A PARENTAL support group has been given more than £100,000 to specially cater it’s services for children with abandonment issues.

Parenting Special Children in Whitley has been given the bumper grant by the national lottery to expand their services to more families.

Set up in 2006 the cause has helped around 2,000 families and now hopes to offer specially tailored services to foster parents, adopted parents and special carers.

Zobia Kalim, Laac coordinator for the group said the £128,530 funding would expand current services including parenting classes, peer support groups, “Over the past 10 years we’ve worked with families with a range serious learning difficulties including autism.

“About 20 per cent of our clients are children aren’t looked after by their parents.

“It’s very different for them because quite often the children have a past of trauma.

“We’ve tried to cope in the last year with very limited funding but with this funding we can expand that service over the next three years.”

She said the plan was to support around 300 parents across Reading, Wokingham and West Berkshire over the three years but it could reach more people than that.

All courses run by the group are free and open to all be they parents, carers or grandparents.

The grant is part of a £2.6m investment from the Big Lottery Fund to projects across the South East.

The funding will help offer workshops and courses for parents to help understand trauma and attachment issues.

These will include talks from experienced practitioners and support coping with children’s emotional development, sleeping habits and best ways to navigate the education system.

Lyn Cole, Big Lottery Fund England grant making director said: “So many local community organisations are enabling people and communities to grow together bringing positive changes to their lives and futures.

“It’s wonderful to hear the stories of how, through these great projects, people have overcome barriers, learned new skills and improved their lives.”

To find out more about Parenting Special Children visit www.parentingspecial children.co.uk.