New funding enables charity to increase support for families

A charity which works with young people with disabilities and their families is increasing the support available to them after securing funding to finance a new specialist role in its team.

Grace House now has a dedicated Family Support Officer, who will work closely with families to understand their specific needs and look to identify the appropriate support.

The new position – which is funded by law firm Slater and Gordon - enables the Sunderland-based charity to build further on the support it has delivered to hundreds of families across the community in the 20 years since it was established.

Grace House, which delivers a raft of support services at its centre in Southwick, is looking to increase its ‘whole family’ approach, ensuring the young person and their loved ones are supported in overcoming challenges they face through being able to access the services they need.

Lee Crosby, CEO of Grace House, says: “It is fantastic that we are able to create the position of Family Support Officer and we’ll see how this develops. We are really keen to increase our work with whole families and see how we can help them even further, with Grace House as their hub of support.

“When families are plunged into difficult times and need some help, or they are having to cope with massive waiting lists for the service they desperately need, this can cause even more chaos in their lives. We want to help as much as we possibly can – and the role of the Family Support Officer is a great place to start, and hopefully something that we can expand upon.

“We have big plans for Grace House and what we hope to offer in addition to our core services, so this is a brilliant place to start.”

As well as financing the role of Family Support Officer, Slater and Gordon will deliver legal clinics to families at Grace House, to support them in understanding their legal rights across a range of areas including clinical negligence, employment and family law.

Caitlin Sykes, solicitor at Slater and Gordon in Newcastle, adds: “Grace House plays an invaluable role in supporting young people and their families throughout the community, and for 20 years has helped to change the lives of countless children and loved ones.

“We are so pleased to give our support to Lee and the team in the creation of this new position, which will help Grace House to deliver even more bespoke support to families at times they need it most, and look forward to working closely with this fantastic charity going forward.”