There are number of regular parent-to-parent support groups that meet locally: some are general groups for parents of any child with a special need or disability; some are groups for parents of children with a specific condition or disability.

General support groups

Early Birds Support Group (formerly Wee Ones) is a support group for parents of premature babies. They meet twice a month, every 2nd and 4th Wednesday, at West Hove Children's Centre, West Hove Infants School from 10am till 12 noon. Call 07832 350332, or email earlybirdspremgroup@hotmail.co.uk for more details.

Kaleidoscope is a group for parents and carers of children with physical disabilities. They meet on Thursdays during term time. Contact Sandra, Kerry or Gillian on 07807 647630.

Sweet Peas parent and toddler group for children with special needs meets on Fridays, from 1 to 4pm at Tarner Children's Centre, Ivory Place, Brighton. Call Amanda on 07917887526.

Little Darlings is another group for children with special needs and their parents or carers. They meet on Wednesdays from 3.30 to 6pm at Hollingdean Community Centre. They also run summer activities. Call Sharon on 07799 414837.

Brighton Pebbles is a small parent-run group for families with disabled children aged 4-14 who live in Brighton and Hove. They run a weekly drop-in at the Cedar Centre in Hollingdean which welcomes families with children with any disability, in special or mainstream schooling. Pebbles also organises monthly social and leisure activities and even getaways to places like Knowles Tooth Family Centre in Hurstpierpoint. Most activities are subsidised wherever possible. Pebbles stress they are not a childcare service and that parents/carers are expected to accompany their children at all times. Call 07766 156 571 or email brightonpebbles@tiscali.co.uk You can find full details of Pebbles activities on the group's website.

Link UP is a Brighton and Hove group that provides support and a social network for children with special educational needs and their parents. The group is open to children in mainstream schools who have statements or who are on School Action Plus. They organise outings for children to places like Knockhatch Adventure Park and The Enchanted Forest; they also organise activities like puppet workshops, comedy shows or even 'Make-a-Movie' day. Parents meet up about twice per term so they can talk informally and plan the next activities. The activities are mostly free or subsidised. Email linkup@linkupbrighton.org

Teenagers

Amaze runs a regular 'Parents with Teens' group. It's a chance for parents of teenagers with special needs and disabilities to meet informally and discuss the issues that matter to them. The group usually takes place every two months. For details of the next Parents with Teens meeting see our calendar of events page.

Groups for specific conditions

mASCot is a regular parent-led autistic spectrum condition support group which meets a couple of times every month. Their coffee mornings take place on Thursdays from 10am to 12pm in the coffee shop at Emmaus, Drove Road, Portslade. mASCot stands for Managing Autistic Spectrum Condition Online Together because they also have an online forum where parents of autistic children can chat to each other between meetings. The address of the forum is private but if you have a child with autism and would like to join, email sambay66@yahoo.com. Email Sam for details of the coffee mornings too.

The Dyspraxia Foundation Sussex Group meets on the first Thursday of each month at Amaze in Community Base. They're an informal and welcoming group of parent/carers of children with dyspraxia and the group is linked to the National Dyspraxic Foundation. The group meets to exchange ideas and experiences and they sometimes have guest speakers. To find out more or be added to the email list, contact lucy.dcd@ntlworld.com.

Tourette Brighton is a support group for parents and carers of children diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome. They hold regular informal meetings (which have led to sibiling and TS kids meeting socially) and they have a website with useful information and links and an online discussion forum. Contact enquiries@tourettebrighton.com

T21 Brighton & Hove is a new parent support group for children with Down Syndrome and their families. The group shares information and provides children's activities. For more information, call Emma on 07810 567626 or Fiona on 07801 692362, or email emma.parker148@btinternet.com or fionafromcutiebrighton@hotmail.com You can also find T21 Brighton & Hove on Facebook - just send a request to join.

The Worthing KiDS Down Syndrome Support Group is for families across Sussex with children up to 12 and they meet in Lancing every six weeks. Email lydiaktori@hotmail.com for more details or visit http://www.worthingkids.org.uk/

If you know of any regular groups that are not listed here, please contact websitemanager@amazebrighton.org.uk and tells us all about them.