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- CoCo East Feedback Form | LPCC
Co-producing activities with families to meet their needs. Use this short form to voice your ideas! We want to hear ideas for activities, projects or collaborations that you think would help build brighter futures for children and families. When we receive your feedback form we'll present it to the CoCo East members to see what further actions we can take together!
- Your Fundraising | LPCC
Your fundraising Our community has always come up with fun and creative events to raise money for us. These raise money for us, but more inportantly they bring local families together and create opportunities to make new friends, have fun and for us to share more about about our support services. Whether you've held a bake-sale, a coffee morning, an auction, put on a play, thrown a party or any other kind of fundraiser, it's super-easy to support us with your proceeds! Simply make a quick and easy donation via our 'Donate now' page or go to our 'Pay in fundraising' page where you can donate and tell us a little more about your how you raised your funds. Lloyd Park Children's Charity registered no: 1102134
- Grow Wild - Adventure Play | LPCC
Grow Wild outdoor adevnture play space green space nature safe activity centre children parents Waltham Forest Walthamstow Grow Active healthy friendship How to Book Calendar Our amazing green adventure space where children and families can learn about nature, take managed risks and have lots of fun! Get out more! "If you love the sound of bees and birds and faraway planes over your head as you play and explore, and love the smell of the rain on wet stones, and the feel of sun on your back as you paint wood and examine bugs close up, Grow Wild is the place for you. We try to be a mirror to the community we have in Waltham Forest. Our goal is to increase children's physical abilities by getting them used to risks and challenges whilst also providing a safe space for all families to explore nature, ecology and outdoor arts & crafts. " Chris Rowley, Grow Wild Manager Weekly Term-time Activities We offer a range of daily outdoors activities in our imagination inspirating adventure play space. Most sessions are drop-ins Please arrive early to avoid disappointment. To view activity times, prices and whether to book please use our calendar Calendar Discretionary discounts for those on low income or benefits available for all sessions. Email us for more information - lpc@tlpcc.org.uk Parties and group visits A Grow Wild party is a fantastic experience for young adventurers! 2 hours of fun for up to 40 children hosted by a member of our team to help you make the most of the space. We also take bookings for schools, pre-schools and community groups. We work with you to plan sessions to meet the specific needs of the children attending. It's a great use of Pupil Premium. How to Book Our group activities for families Activities often evolve over time based on what families tell us they've enjoyed the most. This means our timetable can change from term to term depending on the needs of our community at the time. Below are few examples of popular sessions we've run in the past. Please check our calendar to see our current range of activities! Calendar Family Grow Wild A group where whole families, including children up to the age of 9yrs, can enjoy time together in our amazing ourdoors adventure play space. Rainbow Group A group for LGBTQ+ families where parent/carers and thier children can enjoy outdoors adventure play time in a safe, welcoming space. Forever Families Our group for children with adoptive families up to age 9 yrs old coming together to create peer networks and overcome trauma and adversity through using our safe outdoors play environment. Dad's Club Our group for all the men in our children's lives, Dad's brothers, uncles and grandads. Helps create peer networks whilst enjoying our safe, green outdoors space. Somewhere to Belong (Families) A group for children with SEND up to the age of 9yrs where they can be themselves and find confidence to explore the ourdoors in a safe nurturting space. Grow Wild is for our community Our parents, volunteers and staff talk about the importance of Grow Wild in the community and how our adventure play space can help break down barriers.
