Why we will be extra excited about the Strictly final and sorry to see it end

It's been years since I followed Strictly Come Dancing properly. I watched a few series but there's so much on TV nowadays and we honestly usually only make time to watch sports live.  That was until about a month ago, and since then we've seen something special happen in our autistic and neurotypical family.

Facing an Education, Health & Care Plan (EHCP) deadline

I’ve been thinking about significance of deadlines. This morning the BBC breakfast show featured a story about the approaching EHCP transfer deadline. This was set by Government for all local authorities to transfer an old document called a 'Statement of Special Educational Needs' to the new Education, Health and Care Plan - a document set out as part of the Children’s Act 2014 to improve things for kids, like mine, who need additional support with their education.

What will a new series of The A Word mean to us?

Will the rather iconic imagine of a little lad wandering down a lane in the Lake District to the sound of awesome beats be entering our world again tonight?  The second series of The A Word starts this evening and I'm eager to see what's changed in the world of autistic Joe and his family.  Plenty has changed in our lives in the last 18 months since the first series aired so I'm guessing it'll be the same for them.

Parents with autistic kids need the right support

Becoming a parent can be easy for some, more difficult for others. Being a parent can be the same. Some take to it like a fish to water and for others it can be a daily struggle.  What must be really difficult is when your child’s autistic behaviour is misunderstood and as a result you are considered a bad parent.