Welcome. My name is Leanne and my Blogs are about my life and the challenges and thrills of raising a child with complex needs, and the impact it has on families. I also am committed to working with other families to enforce change for people such as my son, in order for them to be able to have fulfilling lives.
My son Jack is almost 16. He has a diagnosis of Autism and Profound Learning difficulties. I have another son Harry who is 11. Jack has been to every type of school, from Mainstream to residential and everything in between. A while ago Jack reported to me that he was being physically abused by night staff in his residential setting. He now no longer attends it and is currently out of school altogether. The work I have done to try and get those responsible for this to be held accountable, combined with my families life experience made me realise how small our voice is. It made me realise how easy it is for people to get away with abuse and how we are often made to choose between our sanity and our young persons wellbeing. I phoned countless organisations non of whom could do anything to actually help me. This is what inspired me to begin 'Together is Better'.
Please take a look through our campaign work to find out more or get in touch to tell me your story! If you're a professional, please let me know what your organisation can do to help. Just give the contact page a click.
Happy reading and I hope to hear from you soon!
As I slowly plodded down the long corridor to theatre, I had many thoughts swirling around in my mind.
Will my baby be safe? What will he look like? Will we be ok? Will this hurt?
Not one of my thoughts were...will my child have special needs?
I was having an elective c-section, as Jack was breach. Knowing all I do about him now, this makes perfect sense. He even followed his own agenda in the womb!
As he was placed on my chest, I remember he took my breath away. He was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. His little bottom lip was trembling, and he looked nothing like how I had thought he would. I honestly could never have imagined such a gorgeous little face.
I was just 23 years old the day Jack was born, but didn’t feel I was too young. I felt I was meant to be a mother, and joy had never come from anything else for me.
Now, I have mixed feelings about how young I was. Sometimes I feel I wish I had done more with my life before having him, sometimes I’m grateful I was so young. At least I have a chance of being around for a larger portion of Jack’s life so I can protect him.
He was an idyllic baby. He rarely cried, and never demanded anything from me. I remember a feeling of smugness at how laid back and easy he was, but don’t worry – he made up for it later!
Sometimes it seems like only yesterday, and other times it feels like all the time in the world has past. That this big, hairy teenager cannot possibly be that tiny little baby I used to rock to sleep.
My son Jack is 15 years old and has autism and profound learning difficulties.
We have been on a true rollercoaster over those 15 years. Jack has accomplished in ways I never thought possible, but I could also never have imagined the heart ache we have endured, from challenging behaviour, to schools not being able to manage him and even a serious adverse reaction to medication, as well as numerous safeguarding incidents.
Raising a kid with this level of need is hard! There is no two ways about it. He can bring you absolute joy. When he laughs, it is pure and innocent – just like a toddler, but when he is angry and frustrated he becomes this huge 5 foot 10 bloke, who has no restraint and no idea of the danger he imposes to himself or others.
My blog is to share with you my incredibly unique, special and mesmerising child, but also to share the struggles of being a carer in our society and the very real threat to our safety, as well as societies continued failure to enforce the legislation that surrounds such vulnerable people.
There have been many a difficult time, where I have wondered why all of this has happened to me. But I now believe It is to make a change and a difference to families such as my own....to work together to create what is needed in our society to make lives easier for families of those with complex needs, for them to be listened to and to no longer “leave them to it”.
After All.........Together is better XX