Daventry mother sets up support network to help other parents with disabled children

The mother of a severely disabled child who found herself without any support has decided to set up her own network to help other parents.

Hayley Charlesworth was surprised to learn that there was very little help available for the parents of children with complex needs.

Her son Harry had a series of strokes before he was born that left him with a condition called quadriplegic cerebral palsy.

He has difficulty breathing, can't talk or walk and has to be tube fed.

Hayley said there is a 'complete lack' of emotional and practical support for families:

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To help with the costs of Harry's on-going care, the family set up the Helping Harry's Trust to raise money.

But Hayley wanted to do more to help other's and so now she's set up Harry's Pals.

It's a support network for parents of children with severe disabilities that will offer and arrange respite breaks, bespoke counselling sessions and a buddy-up scheme that matches new parents with those that are more experienced.

"I've met too many people in the same situation we were in and they're really really struggling. They're not getting any support at all and are just existing." Hayley said.

She hopes Harry's Pals will be able to make a big difference to families in Northamptonshire and beyond.