- What's On | LPCC
What's On RolePlay Magazine Dates for Your Diary Bookable Activities Holiday Activities Jan -Apr '26 issue out now! Read Calendar View and book activities Check our Live Service Updates before travelling! Check Here Scroll to see more Walthamstow Chingford Leytonstone Leyton Bookable on Eventbrite Click link in event details Bookable Activities View our bookable activities with limited spaces. Also viewable on our calendar, above. View Role play Edition #57 Jan - Apr '26 Our termly magazine full of interesting local stories, events and campaigns, plus our activities timetable. Read Dates for Your Diary View Important dates such as closures, holidays and training days School Holiday Activity Timetable View Live Service Updates Cancellations Let's Create @ 3:30pm Tambini's Music & Rhymes @ 4:30pm Thursday 5th February 2026 Follow us on our socials for updates on scheduled activities and sessions
- SEND Childcare | LPCC
Find out how our team can help you navigate SEND services available to you and your child. SEND Childcare 1:1 Individualised SEND Support We recognise all children are different and we aim to support all children individually to achieve the best possible outcomes for them as individuals through p roviding inclusive practice and removing barriers to learning. Childcare Pathways (2yrs+) All children entering our nursery (at 2 or 3 years) are assessed to establish their learning and developmental needs. This way we can work with parents at the earliest possible stage to meet thier child's needs. Parents for whose children need additional support, or are identified with SEND, create a support plan with us using SMART steps. This outlines agreed outcomes for them to achieve with their child. We use the 'Graduated Approach' of Assess-Plan-Do-Review to ensure children receive the right support as their needs change and develop. The Graduated Approach Assess Clear analysis of a child's needs, drawing on parents knowledge and practioner assessments. Plan Parents work with us to create a support plan for their child. All staff working with their child is made aware of their needs, any defined outcomes, the support received and any learning strategies. Do The support plan is put in place and started. Review Feedback on the implementation of the plan and the child’s outcomes is carried out with parents. Deaf support Our teams are always striving to make our nurseries more inclusive and accessible for local children. Through co-producing a weekly drop-in with parents, carers, 'Flourish Special Education Service' and our team, we began to get feedback that there was a concerning lack of early education and care services for local deaf children. We decided to address this and in September 2023, we employed a BSL practitioner and have introduced a BSL friendly childcare provision at The Lloyd Park Centre. Our team and children have worked hard to use BSL and learn about the deaf community and culture. Children that had not experienced nursery life before and have begun to really excel in personal, social and emotional, and physical development as well as have demonstring higher levels of confidence and resilience. Funding We work in partnership with parents and LBWF to request the appropriate funding, enabling us to provide support that works for your child. Examples of funding: SENIF - SEN Inclusion Fund EHCP - Education, Health & Care Plan DAF - Disability Access Fund Find information on Waltham Forest council's ' The Hub' website The Hub DLA - Disability Living Allowance Find information on the governement's website 'Gov.uk' GOV.UK Please be aware that these links will connect you to external websites. Our charity cannot be repsonsible for the content of these sites including any downloadable files. Please read our policy on links to external web pages here Signposting and onward referrals Where a child needs further support, we work in partnership with parents to navigate their options. This may be as simple as signposting them to either our own internal offers, or to external SEND services that can offer more information. We can also refer to appropriate professional services where we agree with parents that their child needs more specialist support. Transition to school support We work with local schools wherever possible to support as smooth and happy a transition to school for your child. Summer term schools allocation support School observations such as interests, learning needs and styles, friendhsips and behaviours School visits Working with school SENCOs and SENDIASS where appropriate Sharing of child information Useful Links Please be aware that these links will connect you to external websites. Our charity cannot be repsonsible for the content of these sites including any downloadable files. Please read our policy on links to external web pages here : Local support Waltham Forest Parent Forum - Support families with SEND chidlren in Waltham Forest Flourish Specialist Education Service (Flourish Learning Trust schools) London Borough of Waltham Forest resources Short Breaks LBWF Local Offer LBWF SEND team Short Breaks Government resources SEND Code of Practice Benefits (Gov.uk) General help General Autism Infromation Autism Education Trust Toilet training Guides https://eric.org.uk/ Autism.org.uk LBWF Guide for schools and early years settings (including childminders)
- Work, training and further education | LPCC
