When you have a child who needs a little extra care, or presents more of a challenge, you can easily feel isolated and different. Many other parents can’t understand the anxieties and concerns that you live with.

Take 5 and chat – parenting additional needs began in March 2015 – as a Facebook Page. I hoped that it would represent a safe place for parents to be, somewhere to drop in and to help you feel less isolated. A place where you can surround yourself with people who get it.

By ‘additional needs’ we mean any extra condition that your child is living with, for example: –  medical or developmental issues, physical, behavioural or emotional difficulties – or learning problems. There doesn’t have to be a diagnosis. Anything that means your child needs extra care.

By May 2015 the initial team had been trained and was ready to set up and run Café Drop-in sessions in Whitley Bay.

The Drop-in hit the ground running and we quickly became known in the area as a great place to be. Our hot drinks and homemade cakes created the café atmosphere we wanted, it’s a simple but effective idea! We run fortnightly, all year around, including school-age children during the school holidays.

We are now encouraging others to set up and run Café Drop-in Sessions in accessible community buildings for the sole purpose of providing support and encouragement to those parenting/caring for children with additional needs.