The John McNeill Opportunity Centre
Environment
We want to extend our play area to give children a more therapeutic environment where there is space to undertake outside activities.
About this cause
We are a specialist centre for preschool children with special needs and disabilities including cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, autism, genetic disorders and communication difficulties. We provide therapy, education and care to help each child reach their full potential by providing therapeutic interventions and strategies to meet their needs. We aim to give each child the opportunity to use some form of communication to enable them to interact with others and develop their areas of delay. We undertake the foundations skills and produce the initial assessments for Education, Health Care Plans that will provide the most suitable form of education for them in school. The Centre also provides support and information for parents during these early years following diagnosis.
How this cause brings people in the community together
55 children attend the Centre each week with 27 attending each day. They all have individual needs but need space - wheelchairs and equipment need to be used outside, autistic children need their own space and respond well to being outside but they need more room. As a Specialist Centre we work within the community to train other settings and need more space to involve them in our activities.