Talbot House Blog

 My name is Bernie, I have been a full time parent carer for my son Geoffrey who is a young man who has Downs Syndrome and Type 1 Diabetes. I have cared for him for 37 years.

When Geoffrey was born and when I accepted that my son would need extra care than my other four children I became a champion for parent carers in Manchester.

As you may already know I manage Talbot House Support Centre which was started by parents 37 years ago. When I first came to Talbot House I was lonely and afraid when my son Geoffrey was born. I went on to develop the service and ultimately went on to become the manager. I believe that if you get the parents head OK then their sons and daughters will be OK. That’s my motto.

I have developed Talbot House to become a one-stop-shop for all the needs of these special families. A place where loneliness and isolation is removed, where support in all its forms can be given, where parents can find information on education, benefits, social services, the government, policies, housing, advocacy, respite, training and most of all identification and love.

Our centre is user led by parents themselves. I also try to make sure that by creating partnerships with all the statuary agencies a lot more can be achieved to help as many people as possible in the services. 

“It doesn’t matter who gets the gold star”, as long as the family get have their needs met. And so we go on….

Bernie.