Samantha’s* son Jack* lacks confidence and self esteem which prevents him from joining groups or accessing any other type of activities, particularly without his primary care-giver being directly involved.  The family were introduced to the Community Connections service which has made such a difference to the him now.

What did we do to help?
As the family live in the Cheshire West and Chester area, they can access the Community Connections service for children and young people aged 0 -18 years.  Children and young people can take part in activities of their choice in their local community whilst allowing their parents or carers and other members of the family to have a break from their caring responsibilities.  We made contact with Samantha and helped her and Jack to identify what he would like to do and assisted them in applying for a place.  We ensured all concerns raised by both Samantha and Jack were discussed and offered ongoing support should they have further questions.

Where we are now
Jack now enjoys weekly sessions where he is now very confident with the other adults and children at the venue, he looks forward to these and it is somewhere where Samantha knows he can go where he will remain safe, occupied, melt down free, allowing her to catch up with a few jobs and most importantly enjoy a hot cup of tea.

Samantha says;
“Seeing my son’s reactions when he shares his achievements is one of the best things as a parent, I know these are memories he will treasure and wants to share with others, developing confidence and communication skills.  Having this funding available really allows us as a family to find a little bit of balance in having time to spend with each of our children, with the knowledge that they are safe and happy”.

*Names have been changed