Rainbow Parents Carers Forum has existed for nearly 40 years. It was originally set up in 1986 as the Floyd Group, a support group for parents of young children with disabilities attending the Trent Day Nursery in Nottingham. Parents relaxed or engaged in workshop activities whilst the children were cared for in a separate area by qualified nursery staff. The group was run on a voluntary basis by a small group of committed people, with some paid staff for the supervised play sessions.

Over the years the group has been supported by various voluntary sector organisations, until becoming a parent led organisation – Rainbow Parents Carers Forum and eventually registering as a charity in 2015. In 2019 Rainbow Parents Carers Forum was awarded the Lord- Lieutenant Award of Nottinghamshire for promoting voluntary and charitable service.

Rainbow has worked with many collaborators since 2010 including: Nottingham City Council; Integrated Care Board; Nottingham CVS; University of Nottingham; Nottingham Trent University; Contact; National Network of Parent Carer Forums;  Hummingbirds; Space Inclusive; My Journey; Pulp Friction; Farm Eco; Notts Clubs for Young People; Radford Care Group; Nottingham Nursery School and The Nottingham Contemporary.

 Since 2010 we have been funded with grants from the Department for Education (DfE);  Aiming High; Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire County Council; Children In Need; People’s Health Trust; Freemasons; FunDays In Nottinghamshire;  The Park Garden Trail; Thomas Farr; Near Neighbour; Sports England – Mencap Together Fund; National Lottery Awards for All; and since 2015 The National Lottery Community Fund.

We are grateful to our funders, collaborators and of course our children and families who drive us forward.