Mums and Dads with learning disabilities

We meet at People First Lambeth,
336 Brixton Road,
London.
SW9 7AA
0207 642 0045
Every 2 weeks call Donna for dates.

getting together

We all love our kids and try hard to do the best we can for our sons and daughters. Some of us live with our children and some have children who live somewhere else.

We talk about:

what's good about being a parents and what is hard

things to do with children	having children with special needs	contact visits
safety	teenage children	and much more...

Contact with our children

By Christina Watkins and Jennifer Taylor

We all want to see more of our children. It is not always possible for mothers and fathers when they have children to see their children grow up. Sometimes what happens is mum and dad have arguments, are not getting on and it's not working out and Social services get involved then the child gets taken into care.

Social Services are more likely to take your children away if you have a learning disability. You have to really prove yourself to them.

They sometimes think they are the mother, but they are not. It's really hurtful.

How to make contact work:

Go to every contact visit they offer you- you must turn up or they will stop the contact.
Most contact is supervised and this can be hard. You have to get used to being supervised and watched. You have to hold your tongue.
Sometimes it makes you feel small being supervised, but if you want to keep the contact going you have to zip it. "I've found it very difficult, but I've had to zip it."
Try and make the effort to go there and talk to the carers.

Childcare Reviews

It's hard to go to reviews especially when you have learning disabilities. You don't know what to say to them. They sit there with all their papers in front of them.

If you have a learning disability you can have someone to help you speak up in meetings and help you understand what is happening. Some people have an advocate to help them. An advocate can be someone on your side.

What about if your child goes to live with someone else in your family?
It's hard to watch someone else bring your child up. It makes you think quite a lot when you see other parents down the shops with their children. Sometime if you are lucky you still get contact with you children.

Letterbox contact
It would be good if everyone could at least have letters about how their children are doing.

Solicitors and Going to Courts

It's hard to know what to say to them in court because they think that you've done bad "And I haven't done."
You must have a solicitor and a barrister on your side in court.
"I did all the talking and she, my solicitor was on my side all the way really."
If you are in court keep your cool and don't say anything out of place because they can turn it against you.
Just keep cool.

We are working on a new campaign to help parents with learning difficulties who are separated from their children if you want to know more call Donna Pearson on 020 7642 0045 Mondays and Fridays are best.