Sensory Safari’s Family Fun Day a great success for children of all abilities

SENSORY SAFARI Adventures, a self-funded group set up by parents of children with additional needs, hosted a Family Fun Day on July 3 for members of its Autism Support Group.

Held at the Belgard Community Centre, the event featured a wide range of accessible activities, giving children of all abilities the chance to play, explore and enjoy the day together.

One of the parents involved in the group, Grace Ritchie, explained the importance of inclusive groups such as Sensory Safari for children who are on the spectrum, as they provide valuable days out and the chance for all children to socialise with one another.

“My son has special needs, and I take him to the local Fun Days in the community centre when they’re on but sometimes he doesn’t like it, sometimes it’s too loud or it’s too noisy or there’s too many people.”

Sensory Safari came to be following a group of parents from Dublin 24, who all agreed on the lack of activity days for children with autism or additional needs.

The group was founded by Charlotte Cahill, from Tallaght, whose daughter Cyra was diagnosed with autism three years ago.

“I established the group after seeing first-hand the lack of inclusive opportunities available for children with additional needs and their families.

“As a parent, I wanted to create a safe, welcoming space where every child could feel accepted, included and able to enjoy childhood without barriers.”

Charlotte was overwhelmed by the support on the day and incredibly proud of the opportunities that Sensory Safari has offered for those with additional needs.

“One of the proudest moments of the day was employing three young people with additional needs to work alongside our team.

“Providing meaningful opportunities is something we are deeply committed to, because true inclusion is about more than simply attending an event – it is about being valued, contributing and having the same opportunities as everyone else.

“They did an incredible job and showed exactly what can be achieved when people are given the chance to succeed.”

This year, Charlotte received funding from the Firhouse Credit Union to ensure Sensory Safari is able to keep up its valuable service and run its weekly events without any financial worry.

Grace Ritchie spoke about the impact that this funding has on each parent in the group and explained that in some cases, there are parents with multiple children with additional needs who frequent days out that are hosted by Sensory Safari.

“It’s a safe place for them to have friends and be out and not stuck at home. Very few of them are verbal, so they would be isolated to their own company a little bit. So, it’s nice to see them out, making friends and having a good time.”

Charlotte hopes that this year’s Fun Day is “just the beginning” for Sensory Safari and is looking forward to “continuing to create opportunities where every child and every family feels they truly belong.”