Meet Miles

Miles* is 6 year-old boy with very few opportunities to access leisure services outside the family home. He is completely reliant on his parents/carers and is socially isolated as a result. His parents contacted Disability Positive and advised us that Miles had complex personal requirements, including management of behaviour, personal care and medication. Community activity providers were unable to respond to these complex requirements. Miles’ parents told us he needed 1:1 support at all times.

What did we do to help?

Miles’ parents found out about the Buzz Youth Group through a third party. It’s a fully accessible and inclusive community group for disabled young people in Cheshire West and Cheshire East. Members can attend with or without their parents or carers and take part in fun activities like cookery, sports, creative art, drama, and theatre visits as well as longer occasional residential stays.

The team that runs the group is highly qualified and experienced in providing high quality care for disabled young people. The group provided 1:1 support, so Miles could attend evening activity sessions on a weekly basis during term time, and weekly daytime activities during school holidays. Miles’ parents and siblings were also invited to the Buzz Youth Group family events, held three times a year.

An active, sociable child with more opportunities

Miles now attends the Buzz Youth Group every week and has attended a number of activity sessions during school holidays. He has dedicated 1:1 support each time he attends activity sessions and is able to actively participate in all activities. Miles has made new friends, learnt new skills and has been able to take part in activities that weren’t previously available or accessible to him, greatly reducing his feeling of social isolation.

Every week, whilst Miles attends his group, his parents have the opportunity to relax and take a short break from their role as carers. They also benefit from a longer break during the summer holidays. Miles’ parents are now confident to leave him with the staff team and have registered him for a number of off-site activity sessions to further enhance his social opportunities.

What Miles’ parents say

“Thank you for all your support and for arranging these sessions; they have been brilliant — Miles told me it was awesome!”