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Help is at hand for former Kids Project users

Posted by Parents in Touch on Oct 30, 08 07:55 PM in Good Causes

Parents and carers of children with disabilities will soon be able to call a new helpline for information and advice.

Parents in Touch (PiT) have stepped in to fill the gap left by the sudden closure of the Kids Hounslow Information and Support Project (HISP) at the end of September.

"This is was the kind of jolt we needed to revive PiT," said long-standing PiT committee member and co-Chair, Judith Sheppard. "We had allowed PiT to lapse as Kids were there doing a really great job."

PiT has been inundated with parents and carers seeking a replacement for Kids and membership has grown to three hundred families in just six weeks.

"We're feeling very positive about the future and we're lucky to have some very experienced volunteers including access to Michèle, Anne, and Maria, all former HISP workers" said Judith.

"We'll be there answering the phones and, if we haven't been there and done it ourselves, we will undoubtedly know someone who has," she added.

As well as the new Helpline PiT has already revived PiT Stops (disability questions and answers over coffee), and plans to start a Stay and Play group for younger children, a Saturday youth club for older children, organise social events, and provide trained support on education issues.

PiT also aims to offer some continuity of in-demand services previously made available by Kids such as concrete and practical assistance on Disability Living Allowance claims and support at education and social care meetings.

The PiT Helpline will open on 5 November and operate on Tuesdays to Thursdays during term time between 10am until 2pm on 020 8994 9602.

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