Breaking Barriers | Bolton, UK
Diversity Teams
The Charity was founded in 2012 by parents of Disabled children who were acutely aware of the many gaps in services and the complete absence of a SEND only support service for children, young people and their families. Rather than waiting for change they decided to set up as a voluntary organisation and within 12 months had met all requirements to achieve registered charity status. Currently managed by 2 dedicated and passionate Mums of children/adult children with profound and complex needs the organisation has grown from 56 families to just over 2,500 with groups and activities offered 6 days a week every week allowing families of children with SEND to come together and enjoy time being who they are without the need for explanation and in the absence of judgement. From very small beginnings (around a dining table in the CEOs home) the Charity is now a medium sized organisation with 6 permanent staff, a Charity Shop and 20 supported volunteers. There are opportunities for supported work experience for young people who would otherwise be unable to enjoy such an experience and using our Bolton town centre base we aim to lead by example and raise awareness of what Neurodevelopmental conditions are - and more importantly aren't. The Charity is a huge support network for the staff all of whom are parents of children with SEND or have additional needs themselves and without Breaking Barriers NW the 2 lead women would be completely unable to work because of the high levels of care needed by their children. The Charity is a lifeline for may families and by forging relationships with other organisations across Bolton we are able to signpost effectively and swiftly.
We created a Sensory Room within the shopping centre in partnership with Market Place Management Team which is designed to identify sensory needs and help to formulate sensory profiles for SEND children which is information that can be shared with schools and enable reasonable adjustments to be made and inclusion increased and embedded.
Our Sensory Garden offer access to nature in an urban setting and provides opportunities for more supported volunteer work so that the most vulnerable and impaired young people can experience work and feel valued and included in a very worthwhile project where they are celebrated and central to decisions made.
We sit strategically across the borough in both the voluntary and statutory sector to ensure the inclusion of the thoughts and wishes of children and young people with SEND to ensure their rights to participation are met. We have a "can do" attitude and are passionate about inclusion and equality of opportunity and through this approach we hope to make long lasting positive changes in our bit of the world that will be transferable, practical and challenge barriers to inclusion with reasonable suggestions and realistic outcomes.
Funding is a daily challenge for us and even after 13 years we still have no consistent core funding and are reliant on commissioned work and many, many hours of fundraising which is a time consuming but necessary process to ensure sustainability and when the need arises we continue to work on a voluntary basis. Recognition as a medium sized charity is also an ongoing challenge as we can be easily overlooked locally as attention immediately falls on the larger, well funded organisations but our focus remains fixed on the children, young people and families for whom we are a lifeline. Our mission is to continue to ask "why not?" and continue to find workable solutions that are inclusive and accepting of all.
Annually we hold an awards ceremony where anyone can nominate any child or young person with SEND for any achievement as we aim to change the narrative of what constitutes "achievement" and give recognition for the supreme effort and hard work put in to succeeding at tasks non SEND children take for granted. Last year our CEO was named as Influential Woman of the Year at the Bolton Business Awards and the Strategic Manager was shortlisted for Charity Champion - that said we strive for positive change, not silverware.
Breaking Barriers NW is a true not for profit and in 2025 created a CIC and bought a 6 berth caravan which is about to be available all year round in for use by families who would otherwise not be able to enjoy a holiday together. It is equipped to a high standard with an awning that is bespoke in content for each family that stays. It has so far been a sensory space, a cinema room, a dark space, a quiet space, a bounce and swing place and there is access to every light, projector, sensory toy and seek/avoid resource found on Planet Earth.
