Local families that found it impossible to access play and leisure facilities for children in the inner city area of Balsall Heath, set up Balsall Heath CATS (Children’s Action Team Support) in 2004. Their aim was to help children and young people with disabilities be part of the local community and to support, develop and appreciate their different potentials. The group now supports more than eighty families.
Nasreen Bi of Balsall Heath CATS told Fit for All about the Summer in Balsall Heath:
“We work with families from diverse backgrounds, isolated by their circumstances. They often face multiple barriers to accessing support and services. Amongst us we have the skills and the experience to engage with families and individuals who are often excluded. We are able to offer informal support and informed signposting to meet individual needs be they cultural, communication, disability access or financial issues, or often all of these things together.”
Fit for All helps groups make holiday opportunities inclusive
About the wider Holiday and Activities Fund during the Summer, Nasreen added:
“There were lots of Bring it on Brum activities around Birmingham, but there weren’t many that were fully inclusive. Without Fit for All delivered by Children’s Quarter, the children and young people we work with would not have been able to participate. Holiday Activity and Food funding enabled us to provide healthy meals alongside activities. It really made a difference to some of the most isolated children and families.
“For example:
- Every day we setup the lunch in the kitchen near the outdoor play areas, our nonverbal children and young people especially gained more independence and confidence from this arrangement. They knew where they could get the food from and were able to help themselves and choose when they wanted to eat without us having to interrupt their play – which can lead to meltdowns.
- One child likes to pick up anything – soil, leaves, grass – and eat it. Having food available every day in a set place, we were able to encourage her to eat fruit and healthy snacks that she was able to safely eat and explore. It helped her to engage more in play instead of constantly looking out for things to put in her mouth.
- One parent has been struggling with mental health issues. She told us how having the lunches at playscheme really supported her. She can’t always manage to get food in and prepare it. For her, tasks like this can be daunting. Not being able to make a packed lunch has, in the past, meant her children have not taken part in activities. Food had become a reason for her to isolate herself and children further; but, because we were able to provide food, she didn’t have to worry.”
Long term sustainable benefits
Nasreen explains how families with disabled children face additional costs and stresses: “For them, school holidays are difficult not just because of the cost of food and juggling childcare, but also because of particular issues their children may have with food and eating. So, our service isn’t just about feeding children for a few days, it has also helped families in the longer term. For example:
- “The parents of a child who is new to our service, told us he wouldn’t eat anything at playscheme. He is a very fussy eater who only eats chicken nuggets and pizza. On his first day we offered him lunch, he refused and didn’t even want to come and have a look at it. The same thing happened the next day. By day 3 he could see the other children around him happily eating and excitedly running towards the kitchen to choose their food. He followed; queued up with a plate; looked at everything and just chose to have a cup of juice. The next week, he again came into the kitchen. This time we had the Fit for All visiting chef. She had prepared hot yummy food which he said smelt nice. He saw it was potato wedges and (a healthy version of) pizza. He ate both happily. It was a turning point for him. After that day, he came to the kitchen every day; picked up a plate and chose what he wanted. As the sessions went on his communication and speech improved: he asked about different foods, and asked if he could serve himself. When we told his parents, they were amazed. At home they have to literally spoonfeed him his dinner; he is such a fussy eater and doesn’t have a good relationship with food. It causes lots of stress and anxiety at home when he refuses to eat.
“In the same way, the enrichment activities that we were able to provide children with through Fit for All, really have had some long-term benefits. For example, one parent told us about how these activities, like drama and dance, helped their children: “It’s been a very positive impact. They have loved the activities, and through drama it has improved my son’s speech.”
Difference Fit for All makes
If it wasn’t for Fit for All and Children’s Quarter, Nasreen goes on: “We as an organisation would not have applied for this funding. Children’s Quarter understands us, and the families and the children and young people we work with. They really advocate for the right service and have supported us to give our children and young people a quality provision. Working with SEND children and young people is far more difficult than mainstream provision. CQ has really worked hard to make sure that we are able to get the right support and funding through this grant. They have made a local pot of money more accessible and inclusive. We always find locally funding is always so much more difficult to attain, and sometimes that is very disheartening especially when you are serving the local community. Laura and her team are very innovative and really value us as a service provider, they listen to us and make things happen.”
