In 2016, Sen Talk CIC was founded by our CEO, Annaliese Boucher, along with a small team of volunteers with a mission to provide vital support programs for parent carers of autistic and ADHD children. These programs are designed to help families navigate the SEND system and ensure that their children have the best opportunities. Our organization is deeply rooted in communities, reflecting complex issues and focused on community engagement to reduce isolation and improve mental health outcomes for families. Sen Talk has become a lifeline for many, offering children the only opportunities to engage in enrichment and access an environment catering to their needs.
It has become increasingly clear that organizations like Sen Talk are essential within communities, providing advice, support, and a safe space for disabled children to socialize, develop life skills, and gain independence. However, with over 2000 individuals served per year, securing funding has become particularly challenging. This has resulted in the loss of our community space and the cessation of all our face-to-face programs, a challenge we continue to face. The urgency of our situation cannot be overstated. We need your support now more than ever.
Our programmes Now
Sen Talk is currently offering online workshops and peer session for parent carer's to support the established community.
We are currently facing a significant challenge in raising the necessary funds to restart our term-time sessions for young people aged 5 to 18 by April 2025. This includes continuing our Brick Club social interest club for primary children, our Specialist Youth Clubs on Tuesdays and Thursdays that support young people in developing independence skills, improving relationships, and enhancing emotional well-being, as well as our STEM club for KS2 children who are at risk of exclusion, isolation, and low attainment. Our programs have received numerous accolades for the quality of curriculum and delivery, so this plea for support is especially difficult.
This is why we are appealing to the community to help us rebuild and continue our valuable programs. We are deeply grateful for your support in the past and hope you will continue to do so in the future.
What it means to our community...
"My son who has autism and ADHD attended SEN Talk communicate group and then the social group for young people in aged 14+ for almost four years. He also attended summer camps and Avon Tyrell sleepaway camp. All of these were brilliant - so well organised, with thoughtful and caring staff supporting him to build his social skills and language and his confidence to try new things. I can’t say how grateful we both are to you for all that you did for us - he still attends other groups, but none of them give the level of support and excellent range of activities that SEN Talk did. This is really important for young people with significant learning barriers and social challenges, giving them a chance to build their skills and playing a valuable role in social inclusion for those who are so often isolated. We miss you very much and really hope that you’re able to start again in the future for us and for other young people." Catherine
"Sen Talk was the only place where I could take my son, and leave him with adults who could care for him, support him and encourage him. We really need Sen Talk to be able to offer in person sessions again for children, as there are no alternatives in Wandsworth"
"SEN talk is essential for the whole of the community parents and carer's and neurodiverse kids and adult in much need of the support advice and help provided by SEN Talk it is essential"
What if we cant raise more funds...
Sadly, if Sen Talk is no longer financially viable then we will have no alternative but to close the organisation all together, this will mean that there will be no similar provision offering disability led or live-experience led programs in Wandsworth borough or the surrounding boroughs of Merton, Lambeth, Southwark, Kingston which attend our activities.
Our parents say...
"We have lost the only provision that my child could access to make friends, do an activity outside school, develop social and emotional skills. There is no similar provision in our area and so we now have nothing at all. Brick club was the only out of school activity that my child had ever been able to access"
"Parents of children with SEND feeling more isolated, no support group , no opportunities for children, leading to isolation of families"
We fear that without these projects, Autistic and ADHD young people will be even further at risk of low attainment, poor mental health outcomes, unemployment and other adverse outcomes.