About Us

We are a Support and Advocacy Group in Swansea, run by parents of children with additional needs. Our role is to support families living with Additional Learning Needs and Disabilities. We want to combat the isolation and vulnerabilities of being an unpaid carer that Society finds it convenient to forget.

We support and advocate for our families whether that’s within the education system, the benefits sector, campaigning for better conditions for our families and referrals to Legal Services.

We believe our voice is louder when we are together, we create a safe and welcoming environment for our families when we hold events such as coffee and breakfast mornings, carer meals out, cinema trips, and lots more fun activities for Carers and their Children alike. We are an Independent Not-For-Profit Organisation; however, we do work with other Professionals such as Swansea Council and the NHS and Private Health Providers to consult and deliver for the families we support.

Where we started

We started as a group of parents, meeting for coffee to share support and have a shoulder to cry on. Over time, more members joined us, and we slowly acquired funding for activities for our children.

What do we do?

Its our aim to help as many families as possible. Our primary goal is to break that isolation that unpaid carers face. Our next mandate is to tackle the stigma of Neurodiversity and Mental Health in Society and to challenge the significant poverty unpaid carers face. As Unpaid Carers, we realise that Unpaid Care work takes many form

  • Break the isolation that comes with being an Unpaid Carer
  • Tackle the stigma of Neurodiversity and Mental Health in our Communities and Institutions
  • To support our families facing poverty
  • To get recognition for ALL Unpaid Carers

How do we do it?

Our Strategy for building up a community works well. During Term Time, we hold activities for our Parents and Carers to create a short respite from their work, we hold coffee meetings, have guest speakers come long for vital information, we have Nature Walks, Carers Meals Out, Cooking Coaching and Cinema Events.

During the school Holidays and most weekends we hold Children’s and Youth Activities for a bit of a Carer reprieve and for the younger members to have some fun in environments bespoke to their needs allowing them to socialise and make friends in a non-judgemental environment.

Where were going

Thanks to our online presence and support from Local Area Co-Ordinators, our numbers have exploded since our inception. We are expanding throughout the larger Swansea area and by request we have set up a presence in Neath Port Talbot and Carmarthenshire Counties with more Outreach hubs opening when our capacity and funding meets our demands.

Testimonials

“My husband attended the and found to be a good way to socialise as he has trouble socialising and informative as well”

Mrs N. Davies

“Thank you for a great event at Swansea gymnastics. We really enjoyed”

Ms C. Long

“This is such a warm and welcoming group. I’d recommend them to any ALN Families”

Mrs H. Everard

“Had an amazing time today. Thank you to all involved in making the Xmas party amazing so nice to have small, quiet and chilled out party for parents and kids that isn’t to loud and overstimulating for the kids and the parents”

Mr G. Davies

“I’ve seen ALN-Connect go from a small group of people to the organisation it is today, helping so many families. Proud of you all”

Mrs A.  Robinson