Reaching out

Reaching out across Sussex

Charities are adapting fast. Brian O’Hagan of Reaching Families describes how they have had to modify their entire approach.

Reaching Families is a small charity supporting local parentcarers in West Sussex. The coronavirus pandemic has just made our mission exponentially harder. We normally focus on face-to-face and group contact, building networks of mutual support and helping parents make connections. All of this has become harder in a world now defined by distance. Parentcarers are used to self-distancing and social isolation, but none of us were prepared for this.

Enter technology, which we are harnessing to shift our methodology in order that we can still reach families. As a small voluntary organisation we are fortunate that our size and modest infrastructure allow us to respond quickly to the needs of families during the pandemic. For example, the support groups which we normally run in Billingshurst, Littlehampton and Worthing are now delivered via Zoom.

Our books and factsheets are already available in PDF and eBook format, our training has been adapted to deliver as live chat and webinars, our support groups by Zoom, our befriending and counselling now delivered by Zoom or by phone. We are lucky too to have supportive funders and, like many similar organisations of our size, our flexibility has enabled us to change track quickly. Whilst our size and the focus of our work allow us to make these changes the months ahead will be no less daunting as we work out how best to support families. We’re identifying what issues they find most challenging, how that will change as the picture unfolds, how we can best speak up for families, and how we can help them make the transition back to normal life when this is all over. Like many organisations we are feeling our way and doing what we can to engage with families and find out what they need.

Charities like ours and the wider community sector will be vital in providing the support which vulnerable families receive during the pandemic. The Government needs to do more to recognise and support families of children with special educational needs and disabilities. They have more to do in supporting the charities, voluntary organisations and community groups that will be so vital to the task ahead.

Brian O’Hagan is a parent-carer and Director of Reaching Families, a grassroots charity providing information, training and peer support for parent-carers in the towns and villages of West Sussex. Reaching Families exists to reach and empower isolated and marginalised families of children with special educational needs and disabilities. It was founded by parent-carers and continues to be managed and governed by parent-carers.