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My name is Joanna Griffin, I am a Parent Carer and a Counselling Psychologist. I set up the website www.affinityhub.uk to signpost to organisations and practitioners that provide emotional support to parents of disabled children. I felt that it was not always clear where parents could turn to, at times of need, for extra emotional support from a professional who truly understood the context of being a parent carer. I am currently undertaking Doctoral Research into Emotional Wellbeing in parents of a child with a learning and/or developmental disability.
Many Parent Carers already experience extra pressures and demands on their psychological resources. With the unprecedented concern regarding the Coronavirus it is even more important that social distancing guidelines don't exacerbate the isolation that parent carers can feel.
As services change and adapt to the current situation I wonder if there is a way we can use online platforms to connect and create a Peer Support Network for Parent Carers to help one another through the current crisis.
This would be different from counselling or psychological therapy as it would be peers supporting one another. We are all experts by experience and can share our strengths and challenges together.
Please let me know your views on what is the best way forward to support our community. I look forward to hearing from you, thank you.