Work, training & further education Throughout our five decade history as a grassroots organisation we've always worked alongside and recruited members of our community, bringing their invaluable lived-experience to our work whilst they learn new skills themselves. Some of our longest serving managers started out that way! Creating much needed training and employment offers is incredibly important to us, so we strive to find ways to generate opportunities that both support our mission and give local people a chance. Can you support local people find their place? Whilst we continue to create opportunities flocallly, we are always looking for ways to support our community to find the skills and employment prospects that are right for them. Through our family-centred approach we build trusting relationships with parents meaning we are well placed to introduce them to trusted partners who can offer work experience, training and mentoring opportunties. If your organisation has social impact schemes centred on raising skills in the community we'd love to hear from you to explore possibilities! Email our team We can support your team or students gain experience We've developed a strong culture of continuous professional development, accredited training programmes and work experience opportunities making us experienced in creating opportunities to help people gain experieince and enhance their professional developement. Get in touch with us if you'd like to explore ways that we could support your team or your students to gain new experience, whether that be through direct training, work placements or research projects. Email our team
- The Lloyd Park Centre | LPCC
The Lloyd Park Centre Inspiring Surroundings Nestled in a leafy corner of Lloyd park, our centre is a vibrant, purpose built, childcare and activity centre. We enjoy free-flow play both indoor and outdoor, with open-plan rooms and magical outside adventure spaces, designed to engage and inspire young minds. Nature and risk-taking play The Lloyd Park Centre is a fantastic place to learn about our natural environment, take managed risks and have fun too. This connection with nature can foster a sense of respect and care for the environment . The range of sensory experiences help children gain greater physical control of their bodies, and builds resilience, confidence and independence. Our Community The Lloyd Park Centre was developed by local families over 40 years ago and we're proud to be rooted in our community. The centre offers a range of additional services for children and families including a BSL interpretor for deaf children, a community living room, community events and parent SEND support sessions. Community Services Childcare Services Apply NOW Monday - Friday Childcare: 6 months - 4 years, 8am-5.50pm (full and part-time available) Sessional Provision: 3 - 4 years and eligible 2 year olds, 9am-12pm - Term-time only Teatime Club: P rimary age childre n, 8am-5.50pm, pick-up from Wi nns Primary School - Term-time only Holiday Club: P rimary age children, 8am-5.50pm, during school holidays Find us Lloyd Park Centre Winns Ave Entrance, Lloyd Park, Walthamstow, E17 5JW 020 8531 9522 lpc@tlpcc.org.uk Open 8am – 5.50pm Monday-Friday Ofsted Ofsted rating - Good We have been rated Good by Ofsted on our last inspection (16th September 2022 ). Read the report here .
- Applying Online | LPCC
See available post from across our charity. We regularlty recruit to positions in childcare, early years learning and developement, family support, and a variety of support roles. Applying online PLEASE NOTE: We receive a high number of speculative applications weekly. Unfortunately, we do not have the resources to respond to these applications. We can only respond to applications for positions advertised on our 'Current Vacancies ' page. All candidates must complete our employee application form. Use the job description as a guide to structure your application. Tell us how your knowledge and experiences help you meet the skills, competencies, talents and behaviours we are looking for. If you are new to the role you're applying for, tell us what you know about the role. Please read our Privacy Notice for Job Applicants on our policy page for information on how we handle your data. Back to Jobs
- Partner with Us | LPCC
Partner with us Explore ways your business can benefit from partnering with us to support vulnerable children Email our team 4 Great reasons to partner with us 1 Level-up your brand reputation Companies with charity partnerships are perceived more positively by customers. 2 Employee satisfaction Employees often feel more proud to work companies with strong charity partnerships. 3 Upskill your team members Volunteers can gain new skills and experience by working with us. 4 Create more social impact Help us build brighter futures for children whilst contributing to your social impact aspirations. We'd love to hear your ideas for making a difference and increasing our social impact together! Email our team Ways to partner with us Donating Equipment & Supplies Support vulnerable children by donating toys, technology, clothes and supplies. Learn more Donating Venue Spaces You can donate unused time in your office, events, conference or social spaces to support our work! Learn more Brand Collaborations We'd love to hear your ideas for partnering with us to make a difference for children. Email us Employee Volunteering Your team can volunteer with us to support local children, meet new people and gain new skills. Learn More Work, training & further education Work with us to place community members on schemes tailored to meet your social impact goals. Email Us! Pro Bono Use your skills and expertise to help improve our effectiveness across a range of disciplines Learn more
