Where to find a special needs playgroup?

[Claennister]

Any ideas how I can find a special needs playgroup or mum and toddler for a child aged nearly 4? Please don't say health visitor, they weren't even able to find us a playgroup without special needs requirement, they are hopeless. Council will only tell us about places in a SN nursery, one she'd need to be assessed for and placed at and attend on her own. I am looking for the kind of place where you and your SN child can go together, they can play and you can meet and chat with other SN parents. Provision in this area through NDCS is virtually non-existent, she went to one deaf children's event and it was the happiest weekend I can remember for both of us.

I am so down with feeling I don't have anything to say to other parents. Their child is taking and doing this and doing that... my daughter is just about able to string a few words together. I'd even be happy to join a group where it's not SN but the other parents have kids who are about 2 1/2, my daughter would fit in and those parents and I would have similar issues and concerns. But can't find any, they all have age restrictions, they say health and safety my DD is too big to be running around with all the babies. Don't think they understand that she doesn't run around and jump and things anyway.

Any avenues I have not explored other than relevant charity, health visitor, Google and council?

Local SN school has a toddler group once a week in the nursery but parents stay with.

What needs does she have?

If you can give a general location someone on here may know of somewhere

I dont know about how to find a dedicated SN group. For finding a group that understands your needs perhaps try ringing the privately-run groups? Gymboree advertise for 6 months to 5years around here. Or you may find the arts and crafts etc groups at libraries are more understanding. Have you tried the mumsnet-local part of the board. Some areas have meet-ups with kids I think.

Theya re indeed far between sadly.

Do be aware that not all kids at a SN group will ahve similar or even very visible issues- at 3 ds3 was virtually undetectable (not so now sadly). But the aprents will deffo get you and your dd a whole lot more/
This is eomthing I am looking to set up- a support group anwyay- where we are for ASD but do you know what, big scoiety crap and all tehre's very little chance of finding anywhere and anything that won't cost me ahrd cash I don't have.

in our area portage run a group just like that, you don't have to get portage to go, just get extra help at some level. What about childrens centres? The portage group runs out of 2 of the local ones, details are on our council site. What about a family officer from the NDCS, sometimes they are aware of local groups.

childrens centres, how to find one near you. They may have other activities you could do.

Which area are you in? Maybe someone on here can tell you about the one they go to. You could also ring round any primary special schools or inclusive nurseries and see if they know of any.

Where are you? Our local NDCS has a monthly coffee morning for parents of under 5's where you can meet other parents and the children play.
My son is deaf but older now, at that age he did go to mainstream nursery and playgroup on his own to be honest.
Have you tried putting a message on parent place on the ndcs website to find people near you with similar issues?

check with your local surestart center,here in manchester the pre school special needs run stay and play sessions at surestart centers.

yes what area are you in, if you are in or near Surrey then I know one that's just getting going but can probably give you some support now.

Like others had said I would say try your local children centre. I was approached one day when dropping my son to nursery (a children's centre) by someone dropping of flyers about their group. Unfortunately I couldn't go as ds's place at nursery is full time and was given to him based on his sn.

Does your DD have a SALT or EP? DS1 used to ttend one that was run by both and it was fantastic.

Good luck in finding one.

Mencap run a mother and toddler group twice a week for SN children - we live in Bedfordshire. You could try looking at their website to see if there is one in your area.

I was about to say mencap to ds goes to great Sn nursery he gas normal preschool finding mencap provide 1-1 so Lea are not involved si can't pull strings ,very social patents always chat start end of session plus they also do family fun days .also do a Saturday. Club to ds3 Sn and dd nt are of to legoland on Saturday,followed by family day Sunday Bbq bouncy castle games etc

Is there meant to be Mencap in Scotland? I look on their website and there's Northern Ireland and Wales and stuff, and it does say registered for the whole of the UK, but all of the search for services stuff there is no way to select Scotland.

No Mencap dont cover Scotland, the equivalent organisation up here is Enable
www.enable.org.uk/index.php dont think they run any groups though, i think they are more about supported living etc, but might be able to point you in the right direction for what you are looking for?

These have Scottish info too
www.rnid.org.uk/about/in_your_area/scotland/
www.deafaction.org/

I would do lots of googling, maybe look at national online group for people in the area. TBH I would crash a normal group and bugger me if they dont like it
We have a number of general SN groups here. Any chance there is a specila needs HV nearbby?

youre local social services[children with disabilitys team]should have some information!
also-you could try youre local SEN dept-
as they mention pre school stuff in theyre info they give out!
its worth ringing around to the older childrens organisasions aswell-sometimes they know of things!