The Family Play & Respite Club provides sports, games, puzzles, arts and craft work and other activities for children aged 5 to 16 years with learning disabilities.  However, there are also places in the club for any non-disabled siblings of those who attend meaning parents can book both their disabled and non-disabled children into the club allowing them the opportunity to secure some regular respite for themselves.

The club meets at Prince Avenue Academy and Nursery in Hornby Avenue, Westcliff-on-Sea, every Saturday during term time from 9am to 3pm, although different times can be arranged with parents if the whole day is too long for some children.  The club is staffed by one co-ordinator and several other assistants, together with a few dedicated volunteers.

The club also provides a number of sessions during the majority of the school holidays, which are also based at Prince Avenue Academy and Nursery.

Each session costs £15 and each child must be booked into the sessions they wish to do.  However, if a reduced booking is preferred, then the cost will be a pro-rata of the full cost…e.g. for just the morning it will be £7.50.

Although the cost for attending each session is one of the lowest in the area, the society fully understands that it may still prove too much of a financial strain for families on a very low income.  As such, the society encourages families who are unable to cover the cost of the activities to contact us on (01702) 341250 as Southend Mencap is committed to ensuring that no child will be excluded from this club purely for financial reasons.

To view the latest booking form for the Family Play & Respite Club, please go to our Flyers page and click on the Play & Respite photo.