Compassionate child-led learning through play
Case study: The Reed Family
'As parents of children with SEN, this holiday club provides much-needed respite from the intense, full-time caring responsibilities that peak during the holidays. The club has proven truly life-changing for our family! It has been so lovely to spend rare and wonderful quality time with our autistic older son, free from the usual competing demands of his younger sibling’s care. All whilst our youngest had a whale of a time at Cornerstone..!'
The summer holidays can be isolating and exhausting
It is almost impossible to find enough things to do in the summer holidays – let alone if you are faced with caring responsibilities of a child with high needs. Our usual go-to activities like early morning trips to playparks, slow country walks (where we’ll meet very few people) or activities at home can work for a short time, but for six weeks – it was so incredibly tough to find alternatives that won’t end in tears and meltdowns (parents included!).
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Our youngest son is autistic with severely delayed and disordered language. He finds comfort in routine and familiarity, preferring Mum's undivided attention, which makes social opportunities really difficult. We have an older son too, and Dad works long hours, so the household demands falling to Mum each day are significant. For us, the school summer holidays tend to be stressful, isolating, and exhausting.
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Preparation and social stories
Transitioning anywhere can be incredibly scary for our youngest son. Before the holiday club even started, Cornerstone staff had emailed across a social story, with real-life photographs, meaning our son arrived already recognising the hall and anticipating the toys he could play with. This small but carefully considered step, made all the difference, turning what could have been a source of massive anxiety into a positive experience.
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Such a great venue!
The Farnborough venue itself is brilliantly suited to the needs of children with SEN: a spacious main hall for supervised play and group activities, accessible toilet facilities, quiet spaces for moments of regulation, and a fully enclosed outdoor area. So reassuring for us that our son cannot ‘escape’ on one of his exploration missions! It's a great venue choice, giving children freedom of movement and security, so they can engage with their environment and other peers entirely at their own pace.
An entirely child-centred approach
The staff at Cornerstone Learning CIC are experts in supporting SEN learning and development, each bringing a wealth of experience in play techniques and specialist knowledge. We liked the fact that their approach is entirely child-centred, with activities carefully tailored to the needs, interests, and abilities of each child. We could see (from the parent WhatsApp group photos that the staff upload!), that the children were having such a lovely time! It’s very evident that the activities are being presented with care and plenty of enthusiasm! Our son, who often finds new environments intimidating, looked settled, happy and included.
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Each session ended with a thorough handover about what he’d been up to. If there were any wobbles or things he didn’t enjoy, the staff are honest and it was obvious that they were able to turn the situation around quickly and confidently. They understand the challenges faced by SEN children and that they need to take life at their own pace and sometimes their own agenda!
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We cannot thank the team enough for making the school holidays less daunting and overwhelming, and providing our youngest with a fun, inclusive social group that he would otherwise struggle to access.
Written by The Reeds