A MOTHER has described the vital role a support group provides for parents that have children with special education needs.

Parent Judith Moloney, from Stanmore, was one of 30 people who attended an open day on September 20 for the ContinYou Harrow Parent Partnership Service (CHAPPS).

The service was previously an in-house department of Harrow Council, called the Harrow Parent Partnership, but now has a new office at 378 Pinner Road, in Harrow.

ContinYou were given the contract to run the parent partnership service in Harrow earlier this year.

CHAPPS main aim is to help and support to parents and carers in Harrow with children aged from birth up to the age of 19 with special education needs.

This week Mrs Moloney explained the important role CHAPPS played for her in supporting her son Sheldon, 15, who attends Park High School.

She said “I’ve had help from the parent partnership for a very long time, since my son was three years old.

“They have given me help, support and have made sure I’ve had the right information while my son was in school. Now Sheldon is coming to the end of school, CHAPPS have been really helpful with giving us information of what he can do next.”

Katherine Lyall, service co-ordinator at ContinYou, said about the open day: “It was a great chance for people to find out about us and where we are.

“It was also an opportunity for us to speak to other organisations working in the area and look a ways we can support them. The most important thing for us at the moment is to let as many people as possible know we are here.

“Our aim from now on is to build on the work that was done before and we hope to get into contact with more schools to get an idea of children's needs from them.”

To find out more, call 0208 861 5605 or go to www.continyou.org/chapps