As parent carers ourselves one thing that we are starkly aware of, is the loneliness and isolation that you feel. The people around you try their best to understand but unless you live it, you don’t really get it. To reduce this isolation, we have created ‘Family Groups’, a place where parent carers can come together in a supportive non-judgemental environment to meet and chat with people in similar situations, who truly get it. This vital peer support has helped so many of our parent carers flourish and improve their mental health as well as picking up practical advice and strategies, many have gone on to form lasting friendships with other parents.
Every month PODS holds several Family Groups in differing locations around Telford with the aim of being accessible to as many families as possible. These groups help parent carers to understand their child’s needs better and find out about the different services their child can access as well as the opportunity to meet up with a friendly face for a coffee. During term time the group is mostly made up of parent carers, however children who are below school age or not in school are more than welcome to come along. Our Family Groups sometimes take on these such as crafts, mindfulness, and baking. One of our most popular groups is our outdoor Family Group at Blists Hill, this is usually held in the last week of the month. To find out when our next social support group is please visit our calendar.