Coffee Mornings at Portman
Coffee mornings take place once a month and are predominantly for parents/ carers whose children present with special educational needs or may have a diagnosis. That does not mean other parents/carers cannot attend as we encourage a very open and inclusive approach to our learning and to our ‘Portman Family’. We want everyone to develop their understanding and knowledge of children with special educational needs and value the importance of a safe and non-judgmental space to do this.
The meetings are a time to listen to each other, support each other, build friendships and share experiences. At Portman, we are acutely aware of how important it is to have families involved in their child’s learning. Our model of coffee mornings are unstructured and without any agenda. We encourage discussions to grow organically so that we can be responsive to parent’s needs.
Through the coffee mornings, we have been able to support parents to feel empowered to advocate for their children. Together, we learn key information around special educational needs and support parents in navigating their way through difficult systems, referral routes and professional ‘jargon’. We invite a range of professionals to attend our coffee mornings to talk about their services and give parents the opportunity to develop their skills to best support and make informed decisions for their children. We also encourage parents to recognise the importance of learning in the home and their capacity as their child’s educators.
Ultimately, our coffee mornings give the message to parents that we all care, we all hear you; we support you. It is a safe place to be angry, sad, frustrated, to cry, to shout, to laugh and to celebrate their children and themselves!