- Why work with us | LPCC
Find out why the Lloyd Park Chidlren's Charity is a great place to work. See our benefits packages and our ethos surrounding recruiting a diverse and reprensentative workforce. Why work for us? Make a real difference to the lives of local children! What we do Lloyd Park Children's Charity was founded over 40yrs ago to support equity and justice for children and families in Waltham Forest and beyond. We strive to understand childrens' individuality, working with their parents to help them reach their full potential. Benefits package Up to 30 days holiday Excellent pension scheme Benenden Health Care membership 24/7 GP advice and psychological wellbeing helplines Diagnostic services, treatment and surgery Access to rewards and voucher schemes 50% discount on childcare - for eligbile staff, subject to availability Outstanding training & development opportunities Subsidised hot lunch I n c l u s i v e H i r i n g We were founded by local people who wanted to make a real difference, so we greatly value the diverse perspectives and living experience that local people can bring to our teams. We actively encourage candidates to apply for positions who reflect our local community's diverse range of cultures, backgrounds and demographics. Our Values Our values guide us as we support social change and justice for children, informing how we communicate within communities and with each other. Each value is a challenge that we seek to live and work to every day. Read More A fair, healthy and rewarding workplace Our colleagues are valued for being themselves and are treated as equals A culture of collaboration and respect is the norm You'll always be listened to in a safe and nurturing space Professional and personal development will help you to flourish and do your best work Share our values? Want to make a difference? Apply for one our current vacancies! View Jobs
- Funded projects | LPCC
Funded Projects Our Funding Partners We are delighted to be working with these major donors to deliver vital community work in East London Family Wellbeing and Support Project We were delighted to be awarded funding to run our early years social prescribing and co-production project by the 'City Bridge Foundation'. Working in partnership we are delivering a 5 year programme offering support to families with a focus on health and welbeing outcomes. The Community Wellbeing Support Worker helps families identify what matters to them and ways to achieve their goals. Families are supported to design and lead activities based on their 'living experiences'. This creates innovative and exciting resources for local children and families. Musical Climbers and Creators Memory Book Youth Music, funded this wonderful project via their Trialblazer programme. It provided unique music-based outdoor learning and sensory experiences in our ' Grow Wild' adventure play space. Activities focus on local children facing barriers in accessing mainstream music and outdoors provisions, particularly those children living with SEND. This fun and uplifiting session was co-produced with Soundcastle musical therapy charity, children, parents and our SEND team. Huge thanks to Youth Music for funding this wonderful SEND music-making project! Grow Active 'Grow Active' was delivered in partnership with the 'London Marathon Foundation'. Waltham Forest is home to a large number of marginalised children, many of whom have little or no outdoor space to explore. ‘Grow Active’ offered children a wide range of opportunities to improve physical fitness and self-esteem in our safe, inclusive Grow Wild outdoors adventure play space. Our aim was to inspire more children to take up physical activity in their early years, helping them to build the confidence to be more active in their future lives. Many Many thanks to 'London Marathon Foundation' for funding this amazing project for a whole year, between November 2023 and October 2024! Community Living Room & Kitchen “My child has been able to develop more social skills and interact with friends". "It’s a warming environment, everyone’s happy, they’re smiling, joking, that’s how it’s been since the beginning". "We’re all able to talk about the same problems”. Enjoy a hot meal, play and socialise Our Community Living Room & Kitchen is run in partnership with London Borough of Waltham Forest and has proved to be one of our most popular community resources over the last year. With our funding we have created a safe, invite only, welcoming space where families, with children ages 0-5yrs, can stay warm, socialise, play and enjoy a tasty hot meal. Our team are on hand during sessions to offer support and advice if needed. Contact us to see if you're eligible to attend using our 'Help Request' form button below. Request Help
- Wellbeing | LPCC
