A Place to Call Our Own (APTCOO) is a registered charity based in Nottinghamshire, providing a wide range of information, advice and access to a flexible menu of support services for disabled children and young people and those with special educational needs (SEN) aged between 0 and 25, and their families.
Formed in 1991 by a small group of parent carers who had given birth to children with a range of disabilities and complex needs. Their feelings of isolation, loneliness and anxiety were coupled with a lack of information or support to help guide them on this unknown journey. Since then, these emotions remain the same and APTCOO has responded by growing in size and remit to meet the needs of families across Nottinghamshire without losing sight of their core values that started the organisations journey 25 years ago – to listen, understand, signpost and support.
APTCOO is a single point of contact and a one-stop resource centre where families feel safe; improve their health; education and wellbeing; develop new skills and have fun within an all inclusive community hub setting. The charity embraces the importance and power of learning enabling children, young people and adults to try things out without the fear of failure, changing the emphasis from surviving into thriving and “look what I can do, not what you think I can do.”
The charity has been recognised locally, regionally and nationally for its achievements to improving the outcomes of disabled children and young people and those with SEN, and their families.