Early Years

In October 2024 Whippersnappers were awarded a one-year grant from the Walcot Foundation. This grant is a partnership project with First 5 Lambeth, and the aim is to support parents with young SEND children to become more financially resilient and to help them work towards getting back into paid work. 

The grant has been used to employ a SEND family support worker 2 days a week. It has also enabled us to run regular early years SEND stay and play sessions where we meet up with parents of SEND children and offer SEND advice and support. The SEND stay and play sessions are delivered in partnership with Unity Matters Dads Club, Slade Gardens APG, CEFLinx Greenhut, Keen London and Liz Atkinson, Jubilee and Benton Lane children centres. 

Heidi Ahlborn our family support worker has also created a very detailed SEND tool kit for parents to access online. Heidi has used her own lived experience, as a parent of a child with SEND, to put together this amazing resource which has been illustrated by Nora Payne who previously worked on our “Say it as it is” Film and research project. 

Visit our page Resource and Research to find out more here.

We have also created a Early Years SEND friendly Stay and Play Timetable. The aim is for families to access different SEND friendly settings across the borough.

Whippersnappers will be running our FREE SEND music sessions this term on the following dates:

• Benton Lane Children’s Centre – Tues 7th, 14th and 21st of October -1.30-3pm
• CEFLinx Greenhut – Thurs 2nd of October – 1-3pm
• KEEN London Jubilee Children’s Centre Thurs 23rd of October – 10am-12pm
• Liz Atkinson Children’s Centre Mon 29th of September, 6th, 13th and 20th of October – 1.30-3pm
• Slade Gardens – Thurs 25th of September 10am-1pm

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Whippersnappers inclusive Baby and Toddler Classes (paid)

Visit our Baby and Toddler website for inclusive classes 5 days a week at Brockwell Lido (in Herne Hill) and College Lodge (in Dulwich Park).