Wellbeing Support Our aim A parent's wellbeing and that of the wider family is the foundation for a child's healthy development. Parents' and carers' own wellbeing often comes lower down their list of priorities as they putting their children's needs first. Many aren't aware of their own wellbeing needs. With this in mind; we offer a range of services that have wellbeing support at their core. Early Years Social Prescribing Our early years social prescribing team works with families to connect them to community services that meet their practical, health and wellbeing needs. Learn More Flourish Post-natal Support Improving the maternal mental health in safe, group spaces where mothers can talk about how they feel, be less isolated and get support. Learn More How to access our wellbeing support? We accept both self-referrals and professional referrals Request Help or Refer Please note: To be accepted referrals to our Flourish sessions must be made by a health professional and include an EPDS score. For more info. contact our wellbeing coordinator Email Wellbeing Team Telephone: 0208 527 1737
- GW timings - OLD | LPCC
Timetable Weekly Term-time Activities Most sessions are drop-ins, please arrive early to avoid disappointment. (excluding 'Musical Climbers & Creators' and 'Rainbow Group' which must be booked) You can also view all activities and book those that require a reservation here: Calendar Discretionary discounts for those on low income or benefits available for all sessions. e-mail us for more information - lpc@tlpcc.org.uk Click on the activity name to see full activity details at the bottom of this page Monday Climbers & Jumpers 09:30-10:30 & 11-12noon. Term time only. £5 per child Tuesday Musical Climbers & Creators 11-12 noon, Term time only £5 per child Grow Active Under 5s 2:15-3:15, Term time only £5 per child Grow Active Under 7s 3:45-4:45, Term time only £5 per child Wednesday Grow Active Under 5s 2:15-3:15, Term time only £5 per child Grow Active Health & Wellbeing Under 7's 3:45-4:45, Term time only £5 per child Thursday Grow Wild 09:30-10:30 & 11-12noon Term time only Free Friday Fun Fridays 10-11:30 & 1-2:30 Term time only £6 per child Saturday Family Grow Wild 10:00-12noon, 1st Saturday in month £6 per child Rainbow Group 10-11:30, 2nd Saturday in month £5 per child Forever Families up to 9yrs old, 1-2:30pm 2nd, Saturday in month £5 per child Dad's Club 09:30-10:30 and 11-12noon, Last Saturday in month Free Sunday Somewhere to Belong Children with SEND up to 8yrs old 2-3:30pm 3rd Sunday in month £5 per child Activity Details Climbers and Jumpers Children learn to: manage new situations and obstacles and develop skills ready for starting school. gain greater physical control of their bodies and how to meet outdoors challenges. adapt to risk taking softly and carefully building resilience, confidence and independence . Enquire Fun Fridays Fun Fridays @ Grow Wild Outdoors adventure play session for under 5s to celebrate the end of the week and blow off some steam Musical Climbers & Creators Tuesdays - term-time only Our music-based outdo ors le arning and sensory experience for SEND children in partnership SoundCastle. Invitation only. Please email us to see if we have places . Enquire Grow wild Grow Wild Outdoors adventure play session for under 5s . Grow Active Health & Wellbeing Wedne sday 3:45-4:45 5-9yrs As for Grow Active but de dicated for children who experience ongoing health and wellbeing challenges. Enquire Grow Active - under 5s or 5-9yrs Tuesdays 2:15-3:15 under 5s and 3:45-4:45 5-9yrs Wednesday 2:15-3:15 under 5s Our Grow Active Projects funded b y London Marathon Foundation offers unique opportunities for children to be active and build their physical confidence in our amazing outdoors adventure space . Enquire Family Grow Wild (1st Saturday of the month) A group where whole families, including children up to the age of 9yrs, can enjoy time together in our amazing ourdoors adventure play space Rainbow Group (2nd Saturday of the month) A group for LGBTQ+ families where parent/carers and thier children can enjoy outdoors adventure play time in a safe, welcoming space Forever Families (2nd Saturday of the month) Our group for children with adoptive families up to age 9 yrs old coming together to create peer networks and overcome trauma and adversity through using our safe outdoors play environment Dad's Club (last Saturday of the month) Our group for all the men in our children's lives, Dad's brothers, uncles and grandads. Helps create peer networks whilst enjoying our safe, green outdoors space Somewhere to Belong - Families (3rd Sunday of the month) A group for children with SEND up to the age of 9yrs where they can be themselves and find confidence to explore the ourdoors in a safe nurturting space
- School Holiday Activity Timetable | LPCC
Summer Holidays Activity Timetable Activities for Summer 2024 SCHEDULE TO BE CONFIRMED Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 You can also follow us on social media to see updates Related Links: Interactive Calendar Dates for you diary RolePlay Magazine More Information 020 8527 1737 info@tlpcc.org.uk
- Newsletter | LPCC
Newsletter Role play Edition #57 Jan - Apr '26 Our termly magazine full of interesting local stories, events and campaigns, plus our activities timetable. Important notice relating to activity timings Read View Map Subscribe Role play Archive Find past editions here Browse Please Note: All activity dates and times appearing on the printed and PDF versions of Roleplay are correct at the time of printing and we endeavour to adhere to these. However, occasionally these may change due to circumstances outside of our control. Please always check the Calendar on our 'What's On' page for up to date listings before travelling. Follow us on Facebook and/or Instagram to receive announcements related to our activities. Follow us on our socials for updates on scheduled activities and sessions
