If you don’t have a child with learning disabilities, please read on to understand more. This is our reality. If like me you do have an offspring with learning disabilities you’ll experience life very differently to the rest of society. Dear Parent, How are you doing today? If we haven’t met before I’m Jen’s mum, occasionally known as Sue. Today … Read More
Solving the SEND Crisis – our opinions and evidence
The UK Government Education Committee inquiry “will focus on how to achieve both short term stability and long-term sustainability for the SEND system to improve experiences and outcomes for children and young people.” January 2025. We have submitted written evidence as parents of a 43 year old daughter with Down’s syndrome and feel that opening up the conversations, encouraging and … Read More
Eternal Opportunism
I have a problem. I have eternal opportunism written into my DNA. My glass is (almost) always half full, because if half empty I’d have walked off the end of that metaphorical short plank a long long time ago; or as Malcolm says, it keeps the men in white coats at bay. So how about you? Do you have clear … Read More
Thank you for being part of extraordinary lives
We have so much to give thanks for. So many people over the years have said “yes”, or “I don’t know but have you tried…” and supported our ambition that Jen born with Down’s syndrome, and others like her to be treated like any other human being – having the right support and opportunities to pursue their dreams and follow … Read More
The week that was spreading joy and happiness
The week that was! The precursor to the eventful week anticipated! Life with and for Jen is full on in so many wonderful ways no one could ever have foreseen. As a dancer Jen has made her mark. As a daughter, sister, aunt, niece, cousin, friend she is loved. As a leader, a flagbearer, a multi-award winner, a role model, … Read More
Leaders from unexpected places
Awards raise profile and awareness. This is our first exposure on a global stage making the largest minority in society more visible creating increased awareness for those in the room, opening eyes to the marginalized. Intellectual disability affects people from all walks of life across the world but all too often they are hidden from view rather than celebrated as … Read More
Do you see me
For Learning Disability Awareness Week 2024 this question, “Do you see me?” posed by Mencap is so deep and so profound, whilst simultaneously distressing, disappointing, and painful that it even merits consideration. It is a sad travesty of the 21st century, an inditement of the way society has stood idly by as people who happen to be learning disabled or … Read More
Changing lives one person at a time
When the idea for gathering dancers with and without learning disabilities together to learn skills, create choreography and support each other to develop it was because nothing existed to support our daughter Jen to do what she wanted to do – Dance. Jen, with a her support team at that time, came up with idea in her bedroom, then put … Read More
Express Day 24 review
Dodging the cloud bursts we arrived at Blackburn Empire Theatre excited to watch Express 24, the annual show of the multi-faceted talented dance charity, DanceSyndrome. The Sunken Forest was an opportunity to put aside the cares of the world, allow yourself to be enveloped by finely wrought, enthralling, enchanting spell binding ballet. The dance was absorbing as dancers shared their … Read More
Working together
It’s fascinating what the two words, “working together” conjure up isn’t it? Does it really mean two or more people joining together in an equitable relationship to create something? Or does it mean that someone is wanting to do something for you that really only benefits them or their organisation, but because it may be seen as “helpful” it can … Read More
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