Hawthorn Family Support Centre

Essential support and information to parents and carers of children aged 0-3 with additional needs.

Hawthorn is the only centre of its kind in Leeds and we provide support to families who have a very young child with additional needs. 

Hawthorn welcomes families to attend for one day per week. Up to nine families attend a group on a Monday, Tuesday or Friday. There is a lovely, bright, well-staffed playroom where children can play. The play area has a ball pool and a sensory room.  There is an area for outside play. Hawthorn makes a freshly cooked lunch for the children and offers a drink and snack during the morning

There is a parents’ room for family members to relax and enjoy a drink (lunch time snacks are available for family members too).  A family support worker can help families with information, advice and support.

Feedback

• “You have managed to get my children to eat when I couldn’t, get them to drink milk when they wouldn’t and be cheerful when I thought they’d forgotten how. You have [also] offered me a place to cry without people thinking I’m having a breakdown, laugh at things other people wouldn’t find funny, rant about things with people who have really understood and share my fears for the future. Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

• "Our saving grace has been the Hawthorn Family Support Centre, run by Leeds Mencap. Hawthorn gave me a group of friends, other mums in my position, but… most importantly, they gave me back my little boy because they taught me how to make him laugh, how to entertain and enjoy him."