Meet Bruce
Bruce is 4 years old and is autistic and currently non-speaking. He’s soon starting at Challengers Pre-school, but has been coming to the family-focused events offered by The Hub at Challengers alongside his siblings, including brother Frank who has ADHD, as the family were looking for inclusive play opportunities where the whole family would be welcomed. Mum Samantha shares the impact these events have had on their family…
“Attending the Family Fun Days and the Stay and Play sessions offered by the Hub have been a lifeline for our family. Having a safe space where all three of my children can run free, play, and be supported by staff who understand them has made a world of difference. There’s no judgement – just an environment where my children are safe, happy, and accepted. These are days we all look forward to.
Bruce hasn’t yet started at Challengers Pre-school, so these Hub sessions have been key in building his social interactions. He gets essential time with other children outside of playing with his siblings and we’ve noticed a big change – he’s more independent during sessions and not always looking for me, which is helping build his confidence as he prepares for Pre-school.
We first learned about The Hub offering through my sister, whose child is also autistic. It’s great that we can attend the free events together, which we hope will help them connect more at family gatherings. It’s also reassuring to know that we have Challengers’ supportive community around us.
While the children are playing, I get to have a moment to myself and a hot cup of coffee. It’s moments like that – being able to relax a little while knowing they’re safe – that mean so much to families like mine. Every visit feels like a win and my kids always say, “When can we go back?”
What other families have to say
We’re proud to have supported 122 families in the 2 years we’ve been offering support and community-focused events through the Hub. For many families, it’s become an essential part of their lives.
“It’s amazing how Challengers creates such a such a welcoming, inclusive space where families like ours can connect. It’s very hard to find that anywhere else”
-Maddie, Challengers Parent
Social isolation is an epidemic among the UK’s disabled children and their families. While their non-disabled peers have access to clubs, hobbies and playdates, most disabled children have home, school and little else in between. Similarly, parent carers experience loneliness and miss out on social experiences due to the demands of their care responsibilities.
That’s why we’re doing everything we can to build a community of support for these families, and we’re proud to say that 90% of families agree that Challengers reduced their isolation, and 94% said that access Challengers services improves their mental health (Parent carer survey 2024).
