Mum launches support group

Let’s Talk to fill gap in help services

AN Ickenham mum has launched a new support group to help fill the gap in suport services provided in the borough for parents.

Kam Parmar came up with the idea of Let’s Talk, a Hillingdon support group for families and carers of young people with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD) and young people with severe learning difficulties (SLD) from birth to 25 years old.

Mother-of-two Ms Parmar, who has an 18year-old daughter with profound learning disabilities, got talking to other parents when her daughter ‘went through a really poorly stage’ last year.

It was then that she decided to start a group to connect parents, after realising there was nothing specifically for parents of children with learning difficulties.

She said: “Why don’t we try and get parents talking to each other?

“We all sometimes need a rant and feel low and sometimes there’s no one we can talk to that really understands what we go through.”

The first session, an informal meet and greet, was held on November 7.

Ms Parmar said: “Parents can help each other out and we can get guest speakers involved such as dieticians, community nurses and therapists, who have all offered to do this if that’s what people want.”

The aim of the group is to provide an opportunity for parents and carers to share experiences, provide a break for parents and carers, to promote a greater understanding of people with PMLD/SLD and their parents or carer and to provide a range of activities for the children and young people to take part in.

Sessions will be held on the first Saturday of every month from 10am until noon at Uxbridge College Children’s Centre, College Way, Coldharbour Lane, Hayes UB3 3BB.

For further information, or to find out when the group is next meeting, contact Kam Parmar on 07984 086 656 or email letstalkhillingdon@ gmail.com.