Ask our experts Archive

Ask our experts / Page 2

If you are struggling to find answers or information specific to your families needs, please get in touch. We will speak to experts on your behalf to help find the answers. To try and help as many parents and carers as possible, My Family, Our Needs will publish Ask the Expert questions on the website once the reply been sent back to the reader. When you send us a question, please do let us know if you wish to remain anonymous and we will happily remove any personal information.

Preparing for Regional Care Cooperatives: A new approach to children’s social care

20th October 2026

Could changes to children’s social care help more children receive the right support closer to home? Lorna Kenyon-Pain and Precious Mealia, social care specialists at Anthony Collins, explain Regional Care
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Company Companions: 6 Pet Stories From the Office

To complement our National Pet Month series, the team here at MFON are sharing their love for their pets and how these furry and feathery companions have become invaluable members
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Teaching Tails: An Interview with Barbara Vokatis

In the first instalment of our National Pet Month 2024 series, we sat down with Barbara Vokatis to shed light on the invaluable contributions of therapy animals in bridging educational
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Inclusive Sensory Learning: An Interview with Clare Ward

For the final instalment in our Autism Acceptance Week 2024 series, we spoke with Clare Ward about sensory learning, awareness and acceptance in her upcoming book, ‘My Senses Are Like
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The Art of Connection: An Interview with Sonia Nosheen

In our second interview for our Autism Acceptance Week 2024 series, we spoke to Sonia Nosheen about how she’s creating visual art to bridge communication gaps and encourage expression. Driven
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Improving Communication and Emotional Connections: An Interview with Susan Harvey

For our first instalment in our Autism Acceptance Week 2024 series, we sat down with Susan Harvey to talk about her small business, Nurture Gnomes and how she’s intersecting arts,
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Mental Health and Recovery: An Interview with Cara Lisette

In our fourth and final interview for Women’s History Month 2024, we heard from Cara Lisette about her mental health and recovery journey, experience as a campaigner and her Creative
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Being a SENDCO: An Interview with Ginny Bootman

For our third interview for Women’s History Month 2024, we spoke to Ginny Bootman about some of the ideas and approaches to building relationships with parents, staff and children in
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Empowering Children with SEND: An Interview with Georgina Durrant

In our second interview for Women’s History Month 2024, we chat with Georgina Durrant about her experience as a teacher, SEND advocate, author and host of popular podcast, SEND in
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Life with a Chronic Illness: An Interview with Pippa Stacey

For the first instalment in our Women’s History Month 2024 series, we talk to Pippa Stacey about her inspiring journey as a writer and advocate, navigating life with a chronic
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Supported Housing: A Q&A with Kirsty Hickson

In this Q&A, we welcome Kirsty Hickson, a Senior Consultant at Altair Ltd. Kirsty shared her knowledge with us and answered some questions we’ve received from parents on supported housing.
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Facing Rejection from a School: An Interview with Lorna Woolley

In this interview, we introduce Lorna Woolley who is an Independent SEND Consultant. We asked Lorna for her advice about how to approach a school search, supporting evidence for an
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Navigating Deputyship: An interview with Nicole Boon at Langley Wellington

In this interview, we introduce Nicole Boon who is a Solicitor at Langley Wellington. We asked Nicole about the ins and outs of what Deputyship looks like. She told us
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Your EHCP questions answered: An interview with Lydia Dunford at Boyes Turner

In this interview, we introduce Lydia Dunford who is an Associate Solicitor at Boyes Turner. We asked Lydia about problems parents may face with their child’s EHC Plan (EHCP). She
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Housing options – Quickfire Q&A with Tammy Murray, Reside, and Mark Horton, Sequence Care

Sequence Care Group and their supported living partners Reside, recently gave a presentation exploring the housing options for young people with additional needs at our Transition Event Online. A popular
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Education options – Quickfire Q&A with Bev Jessop

Bev Jessop, West Midlands Director, NATSPEC recently gave a live webinar at our Transition Event. She explored the current education options for young people with additional needs, what parents need
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EHCP funding and parents’ rights

We have been receiving lots of questions from parents for our legal experts and here is the latest from a dad about his daughter’s EHCP. He asks whether he is
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Ask the SEND expert: Getting detail from experts in EHCPs

Laxmi Patel returns to My Family, Our Needs with information on getting detail from experts in EHCPs to make sure your child’s educational needs are being met. Q. My child’s
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Specific information in EHCP’s: Ensuring an EHCP covers everything a child needs

As a parent or carer, you want to make sure your child’s EHCP covers everything they need. SEN legal expert, Laxmi Patel looks at specific information in EHCP’s and why
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Ask the SEND expert – Post-18 EHCP

Our SEND expert, Ed Duff is back to answer another reader’s question about Post-18 EHCP and her son’s specific needs to improve his independence skills, which she feels would be
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Advice about SEND education

My Family, Our Needs has been featuring questions sent in from parents needing help with their disabled child’s education. Thanks to the advice of SEND lawyer Ed Duff, Senior Associate Lawyer
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