Families 1st 4 Additional Needs was set up by three parents from families with various additional needs after being tired and frustrated at not getting the right services and answers they needed. Having gained charitable status in December 2018, we have gone from strength to strength.
We have successfully helped over 50 families (many in crisis), providing advice and guidance, securing PIP/DLA awards, growing success with EHCP’s, providing activities and day trips for families and parents to enjoy. We also provide Training & Awareness, North Newcastle Food Hub, Code Red Project, Bike School, Community Meet-Up.
We organise holidays and respite breaks for families. Our “Chatty Cafe” sessions provide a weekly community hub where parents can come together to share experiences and find support to reduce the feelings of isolation. Another of our successful projects is our bike skills school. Learning to ride a bike or trike when you have coordination problems, learning difficulties, ASD and the many co-morbids can be very difficult to impossible. We believe in the impossible and that anyone can feel the wind in their hair on a bicycle. We successfully helped provide North Tyneside Council with its first Autism Awareness event and are now part of the Autism Strategy team along with INCLUSION NORTH.