The Wain Foundation is proud to support Ruby’s Fund in Cheshire East with a grant of £6,000 to help provide short breaks for young children with special educational needs and / or disabilities.
The sessions are held at the Ruby’s welcoming centre in Congleton where the children are supported by staff on a one to one basis, giving parents and carers a short break to take time for themselves or spend quality time with other children.
Ruby’s was founded in 2009 by Alison Parr after her daughter Ruby was born and diagnosed with a rare chromosome disorder and she realised there was little support outside a hospital setting for children with SEND and their families.
In 2013 Ruby’s became a charity and in 2014 opened the centre in Congleton which provides a sensory room with hoist, soft play frame, sensory garden and changing room with hoist as well as a popular community café open to all.
Alison said: “We are constantly looking at how we can improve support for families and I know that having just a couple of hours respite – a short break – from the 24/7 care needed can make a world of difference.
“We do a full assessment and make sure we have the specialist provision in place, including staff with relevant training if needed, and our breaks have a maximum of eight children. We want the children to be able to interact with each other also, to make friends.
“As well as giving the parent a break it can help with evidence gathering about what is needed to meet the child’s needs. It can also give adults time to review their own sense of self and they can use the time to access counselling which we fund.
“You have to have a well adult to have a well and happy child.
“We are so very grateful to the Foundation for providing the funding which will support 90 of these short breaks – each one of them invaluable for the adults and the children.”
The Charity has 958 SEND children registered with them – and 300 siblings - and the long-term plan is to extend the centre’s offer by providing overnight respite.
Alison said: “We are closed for 10 hours a day which does not make sense to me so we are having a lift installed and looking at creating three bedrooms where we can provide overnight stays.”