The SEND Mum Club

Francesca Morgan joins me on this episode to talk about her 3 year old daughter Shania who has Down syndrome. We discuss her traumatic birth experience, followed by receiving Shania’s diagnosis in the wrong way, and feeling let down by multiple people involved in their care over the first couple of weeks.After unsuccessfully looking for SEN baby groups Francesca decided to set up her own and we talk about what that’s gone on to become and how important it is to have that peer support from people who get itTags: additional needs, SEN parent, SEN support group

It’s another expert episode this week and I’m joined by Claire from The SEN Expert to answer your questions on all things SEN. We talk about how to get an EHCP if your child isn’t in school or nursery yet, appealing a DLA decision, EBSA (emotional based school avoidance), the challenges of trying to work and care for a child with complex needs and much more. Claire talks about the legal test in the SEND code of practice in the episode:Key Aspects of the Legal Test Definition: A child has SEN if they have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than others of the same age, or a disability preventing them from using standard educational facilities. Assessment Criteria: The local authority must consider evidence of academic attainment, the nature/extent of SEN, actions already taken by the school, and the child's health/developmental needs. "May Need" Threshold: The test is whether special provision may be necessary, not whether it is definitively required immediately. Evidence Basis: It is not necessary to have a formal diagnosis for an EHC assessment to be agreed.  You can find The SEN Expert here:Instagram: @senexpertTikTok: @thesenexpertwww.thesenexpert.co.uk

My guest this week is Paul Triggs, talking about his 8 year old daughter Violet who has autism. We talk about their journey to diagnosis, Violet’s sensory needs, and the positive affect her autism has on her siblings. Paul also talks about the footwear and fashion brand he’s set up – Through Different Eyes – through which he hopes to offer paid employment to people with additional needs. You can find Through Different Eyes in store in Transalpino in Liverpool or online here:https://www.throughdifferenteyes.co.uk/www.instagram.com/through_different_eyes_/ Tags: sensory processing disorder, EHCP, SEN, parenting podcast

Sam Prince is my guest this week talking about her daughter Immy who’s 15 and has autism. We chat about Immy’s difficult road to diagnosis and the life changing effect it had on her. Sam also discusses Immy’s ARFID, how it presents, the way in which it’s changed over the years and how it affects the whole family. We also talk about the autistic Barbie and why she’s dividing opinion. You can find Sam on Instagram, TikTok & Facebook @lifewithmothergoose Tags: ASD, SEN parenting, SEND, additional needs, EHCP

Happy new year! Steph Logan is my first guest of 2026 talking about her 6 year old daughter Lola who has autism. We talk about Lola’s sensory needs and how that means much more thought has to go into planning days out, the sleep struggle, and myself & Steph share positive interactions we’ve had with people while out with our children.Steph works in SEN supporting young adults and she has some brilliant insight into what post 16 support looks like. You can find Steph on Instagram @incredible_sen_adventures Tags: additional needs, parenting podcast, SEND parent

It’s Christmas so I thought I’d gift you a montage of advice my guests have shared over the past few months. I hope you have a lovely Christmas and New Year (whatever that looks like for you) and I’ll be back in January with some more brilliant guests for you.  Tags: parenting podcast, additional needs, SEN, SEND, autism, ADHD, Down syndrome

In this week’s episode I’m joined by Lucy Dossor to talk about her son Daniel who’s 20 and has Down syndrome. We discuss how she coped with Dan having to have heart surgery as a baby and the aftermath of that, Daniel’s dynamic with his siblings growing up and what his friendships have looked like. We also talk about the transition from child to young adult and the challenges that brings, including the lack of information for navigating post school life, and Lucy’s plans for where Dan will live.