- Services include; Childcare in Waltham Forest, Baby Bank Crisis Support, Parental Support, Early Years Guidance, Holiday Clubs, Teatime Clubs
Children's Charity, Childcare in Waltham Forest Early Years Education, 0-4yrs, Access Emergency Crisis Support and Guidance, Family Support Service, London's 1st 'Early Years Social Prescribing Service', Family Mental Health and Wellbeing Support, Perinatal Support, Special Educational Needs and Disability Support, 'Grow Wild' Adventure Play, Fighting Child Poverty, Working towars equity for all children Over 40yrs history in the early years field, Childcare Jobs, Early Years Education Jobs, We believe children learn through play Gr w Wild Our enchanting outdoors adventure play space Learn more Childcare Welcoming, inclusive early years settings Learn more Gr w Well Support services for parents co-designed with families Learn more Subscribe to our newsletter! Keep up to date with our news and activity timetable Email address Sign Up Thanks for subscribing!
- Newsletter archive | LPCC
2026 September April January 2023 September April January Archive 2025 September April January 2024 September April January 2022 September April January
- Childcare | LPCC
Childcare Our Pedagogy Settings Teatime and Holiday Club Apply for a place Fees and Funding More Our inclusive early years settings support children to follow their interests and celebrate achievements Settings Our Higham Hill and Lloyd Park centres provide full-time and part-time childcare - from 6 months to 5 years, We also run teatime and holiday clubs for primary school aged children. Lloyd Park Higham Hill Apply for a place Our parents as partners Parents are childrens' most important educators, so we work closely with them to share childrens' experiences at home and in our settings. We encourage parent/carers to be involved with their child's time with us wherever possible. Our Pedagogy Our approach to teaching and learning (pedagogy) starts with our mission to build brighter futures for every child. Our pedagogy is inspired by research about how children learn and develop. We use 'Learning Stories' to celebrate and share children's experiences. Learn more SEND and our childcare Our welcoming and inclusive settings support children as unique individuals to follow their interests and celebrate achievements Learn more Our Food Our dedicated catering team prepares our meals on-site using fresh ingredients incorporating special dietary requirements and individual needs. Our menu is based on the Eat Well guidelines, with an emphasis on serving a wide range of plant-based foods. Sample Menu Fees and Funding We are a not-for-profit organsiation so all of our income is used to sustain our work. Our fees are reviewed by our trustees annually to ensure we are value for money and sustainable. The government provides support for childcare costs. The Childcare Choices website can help you determine the most beneficial options for your family. Learn more Please be aware that some of these links connect you to external websites. Our charity cannot be responsible for the content of these sites including any downloadable files. Please read our policy on links to external web pages here
- Youth Music | LPCC
Musical Climbers & Creators A year of exploring music with some wonderful SEND children In 2023/24 we were delighted to bring this wonderful project to life in our Grow Wild adventure play space with the support of Youth Music. This fun and uplifiting session was co-produced by the Lloyd Park Children's Charity's SEND and outdoors play practitioners, parent/carers, children and the amazing music-making charity, Soundcastle. The project delivered unique music-based outdoor learning and sensory experiences for children living with SEND who are often excluded from music-making and outdoors adventure play. Sounds from the Forest Stomp in the Forest 00:00 / 09:06 These beautiful tracks were composed by Soundcastle using vocals, sounds, beats and music made by the children, recorded as they explored the space and made music together. Meditation in the Green Space 00:00 / 09:22 Magical Memories Outdoors music-making in our inspiring 'Grow Wild' adventure playspace Real musical instruments to play led by musicians Freedom for children to play and join in at their own pace Music-making combined with creative play Inclusive music-making for SEND children and their siblings Breakthroughs for SEND children in socialising and personal confidence Building more confidence to jump and tumble with drum beats Children discovered a passion for music-making Parents saw leaps in their children's development Feedback from parents and carers I cannot enthuse about this playgroup/adventure playground and staff more. It is SUCH a supportive environment for not only my son but my daughter too aswell as myself. Staff have gone above and beyond for both my children as they often run in opposite directions and I physically can't keep an eye on both of them! The staff are unfaltering in their care