A BARNSLEY mum who stopped going places with her son due to being judged for his behaviour is inviting families to join sessions organised for children and young people with SEN.
Claire Fisher launched a charity – True Colours – back in November 2023 to give families the chance to socialise and enjoy quality time together in a supportive environment.
Claire from Hoyland said: “My son is thirteen now and has ADHD, autism and is partially deaf. There came a point when he was younger that we stopped going to kids’ places because his behaviour was judged and misunderstood.
“That’s when I decided to launch the group for SEN children and their families where everyone is accepted with no judgements.”
The group is based in Worsbrough and runs for ages five to 13 offering a range of play activities, toys and games, arts and crafts, sensory opportunities and community outings in a safe environment where they can spend quality time together and meet like-minded people to share tips and ideas.
“We all enjoy each other’s company and try to get out in the community as much as we can. Families often struggle to get early help when their children have special needs and it’s good to spend time with others who know what you’re going through and understand.
“We do all sorts of activities and have a different theme every week. We are always raising funds to buy equipment and for outings – we are currently holding an Easter raffle and we’ve had so much support with local companies being amazing.”
The group meets on Thursdays from 5.30pm until 7pm at Worsbrough Common Community Centre on Warren Quarry Lane – children must be accompanied by a parent or carer and more information is available from Claire on 07747 073 094.
Claire added: “We have a very good group of parents and, as well as the children getting the chance to socialise and play, it’s great that the parents get the chance to chat and sometimes it’s just nice to get things off your chest to others who understand.”