Kate Anderson is my guest this week, talking about her daughter Florence who has Aicardi Syndrome. Kate talks about exactly what that means and what a typical day looks like caring for a medically complex child. We talk about the toll of frequent, long hospital stays due to repeated chest infections and the importance of accepting help from people. Kate is also really honest about her desire to have another child to experience the typical version of motherhood. Kate is keen to raise awareness of North East based charities that have helped her family. You can find them all here and what Kate has used them for: https://northeastsightmattersltd.co.uk/ for day trips https://www.stoswaldsuk.org/ for respite https://thecharlieandcarterfoundation.co.uk/ for financial support https://www.thesunshinefund.org/ for specialist equipment https://www.rainbowtrust.org.uk/about/where-we-support/north-east-team for respite https://www.sickchildrenstrust.org/ for accommodation while Florence was is in hospital https://macs.org.uk/ for emotional support and meet ups https://www.sense.org.uk/ for monthly visits and trips https://www.elifarfoundation.org.uk/ for a specialised car seat https://www.thedaisygarland.org.uk/ for sats monitor and epilepsy support https://www.rnib.org.uk/ for support for Kate & George from a family worker

In this episode I’m joined by SJ Philips to talk about her children Oliver and Emelia who both have autism that presents in very different ways. SJ talks about her extremely traumatic birth with Ollie, taking her local authority to court to get him a school place and exactly what that looked like, all while being extremely unwell herself. We discuss the impact that had on her relationship and how she co-parents effectively with her ex partner. SJ also talks about what she’s putting in place for Ollie and other SEND families for the future.  You can find SJ on Instagram @spoonsandspectrums Tags: Global development delay, ADHD, EHCP

In this episode I’m joined by Kelly Hughes to chat about her daughter, 8 year old Gracie who has Down syndrome, autism, ADHD and PDA. We talk about the battle to find the right school for Gracie and the importance of having the right professionals involved in her care. We also discuss school refusal and Kelly opens up about a traumatic conversation she had with a doctor soon after Gracie’s birth.  Kelly has set up the Merseyside SEND Support Network to help other parents with all of the challenges involved in raising a chid with additional needs and you can find out more about it here: https://www.merseyside-send-support-network.co.uk/ You can find them on Instagram here: @merseysidesendsupportnetwork

I’m chatting to a SEND Dad this week, my friend and radio colleague Adam Weighell. Adam talks about the life changing impact of his son Toby being born at 26 weeks. We discuss life in the NICU, the moment he and his wife Gemma finally got to take Toby home after 142 days in hospital, and the fact they were aware Toby’s chance of being neurodiverse would be slightly higher due to how early he was born and some medical complications that followed. Adam talks about the differences in parenting a neurodiverse child alongside a neurotypical one and the need for connection with other parents who are in a similar situation.  Adam has written a book about Toby’s start to life called Dear Toby – which he describes as a love letter to his son – designed to help other parents navigate the NICU and life with a premature baby. You can order the book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dear-Toby-Diary-Preemie-Parent/dp/1036916359   Tags: world prematurity day, autism, ADHD, sensory processing disorder

This is the first of a slightly different type of episode (which will be occasionally dropped in amongst the usual ones) where I speak to experts in different fields that you may find helpful. This episode is all about therapy. I’m joined by Naomi Bateren who is a psychotherapist to talk though the different types of therapy and how to access them – both through the NHS and privately - how to pick which type of therapy will work best for you, and how to get the most out of your sessions. There is also a listener Q&A made up of questions sent in through Instagram, and Naomi gives her advice for anyone struggling with any aspect of SEND parenting. Naomi asked to clarify some of the differences between different professions here in the show notes… Clinical psychologists are trained to doctoral level and use more therapy models. They tend to work with more complexity (multiple goals, drawing more links, slower pace).  Counselling is a space to be heard and validated and is less directive. CBT therapy is a specific training and is used for a faster paced single direction/focus. Psychotherapy is similar to clinical psychology. There can be different levels of training, many to masters level. The websites Naomi mentions to find a therapist are here: https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/counselling https://www.bacp.co.uk/  You can find Naomi on Instagram @naomibaterentherapy

