Reaching Families: A parent-carer-led charity

Service

Reaching Families is a parent-carer-led charity established to empower, inform and support parents and families of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities in West Sussex. We achieve our mission through the delivery of information, training and peer support to parent-carers.

What we do:

  • Information: Making Sense Of It All - parent guide covering issues from birth to adulthood available in paperback and ebook format. Factsheets and animations - covering a wide range of subjects and issues on SEND.
  • Training: Free workshops on a range of subjects including anxiety, ADHD, ASC, behaviour, benefits, education, resilience, sleep. Plus 2 courses - Making Sense of It All Foundation Course & Making Sense of Wellbeing. Delivered in person and via Zoom.
  • Benefits Advice Service: Supporting parents of children and young people with SEND to apply for Carers Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, and Personal Independent Payments. 1-2-1 advice sessions and support with editing draft applications.
  • Face2Face Befriending: Our team of specially-trained volunteers provide emotional and practical support to parents during the period of their child’s diagnosis, help them find out about and access other services and prepare for the journey ahead.
  • Umbrellas: Parent support groups monthly in 6 locations around the county and fortnightly, via Zoom. Providing a supportive, relaxed and non-judgemental environment in which parents can swap experiences, and share information and resources.

Our users say:

"Reaching Families offers a unique product in West Sussex. It is comforting to know that the organisation is parent carer led but offers practical tools to assist us in our day to day lives"

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Age Range: 0–25

Wheelchair Accessible?

Free to use?

Contact Details

01903 366 360

07845 648 518

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Website
Address

Dove Lodge,
49 Beach Road,
Littlehampton,
BN17 5JG

Upcoming Events

Thursday, 7 December 2023
Chichester

Chichester Umbrellas

Support from fellow parent-carers is one of the most effective ways in which parents of children with special educational needs and disabilities build resilience and emotional wellbeing. Parents also tell us their most valuable source of information, support and advice is other parent-carers. To help parents build networks of mutual support we run seven parent support groups in Burgess Hill, Chich...
Tuesday, 12 December 2023
Burgess Hill

Burgess Hill Umbrellas

Support from fellow parent-carers is one of the most effective ways in which parents of children with special educational needs and disabilities build resilience and emotional wellbeing. Parents also tell us their most valuable source of information, support and advice is other parent-carers. To help parents build networks of mutual support we run seven parent support groups in Burgess Hill, Chich...
Wednesday, 13 December 2023
Horsham

Horsham Umbrellas

Support from fellow parent-carers is one of the most effective ways in which parents of children with special educational needs and disabilities build resilience and emotional wellbeing. Parents also tell us their most valuable source of information, support and advice is other parent-carers. To help parents build networks of mutual support we run seven parent support groups in Burgess Hill, Chich...

Comments

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  • Posted by childrenatheart.childminder on 30 Nov 16 08:49

    I attended the Reaching Families workshop on Sensory Integration in Worthing led by Helen Cottell yesterday. This was time well spent as it was an excellent workshop full of really interesting, useful and relevant information, that covered practical advice as well as the theory behind it. Highly recommend, especially if you have a child with sensory issues.

  • Posted by jacky on 27 Apr 16 17:53

    Great course today about send support at school. Feel I have many more strings to my bow

  • Posted by bashford00 on 23 Apr 16 07:31

    A very big thank you to Reaching Families for organising the 'Making Sense of Benefits' workshop. Lizzie from Amaze who led the course was absolutely brilliant. Even if your child already gets DLA this workshop is still very useful. I now feel much more confident about tackling my daughters forms when it has to be renewed. Can't recommend it enough!