A Space to Talk: Our Chill + Chat Group for Parents Is Back

When a young person is struggling, it's easy for the focus to be on them. But raising a neurodivergent child or young person can mean parents and carers are carrying a lot too, and sometimes they need somewhere to talk and ask questions.

At Northorpe, as well as supporting young people, we want to support the family and networks around them. That’s why we’re so excited to announce that our monthly group Chill + Chat is back!

For around eight years, our relaxed group for parents and carers of neurodivergent children and young people has been providing support for families.

Rosa Forrest, our Parent Support and Neurodiversity Lead, has been involved with the group since the very beginning – so we spoke to her about how the group began, how it’s helped parents and some of the moments that have stayed with her along the way.

“Chill + Chat is a popular group here at Northorpe! It originally started as a series of information sessions where we answered questions that parents and families had been asking us. But, over time, we realised that what a lot of parents really wanted was the opportunity to talk to others who were going through the same thing as them.

They wanted to learn about things like understanding mental health and self-harm, supporting young people with anxiety and working on their emotional wellbeing. But it was a genuine connection with other parents that they wanted most, to feel less alone.

Over the years, it’s taken many different forms, including some online sessions. We even had the ‘Chill N’ Chat Extra’ day event, with speakers and workshops.

In 2026, the sessions will consist of a short introduction to the focus topic, followed by plenty of time to talk it through with other parents and members of our team.

The feedback from the people who join us has always been really positive. Parents have told us how lovely it is to feel supported in a safe space, to have encouraging conversations with other parents and to know they’re not alone. Even having the opportunity to get out of the house and meet other people has been a positive for some.

One parent came purely to offload her concerns because she felt she could not talk to her family. Another I often see around Mirfield, and she is still very enthusiastic about our sessions. It’s lovely to know that the group has meant so much to people.

More than 100 parents and carers have accessed the group since 2018, including through sessions held in schools with our parent community workers. That’s a lovely number, and we’re excited to bring even more families together this year.

I’m really looking forward to the group starting up again later this month. Parents are crying out for help and support, and I really hope people are able to come regularly so they can get the full benefit of what we have to offer.

If a parent or carer is reading this and thinking about joining us, I just wanted to say I hope they feel able to come and give it a try, I know some parents have admitted to being anxious in the past, but they all felt reassured by the warm welcome.

We have always been happy to call and reassure parents if they have any worries, and I make a point of meeting them when they arrive to make sure they are as comfortable as possible. And we adapt the sessions as we go to support everyone’s needs.”

Thank you to Rosa for sharing her thoughts with us, we know this group is going to make a huge difference for local families.

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Chill + Chat is back this September, with regular sessions for parents and carers of neurodivergent children and young people. Each session includes a short learning topic, time to talk and connect with other parents and carers, and support from the Northorpe team.

Our first session is about The Spoon Theory, a simple way of understanding energy and capacity, and why everyday things can sometimes take more out of us than we realise. We'll look at how this can help us better understand and support neurodivergent young people.

• Thursday 24 September

• 6–8pm

• Northorpe Hall, Northorpe Lane, Mirfield, WF14 0QL

• £5 session contribution

(For those who are not able to join us in the evening, there is also a daytime session on Monday 12^th October)

Find out more and book your place at www.northorpe.com/chillandchat