Have you heard of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs? This is a psychology theory which summarises the five key needs that a human has in order to survive. Needs are depicted in a pyramid with the bottom layers being the bare essentials which must be met before the higher needs can be.
You’ll see that community is on there right in the middle. Belonging comes from friendship, trust and acceptance and it’s this basic need that we seek to meet with our Cuppa&Chats.
We know that facing the world of SEN/ALN can be isolating so it’s really important to get out there and meet others going through the same thing. That’s why we organise opportunities each month for people to get together.
When does Cuppa&Chat take place?
We run four different Cuppa&Chat sessions, one in-person in Derby, two in-person in Wales and one online.
Our Derby in-person sessions take place every other Friday, in 2025 the first session is on 10 January. They are held at our Sunshine Community Hub, 3 Chatsworth House, Aspen Drive, Derby, DE21 7SR. We have parking outside or you can park for free along Aspen Drive. We are right by Asda too so the local area is serviced by buses.
Our Wales in-person sessions are held in two locations once a month. These community engagement events are also free ALN advice clinics. The first is held at Cynon Linc, Seymour Street, Aberdare, CF44 7DC and the first session in 2025 is 8 January. Alternatively you can head to Role Play Lane, Unit 1B, Newton Industrial Estate, Llantwit Fadre, Pontypridd, CF38 2EE for sessions every fourth Wednesday of the month with the first in 2025 being on 29 January.
If neither of these in-person sessions work for you then join us online. These sessions take place fortnightly on a Wednesday with the first 2025 date being on 15 January. We open up a zoom chat for everyone to join and then we’ll section off into different groups depending on what people want to chat about.
What can I talk about at Cuppa&Chat?
All sorts! It’s a great opportunity to talk about the highs and lows of the week that you might have gone through as a SEN/ALN parent, as everyone there will no doubt understand what you are talking about. But we are all so much more than just SEN/ALN parents and Cuppa&Chat is a great opportunity to meet new people, make friends and find common interests.
Each Cuppa&Chat session is hosted by one of our Sunshine Support experts so if you do have any queries or burning issues then we will always be happy to point you in the right direction towards support on offer.
Do I need to book tickets?
Every single Cuppa&Chat session is free to attend. However, we do ask that you book tickets via our booking page just so that we can ensure we have sufficient space to fit everyone in. You’ll find each booking link on our events page here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/sen-support-ltd-15276094335
