Cornwall Accessible Activity Programme (Low Investment High Impact Services for Family Hubs)

Introduction

In June 2023 the LGA were awarded funding to support the sharing of good practice across LAs, which supports the development of Family Hubs. A webinar was held on the 9^th May 24 sharing ideas about how a small amount of investment can result in high impact services, and in particular where parents and carers are engaged in design and delivery. 

This case study outlines the journey a group of parents and carers in Cornwall took to establish what is now a highly successful charity.

The challenges

In 2012 national project funding ceased for the Disabled Children’s Access to Childcare Project (DECATCH). The project had been delivered by councils and was very successful in engaging families with children with disabilities and activities during school holidays they have previously not been able to engage in.

Prior to the project, families regularly reported the lack of provision for children with SEND during school holidays, in particular children of school age. Wraparound and out of school childcare providers also reported a lack of funding and resource in order to support children with SEND, creating isolation and a lack of support often leading to mental health and other crisis for families, as well as impacting on children. 

The lack of funding created a huge gap for families locally some of whom had begun to form close and supportive relationships with each other.

The solutions

A small but highly motivated group of parents and carers came together and began to informally coordinate get-togethers for families and their children locally. This small group of movers and shakers started to build momentum, a reputation and generate income. A voluntary organisation CAAP was created to formalise activities and enable further growth.

The number of activities and interest in the group grew very quickly, and it soon became apparent that more formal structure was needed to support growth and to reach more children and families.  

In 2013 CAAP secured a small amount of funding to support the organisation to register as a charity. This enabled the group to develop its infrastructure including policies and procedures. It also enabled applications to larger funders to support more projects and a series of infrastructure developments including staffing, volunteers, training, and development.

Impact

Today CAAP offers a range of family activities every school holiday and inset days too e.g. trampolining, Indian dance and craft, drumming, train, travel, experience, horse riding, Valentines disco, surfing, Woodland adventures, trips to the theatre and more!

The group has over 1000 members (670 of whom are under 18) with 50 percent self registrations, and 50 percent referrals from other agencies.

Not only does the group enable children with SEND and their families to take part in activities which would otherwise be impossible, they are also supporting a more inclusive activity provider market in general. They have regularly supported providers with more inclusive approaches and training too.

Partnerships with other local charities have been formed to create a wider network of support, and several very successful trips have been coordinated for example to Disney Land Paris (because of which Newquay Airport became the first airport in the country where all staff were Makaton trained).

As some of the children of the original families grew, a series of spin off projects developed including CAAP + for older young people, and Time2shine which supports activities, volunteering, placements and inclusion projects designed by young people with SEND. 

More recently CAAP has been heavily involved in supporting the cost-of-living crisis, giving out grants on behalf of the council to families most in need at times of crisis. They are also now supporting the holiday activities and food program by ensuring a meal accompanies some activities for children on free school meals.

The families involved in the project report a series of benefits that impact on their lives.

• The opportunity for children and families together to enjoy new experiences, activities, and skills they would not otherwise be able to take part in. Often these are activities the families of children without SEND will be able to take for granted.
• Connections and friendships, in particular peer support from people who understand the difficulties that parents and carers face.
• Support from other families when out and about enjoying the activities. Families often report they wouldn’t dream of going to a theme park for example on their own, but with a group it just becomes possible. For example, if one child is having a difficult (and loud) time, other families simply circle round and provide protection as well as support.
• CAAP also provides informal advocacy through a very popular Facebook group closed to its members. Advice and information is frequently shared in those.
• Parents and carers who get involved in the organisation of CAAP, report the positive impacts of being part of positive change. It can be incredibly disempowering trying to navigate services and support as a parent carer, being part of a solution and change for all families of children with SEND can be hugely empowering.

How is the approach being sustained?

CAAP is funded from grants, fundraising, donations, and parent carer contributions to activities. It celebrated its 10^th year anniversary in 2023 and has successfully grown from strength to strength.  This is in part due to a phenomenally motivated coordinator Sandy Lawrence BEM, who is employed by the charity and has been with them as a former founder parent herself. 

The charity trustees and committee members are often those that need the services the most, and by nature have the least time to spare. Sustaining any voluntary organisation can be difficult so last year the group secured a small pot of funding to review all their policies and procedures and develop a business plan to support sustainability in the longer term. This work is ongoing and will include the recruitment of trustees from the local community including the business sector.

Lessons learned

Technically CAAP was formed on the back of a funding crisis. But it was formed by a group of highly motivated parent carers who worked incredibly hard to organise and facilitate change. When asked what would make the difference in setting something similar up in other areas, the answer was simple, a little bit of resource and support, can go a very, very long way.

Contacts

Ann Van Dyke MBE
Freelance Consultant
 
Tel: 07718124076
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.annvandyke.co.uk

Cornwall Accessible Activities Programme (CAAP

Website: www.caapuk.co.uk
Coordinator: Sandy Lawrence BEM

Email: [email protected]