Our sessions

We require all families to complete a registration form before their first visit, you will then be told which sessions will be best for your family. Below is a brief overview of the sessions we offer.

Overview of sessions 

• Family Play

We are open on weekdays, weekends and during school holidays to deliver sessions for the whole family. At these sessions we offer a variety of activities depending on the children booked in. These sessions are £5 per family.

• Minis

This is our group for under 5s and gives children and parents a chance to attend a toddler group that is specifically for children with special needs. Activities are planned to help with development and socialising with others. Sessions cost £2.50 per family and currently run on Wednesdays during term time from 9.30-11am.

• Respite 

We run sessions after school and twice a month on a Saturday where children can come and spend time with their friends. Play Leaders run lots of activities to keep everyone busy including music and cooking. All respite is for children aged 5 years and older. The team at Swings & Smiles will work with families to get to know children prior to them attending these groups. Saturday sessions cost £45 per fully day and £25 for a half day. Respite dates are released quarterly. Please contact [email protected] to receive our respite dates. 

• Hampshire Respite 

Once a month we run respite sessions for Hampshire families, where children can come and spend time with their friends. Play leaders run lots of fun activities for everyone. These sessions cost £30 with a Gateway Card + and run between 10:00-4:00.

• After School Club 

After School Club is a respite group for children aged 5 years and older that runs on a Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The team at Swings & Smiles will work with families to get to know children prior to them attending these groups. After School Club costs £10 per session and must be booked and paid for in advance, each term. Please contact [email protected] to express your interest. 

• Youth Club (Year 6 +) (Year 9+)

This group is aimed at children who attend a special needs school or resource unit, that are able to communicate their needs to the staff and use the toilet independently. The group aims to give children the opportunity to find common interests with like minded peers, form friendships and have fun together. Youth Club is for children 11 years and older. Sessions must be booked and paid for in advance each term and are £4 per session. 

• Mini Spec (Y3-5); Spectrum (Y6-8); Oasis (Y9-13)

These sessions are for young people who have a diagnosis and access mainstream school. Similar to our Youth Club these are a great opportunity to meet with friends and socialise in a safe environment. There are games consoles set up and a tuck shop, amongst other fun activities. Sessions must be booked and paid for in advance each term and are £4 per session. 

• Home Education Groups

We have teamed up with a local tutor who will be delivering project style learning to small groups of children who are home educated. We aim to provide the children with a variety of skills taught in an informal way. There will be a clear objective for each project for the children to work towards but none of the pressure to do it in a set way, and there will be a key focus on having fun!

• ENGAGE

ENGAGE is a family play style session for children who are currently not in school. This session runs from 12-1.30pm on Wednesdays, term time only and costs £5 per family. 

• Therapeutic Family Play

Therapeutic Family Play are sessions suitable for our blue, pink and purple members who require a quieter session. These sessions include sensory based activities such as Tac-Pac or sensory stories. 

• SIBSupport

Sessions at the centre are a chance for siblings to get together and have fun, with staff and volunteers on hand to chat and support them with some of the challenges they may face.

Older SIBSupport is for Year 7 and above, the sessions take place on the first Friday of the month from 6-7.30pm and the third Saturday of the month from 1.30 - 3pm. 

Saturday SIBSupport is for children aged 5 years up until they finish primary school. These groups run twice a month from 9.30 - 11am and 11.30 - 1pm. 

SPARK online 

SPARK Online will be running monthly throughout this academic year, with online sessions taking place on the first Thursday of each month from 4-5pm (until August 2023). These sessions will aim to guide, inspire and encourage siblings with a healthy balance of fun (through games and quizzes) and intentional life-related content. Each of the 10 modules throughout the year is based on the ‘10 Keys to Happier Living’ (www.actionforhappiness.org), and each session will include an optional take-away challenge! In August, all of the siblings who have attended the sessions will be invited to attend an annual SIBSupport residential/activity day in August.

SIBSupport Workshops Online 

We are excited to be able to offer our online workshops for siblings. They are open to any siblings from the ages of 7-14 years and are free of charge to attend. These online courses will run for four weeks and will aim to help participants learn more about disability, understand how to identify and manage their emotions, and to give them tools to work through any challenges they may face as a sibling. The workshop will be interactive and engaging, interspersing content with lots of fun and games. Play and having fun is at the heart of everything we do at Swings & Smiles and SIBSupport is no different.

These courses will run every Wednesday during term time, please email [email protected] for more information. 

All siblings that attend the SIBSupport sessions will have the opportunity to attend a SIBSSupport workshop, these will be run online or in schools.

All SIBSupport is free to attend.

Find out more about the facilities at Swings & Smiles