A woman from Lorette, Man., is making it her mission to help parents with children requiring extra support.

Jenn Black worked for 15 years as an inclusion specialist at daycares and has personally seen how children with special needs can feel left out, including her two children.

“I have a son with extra support needs and I know it’s hard for him sometimes to find friends that understand him and want to play with him, so I figured I would start this group.”

Black says she is often asked why her group uses the term ‘children who need extra support’ instead of ‘children with special needs’.

“Because in my mind some of these kids have these needs, but a lot them might not feel like they’re special,” she explains, “so I just say ‘extra support needs’ because they just need extra support in some areas of their life.”

Black’s Facebook group already has approximately 20 families who share information and resources. Earlier in the year, when restrictions were relaxed, she even organized outings and playdates.

“Organizing playgroups, especially for children with different types of needs; if there are parents with kids who have ADHD, maybe they can go off and have a little bit of a playgroup and develop bonds of friendship because they understand where each other are coming from.”

Black is a single parent and admits that sometimes it is tough raising two children with ADHD, but that has not stopped her from running her own animal rescue, tending to her group, and providing respite work.

“There were a couple of other parents who moved to Lorette from another province and didn’t know anybody or about any resources,” shares Black, “so I connected with them, and we got together with our kids, and now they were able to meet other parents in our town.”

According to Black, that anecdote is the reason for starting her group. “Because I’m alone,” she says, “and it’s hard out here.”

Black adds that it is not important how active on the page people want to be and that some join just to learn about activities or resources they might find helpful.

“If they feel frustrated, or if they feel like they just don’t know what to do; just reach out,” she says.

As a result of Black’s employment as a respite worker, she also has an exemption from public health orders when taking care of special needs children and those that are in Child and Family Services.

Most recently, Black organized a day of sledding and says she looks forward to relaxed restrictions so she can set up more events.

“I don’t know how far it could go,” admits Black of the group, “but I just want parents to know they have a place to feel safe, and to feel heard, and to feel understood.”