Face2Face parent support

Face2Face - Parents who understand parents

Face2Face is a volunteer-led group of parents and carers who have a child or young person with a disability who offer friendship and support to other parents or carers of children with additional needs or disabilities.

All our befrienders are trained in order to provide the best possible support to other parents. They know how important it is to be able to talk to someone who understands what you are going through, to be listened to, and to be reassured that what you are feeling is OK. Above all, our befrienders can help give parents and carers a positive view about the future of their child.

When we met our befriender, it was clear she’d been through something very similar. We suddenly felt: here’s someone who understands.

How can Face2Face help you?

Our one-to-one befriending service can be helpful to parents whose child has been newly diagnosed, but can be just as relevant to parents at any time in their journey of bringing up a disabled child or young person. Equally, we welcome parents who do not have a diagnosis at all but have concerns about their child’s development.

The befriending service is informal, flexible and free. Parents and carers can come to us directly or be referred to us via their GP, health visitor, social worker or school.

Drop-in Coffee Mornings

An informal, free get-together and an opportunity for parents/carers to meet each other, exchange information and talk to others who understand.

Wednesday 24 April | 10:30-12:30
Wednesday 15 May | 10:30-12:30

YMCA Sovereign Centre, Slipshatch Road, Reigate RH2 8HA

Free Zoom Webinars

Free Webinar with Renaissance Legal on Decision Making for Vulnerable People
Wednesday 1 May | 10:00-11:15

If you are a parent or carer of a child or young person who may not be able to make decision about their welfare and finances now or in the future, you will need to consider the best ways to protect them as they move into adulthood.

YMCA East Surrey is partnering with Renaissance Legal to deliver a free 1 hour webinar about decision-making for disabled or vulnerable people. Renaissance Legal’s leading expert Philip Warford will talk through who can make decisions on behalf of another person, the key principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005, who can make Powers of Attorney and how the Court of Protection might help. Philip will explain Best Interest Decisions, Lasting Powers of Attorney, and the Court of Protection process.There will be a live Q&A afterwards to ask questions.

Please email Sandhya Gulati to register your interest in joining any free Zoom webinars.

Free Webinar with Renaissance Legal on Universal Credit
Wednesday 8 May | 10:00-11:15

Universal Credit is a means tested benefit that was first launched in 2013, and it replaces six of the older style benefits; child tax credits, working tax credits, income support, income-based Jobseekers Allowance and income-based Employment and Support Allowance. In this free webinar, welfare benefits specialist Nicola Spruce will explain more about what Universal Credit is and how the government’s ‘Move to UC’ strategy might affect you or somebody you are supporting.

Free webinar with Viv Dawes on Autistic Burnout
Wednesday 22 May | 10:30-12:30

Viv Dawes (she/her) is a late-identified autistic and ADHD lived experience advocate, author and trainer. She’s also the parent of a neurodivergent teenager. Viv has over 25 years’ experience of working with vulnerable young people and adults (who were also mostly neurodivergent), delivering training, management of programmes and understanding of how to work with vulnerable young people and adults.

This session will cover: