A disabled child brings big challenges to a family. But a group of parents have united to share their experiences. Organiser Jo Fitzgerald spoke to JENNY SCOTT. . .

A LITTLE boy sits in his wheelchair stroking the soft, grey fur of a chinchilla.

It's moments like these that convey the delight an East Lancashire support group has brought to parents and children since it was set up 18 months ago.

The two remarkable women behind the group -- Parents 4 Parents -- are Sam Johnson and Jo Fitzgerald.

Both Sam and Jo are mums with disabled children whose experiences have taught them just how invaluable the friendship and support of parents in similar situations can be.

"The greatest support is what you get from other parents," said Jo, 40, from Blackburn, who is mum to 11-year-old Mitchell and seven-year-old Daniel. Mitchell was born with multiple disabilities, including blindness and epilepsy.

"The health service provides you with practical support, but we're talking about emotional support," added Jo. "Other parents can understand the ups and downs of living with a child with disabilities."

At Parents 4 Parents, which meets once a fortnight at Blakeys cafe/bar in Blackburn, the 30-strong group of mums, dads and carers from across East Lancashire meet to chat, share experiences and organise events.

Some of these events have included trips to Chester Zoo, Gulliver's World and the pantomime, as well as a visit to a local farm where the children encountered the chinchillas. Crucially, all of these excursions are activities that non-disabled siblings can also enjoy.

Jo said: "It's important to do things the whole family can join in with. Mitchell has very different needs to his brother Daniel and, as a parent, you might be tempted to separate them.

"But with the group, we're doing things together and it builds up the positive aspects for the sibling, who is all too used to accompanying the family on trips to the hospital."

The group also challenges any feelings of isolation a family with disabled children may contend with. Jo said: "I didn't meet other parents in similar situations as soon as I would have liked and I wished I had met them sooner."

The group sprang into being when Jo met Sam and discovered how important it is to have a friendly face to turn to.

She said: "As a family, we have tried to live as normal a life as we can and I didn't feel I needed any additional support. But then, a couple of years ago, Mitchell became particularly poorly. In the end, he had a tracheostomy fitted to help him breathe.

"For a child with complex needs, there are always twists and turns. I felt the need to reach out to people, so I became involved in a parents' consumer group at Queen's Park Hospital, which is where I met Sam.

"She said she felt the same need I had for a parents' group. There are support groups in the area, but they are very specific to certain disabilities. There's a group for autism and one for dysprazia. But for a child with multiple disabilities, you start thinking, 'Which one do we go to?'"

In the end, the informal, supportive atmosphere at Parents 4 Parents has turned out to be ideal for both Sam and Jo.

Jo said: "We have a good laugh but we're there for the sad times too. After all, both aspects are a very real part of our lives."

To find out more about Parents 4 Parents, contact Jo on (01254) 260482 or Sam on (01282) 429028.