Carlisle mum looking to set up social hub for kids with learning disabilities
Andrea Templeton's son has ADHD.
A Carlisle mum is hoping to set up a social hub for kids with learning disabilities to meet, play and socialise, after she faced issues taking her son Alfie to places like parks.
Andrea Templeton is hoping to find a permanent site for her plans, dubbed Aflie's Place Project, which will be a safe space for all kids with learning disabilities and mental health issues.
Her son Alfie has ADHD, and can sometimes find himself on the receiving end of bullying from other kids when trying to play with them.
Andrea said: "Getting him to go to the park is a challenge for instance. When he gets there he's playing and might have a meltdown. The other parents start staring and frowning, dragging their kids away. He feels upset because he can't play with that child because he can't work out what he's done wrong, but he hasn't done anything wrong.
"We are struggling especially in the community trying to find a safe place for him to play without getting bullied and judged. We want to find friends that face the same challenges and set up a safe space where they can go without any problems and without feeling judged.
"I want to get some input from the community to find out what they'd like to see in the area, what support they can give and what support they need."
The plans are currently in early stages, with the project currently having a facebook page in order for Andrea to gauge interest and feedback.
Long-term it's hoped that a permanent location, such as a community centre, can be found in order to accommodate the kids.
Anyone interested in finding out more or getting involved can read more here .