How we help
Learning together. Supporting our children.
Parents bring knowledge from everyday family life. Our workshops, Book Club and local activities give families regular opportunities to share that knowledge, learn from others and help their children take part.
Our community support complements the NHS, schools and specialist services; it does not replace professional assessment or treatment.
Parents learning from parents
Talk with parents and carers who understand the questions and everyday pressures family life can bring. Families share what has helped their child, what has been difficult and how they have found their way through schools, health services and other support.
Weekly parent workshops
Our weekly workshops bring parents and carers together to learn, ask questions and discuss issues that matter to their children and families. Dr Puvanendran contributes regularly to these weekly sessions.
Parents share their own experiences alongside that professional knowledge, making ideas easier to understand and consider in everyday family life. Check Sparks Connect for session details.
Learning from invited professionals
From time to time, we invite speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, other doctors and professionals with relevant experience to share their knowledge. These are occasional contributions to parent learning, not therapy sessions.
Parents can explore different approaches and practical techniques, ask questions and consider ideas that may be useful when supporting their child.
Weekly parent Book Club
Our weekly Book Club gives parents and carers time to explore books and ideas about neurodevelopment, parenting and supporting their children. The discussion is as important as the reading: parents relate ideas to their own experiences and learn from one another.
Learning beyond our community
Where possible, we support parents to attend conferences and events about neurodiversity, autism, ADHD and related areas. Families can hear about emerging research, different approaches, developments in technology and findings that may be relevant to their children.
Parents can bring what they learn back to the wider community for discussion. This is an opportunity to explore and ask questions; attending an event does not mean CHILD SPARKS endorses the products, approaches or findings presented.
Local and regional activities
Regional Leaders help families build connections closer to home while remaining part of the wider CHILD SPARKS community. They organise weekly physical activities within their local groups, giving children, young people and families opportunities to take part, stay active and spend time together.
Activities for children and families
Sports, social activities, art and family outings give children and young people opportunities to try something new and enjoy time with others. Music and dance are offered where available, with space for siblings to take part too.
We aim to welcome different communication, sensory and support needs. Check each event’s details in Sparks Connect and tell the team about access needs before booking.
English & Tamil support
We help families connect through English and Tamil, making shared learning and conversations easier to take part in. Contact us about the language support available for a particular activity or session.
Finding the right support
When you are unsure where to turn, other parents can share how they have approached schools, health services and community support. These conversations can help you prepare questions and explore a useful next step for your family.
Supporting families between sessions
Our community does not stop when a workshop or activity finishes. Sparks Connect helps families stay connected with CHILD SPARKS, find useful information and activities, and keep their child’s strengths, needs, goals and progress together in one secure place.
Explore Sparks ConnectA next step, together