for both the children, this is so important to me as often siblings can sometimes not be so welcomed in my experience which is very difficult for me. The musical element to the session is genuinely magical. At first the musicians would play musical instruments as my children played and slowly but surely my children have actively taken part in playing the musical instruments themselves which they both adore. I feel like my children get so much out of this sen session, they both have gained so much confidence in the setting since coming and both get so excited when they realise we are going to Grow Wild I myself, as their parent, really enjoy coming too! I can never usually relax in other settings as my son can be unpredictable with his behaviour at times, but here I can just breathe and let my children have fun with staff who are always enthusiastic to see them. Thank you so much! We have truly enjoyed our sessions on a Tuesday. My son loves to be outside and to be able to enjoy all the instruments in this free way has been so enriching for him. The musicians are wonderful with the little ones completely working at their pace and direction! Tirelessly playing “train” and offering different instruments and sounds occasionally so he gets a varied experience. All done in a respectful way so he hasn’t felt overwhelmed or too directed. If I had to think of something I’m tempted to say it would be nice to have some more performance group playing from the musicians with flute etc but perhaps that’s more my wanting as the simpler instruments have been generously shared and given access to and the children lead the way!! Thank you all and hope you can keep going …. We will keep coming!! Since we started attending in May my son has made huge progress in his speech, language and communication and these sessions have been a huge part of that. He finds communication challenging and this usually prevents him from interacting with other people. He became very comfortable very quickly at Grow Wild and very quickly started to interact with the musicians and it has been an absolute joy to see. He then repeatedly talks about Grow Wild at home throughout the week so not only is the session beneficial when he's there, but he loves it so much that he wants to talk about it all week, so it's been fantastic for his development at home as well. My daughter has also just started to come out of her shell. She usually only speaks to me but this week she spoke to three different adults at the session too and was much more confident and independent. I also love how safe these sessions are. Being able to run around outside in a safe space with other children and parents who understand his differences is priceless. These sessions are by far the best SEND sessions I have been to in Waltham Forest as they tick so many boxes. A safe outdoor space, access to a wide range of activities like climbing, water play, painting etc. all alongside the musical elements and an energetic, kind and enthusiastic team of adults running the sessions. ....So many of my son's sensory needs are met in one session which helps him to feel calm and regulated throughout the rest of the day. There is something available and beneficial for every child and it's fabulous to see every child enjoying themselves week after week. So thank you so much for everything. I hope that you can secure funding for September as it'll be a huge loss to the SEND community if these sessions were to stop. Both my children have both asked me if they can go to Grow Wild three times today already and this will happen every day until next week 😅 We have a home education journal and at the end of every day, we write down what we've done and my son often likes looking back at the photos of him at Grow Wild and asks for his own musical instruments. Just wanted to say how fantastic the musical element to the play has been and how much both my 19month old and I have enjoyed coming to those special sessions. It has given my son great exposure to music and to different and unique instruments we would not normally come across in our own play. The musicians are all so very talented, professional yet friendly and have a natural ability to connect with the young ones. I feel very fortunate to have attended the sessions we have with you, which have really enhanced my son's learning through song, tune and creativity. This group has been a lifeline to us from the start until now. We attend whatever the weather and my ASD child has thrived and grown from being in such an accepting and accomodating environment. He has gone from a child who was extremely uncomfortable around people, particularly adults, to somebody who seeks out interactions from the Grow Wild and Soundcastle teams. He's changed from being crying and anxious on arrival to shouting "go to see Zoe!" the minute he sees the tree. He has developed a tolerance for other children, for group singing and for music. He has developed so many social skills and even shown a keen interest in making music himself. He gets all of his sensory seeking needs met, has the freedom to explore without any pressure and we are truly fortunate to be able to attend this group. My child has developed and grown into somebody who can be in public without severe discomfort and who actually enjoys the company of other people, and I believe Grow wild has played a massive part in that.....


