SEND Karma

Having worked with parents and carers of children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) since 2003, I have extensive and in-depth knowledge of how the SEND system works and how services operate. With an excellent reputation of being a hands-on, local advocate of Children’s and Carers Rights I have a track record of going the extra mile to get the best results.

For 10 years I was involved with a Parent Carer Forum, developing the organisation and supporting a management committee of parents and carers to make it a success. I managed many projects and enjoyed watching our families and the organisation grow up! I then developed the Yorkshire and Humberside Family Support Service for the national, award-winning charity Caudwell Children. I helped families in crisis to get the support they deserve through services, community groups and my team of hand-picked Volunteer Supporters who were from a wide range of backgrounds. I then went on to be an Independent Supporter, helping families to understand the changes in the statementing process and providing hands-on support to get the best possible Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan for their child. Having been involved with the pilot for this new system I was keen to help families from the outset.

As well as being an Independent Assessor for the Family Fund, I am also involved with several other organisations which are dedicated to supporting and informing families of disabled children and young people – Bringing Us Together, Visits Unlimited and Justice Together – a new project from Bringing us Together that seeks to make information and support available to families whose children and young people have been detained or are at risk of being detained against their wishes.

Support is bespoke, tailored and individual and could include:

• Practical help with family days out or at home (need to organise all that paperwork?)
• Advocacy and rights information, with hints and tips to get the best outcomes
• Creative, cost-effective ideas to help with working together with services and meeting your child’s needs
• Help with understanding how to access assessments
• Applying for grants and benefits including Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independent Payment etc
• Form filling and jargon-busting, making sense of the language professionals use
• Signposting and support to access local activities and groups – a friendly face in a sea of strangers
• Help for groups to set up or to improve to be as inclusive and welcoming as possible to parents results for families.
• I am pleased to announce that having recently achieved my Advanced Diploma in Counselling with the British School of Yoga and membership of the Association of Holistic and Complementary Practitioners, I am able to offer specialist counselling for carers.