Cymraeg

Neuro Café

Funding

£5000

Project Period

Jan 26 - June 26

Objectives

• People are active in, and proud of their community • Young people can fulfil their potential

A bi-weekly neurodiversity (ND) Café at Cadog's Corner ran from January to June as a pilot project.  The sessions provided parents and carers of neurodivergent children and young people with information, peer support and access to specialist advice. The project responded to a recognised need for local support networks, helping families navigate diagnoses, education, emotional well-being and available services.

Over the course of six months, the project delivered 10 themed sessions attended by 76 parents and carers, with an average attendance of 8 people per session. Topics included neurodiversity awareness, education, emotional regulation, behaviour that challenges, carer wellbeing, available services and financial support. The most popular sessions focused on ND Services & Support (15 attendees), Education (13 attendees) and Introduction to Neurodivergence (12 attendees).

The sessions were delivered by ND Community Connectors CIC.

Participant Feedback

Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with participants reporting increased confidence, improved understanding of neurodiversity and a stronger ability to advocate for their children. Parents consistently highlighted the value of meeting others with shared experiences and reduced feelings of isolation.

  • 100% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they found the coffee mornings helpful.
  • 100% reported a better understanding of the topics discussed.
  • 100% said they would attend future ND Community Connectors events.
  • 100% would recommend the sessions to other parents and carers in similar situations.

Participants reported increased confidence in understanding and supporting their children, with all respondents rating the information provided, peer support opportunities and relevance of content as either excellent or good.

One participant reflected: “I feel more confident about standing up for my son’s entitlements as I have more information about them now. I will also use the information I have learnt and share it with other parents.”

Another simply described the impact as: “No longer feeling alone.”

Outcomes

The ND Café had a positive impact on parents and carers by increasing their understanding of neurodiversity and helping them navigate the support available. Through a combination of themed sessions, practical information and facilitated discussions, participants gained greater confidence in communicating with schools, health professionals and other agencies, enabling them to advocate more effectively for their children and access appropriate support.

The project also helped families develop practical strategies to support emotional regulation and manage day-to-day challenges, while reducing feelings of isolation through regular peer support and shared experiences, helping parents better understand and respond to the challenges their children may experience. Many participants highlighted the value of connecting with other parents who understood their circumstances, helping them feel less alone and more supported. The programme also successfully signposted attendees to wider sources of support, with several participants reporting that they had gone on to access services such as TuVida and The Index as a result of information provided through the ND Café.

Legacy

The ND Café has established a welcoming and trusted support network for neurodivergent families in Barry. Many attendees expressed a strong desire for the sessions to continue beyond the funded period.

Importantly, the project has created lasting peer connections between local parents and carers, increasing community resilience and ensuring families continue to benefit from shared knowledge, support and friendship beyond the life of the project. The learning resources, signposting information and increased confidence gained by participants will continue to support families as they navigate their neurodiversity journeys in the future.