."   Mark Brown,  Parent

Find out more

Click here for the full course outline.

Where courses are held and how to enrol

The courses are held at various locations in England depending on demand. The workshops can also be arranged in other locations if there is sufficient interest. We aim to run workshops with no more than 15 people (and not less than 10).

Click here for a list of training providers. You need to contact a training provider direct to find out if there is a course available in your area or if one could be arranged.