This week Carys Anderson is my guest, talking about her nearly 6 year old daughter Seleh who has an extremely rare genetic condition called Tessadori Bicknell Van Haaften syndrome. We discuss the difficulty of finding holidays that can cater for both physical disabilities and complex sensory needs, the difficulties of waiting so long for a diagnosis and how isolating that was, the benefits of therapy as a parent and Carys has some brilliant advice about allowing time for yourself time as well as for your child.  The charities Carys found helpful are: SWAN https://geneticalliance.org.uk/support-and-information/swan-uk-syndromes-without-a-name/ Rare Disease UK https://geneticalliance.org.uk/campaigns-and-research/rare-disease-uk/  Tags: SEN parenting, SEND, additional needs

In this episode I’m joined by Zynab Al Bahrani to chat about her 2 boys Yaseen and Saleem who both have autism. We talk about how it feels getting a diagnosis with your second child, the many things that can trigger you as a parent, how to cope with regression, and the importance of understanding sensory processing.  You can find Zynab on Instagram @chapter.thirty.five and @happychattersdeveloplanguage and online at www.chapterthirtyfive.com

Charlie Pettit joins me for this episode to talk about her daughter Easter who has Down syndrome and well as a brain condition. We discuss comparison with typical children, letting go of control and how hard that can be, and the importance of being able to connect with people in similar situations. We also talk about the abortion laws concerning Down syndrome (and other conditions) meaning you can legally terminate your pregnancy right up until the end and why it’s so important for that to change.  You can find Charlie on Instagram @a_little_extra_with_easter

This week I’m joined by certified parent coach Kirsty Bailey to discuss her journey of parenting her son Tommy who has autism. Kirsty specialises in neurodiversity and we take a deep dive into communication, in particular Gestalt language processing. Kirsty also gives her take on the controversial comments made by Donald Trump regarding autism and paracetamol.  You can find Kirsty on TikTok & Instagram @mammaandtommy Tags: speech and language, sensory integration, global development delay

Laura Wallace joins me for this episode to chat about her son Ted who has cerebral palsy. We discuss the various ways that affects Ted and the day to day changes she has to make to accommodate his needs. We talk about the worry of him starting school and how he’ll cope, the guilt she felt when receiving Ted’s diagnosis and her struggles to get health professionals to listen to her in the beginning. The charities Laura talks about in this episode are: https://leosneonatal.org/ https://contact.org.uk/ Tags: SEN parenting, parenting podcast

We’re back after our summer break and in this episode sisters Nikki & Louise talk about their experiences as mums of children with ADHD & Autism as well as their professional roles as rebound therapists. We discuss how working in SEND can help when parenting a child with additional needs but also how that parenting journey helps them in their job supporting other families.  We also speak about the difficulty in getting a diagnosis for an older child who is approaching adulthood and exactly what rebound therapy is and the multiple benefits it can have for children with a wide range of additional needs.  You can find Nikki & Louise on socials @rebounderstherapycentre and @louisereboundtherapy and Nikki’s contact email is reboundwithnikki@yahoo.com  Tags: SEN parenting, parenting podcast, EHCP, DLA, SEN school

It’s the summer holidays so the podcast (and me) will be going on a break. I’m going to have more fabulous guests for you from the beginning of September but in the meantime I’m going to leave you with a montage of the advice from all of my amazing guests so far! Tags: parenting podcast, additional needs, SEN parenting, SEND

This week I’m chatting to Becky Blount about her son Bobby's health journey, including his diagnosis of pectus excavatum and ADHD. Becky shares her experiences with Bobby's surgery, recovery, and the significant changes in his quality of life post-operation. We talk about funding cuts for the pectus excavatum surgery and how Becky has campaigned to change the decision to not offer the operation to help other families in the future  You can find the charity Becky talks about in this episode here: www.pectusmatters.co.uk  Tags: pectus excavatum, NHS cuts, surgery, ADHD, SEN SEND