In this episode we discuss ways in which you can help yourself prepare for all types of admissions. Whether that be planned or emergency. We discuss this topic with it in mind that these admissions are always hard- that is unavoidable. But perhaps there are just small ways we can make them slightly easier for us and our children.

In this very special episode, we had the privilege of speaking to Dasha. Her story is truly unique—and one that so many of us quietly think about.
Like many of us, Dasha unexpectedly found herself caring for a disabled and medically complex child with an incredibly rare condition. A few years later, she made the decision to have another child, only for her son to be born with a completely separate rare genetic disorder.
It's the situation many of us fear, and one that can make the decision to have more children feel impossible. As Dasha says, she won the lottery—twice. Just not the one she thought.
Hearing Dasha talk so honestly about carrying that responsibility—from resentment to a truly remarkable sense of acceptance—is profoundly moving. She doesn't shy away from the darkness of the journey or how challenging it can be, but she also captures something so many of us recognise: the extraordinary love we have for our disabled children. She beautifully holds space for both the joy and the grief, acknowledging the constant work it takes to carry both at the same time.

In this episode, Naz and Imogen admit to being complete hypocrites. We've spent so much time talking about the importance of getting help, yet neither of us is actually in therapy.

We unpack why it's so hard to take that step, exploring the financial, emotional, and practical barriers that stop so many of us from getting the mental health support we need.

For what should be quite a dry topic, we somehow spend most of the episode laughing. Along the way, we break down the different types of therapy, where to find support, how to choose the right therapist, and practical ways to make getting help feel a little more achievable.

We all know as family carers the steep unseen costs of raising a disabled child. This episode is intended to tell you about some of the things you can get for free!

It starts with the obvious and works its way down to some of the lesser known schemes you can apply for. Although a dry topic- we hope it saves you a few pennies!

In this episode we got you to send in answers to the following prompt, 'In the early days of your child’s journey, was there something someone said or did that really stayed with you and made a difference—either for you or your child? 

It could be something someone said, did just or a little story. '

Once again we were blown away by the incredible responses from you. In this episode we read them out one by one and talk about how they make us feel.

The Realities of SEND Childcare

What childcare options are actually available for children with SEND in the early years—and how accessible are they in reality?

When it comes to SEND childcare, having an option on paper doesn't always mean having a choice in practice. In this episode, Naz and Imogen take an honest look at the childcare landscape for families of young children with special educational needs and disabilities. They explore the different types of childcare 'available,' the funding schemes, and the very real challenges families face when trying to access them.

From mainstream nurseries and childminders to specialist provision, we discuss the realities behind the policies, the barriers many parents encounter, and why the families who need the most support often struggle the hardest to get it.

Alongside the challenges, we also highlight some of the lesser-known sources of support, funding, and assistance that may help families navigate the system.

Whether you're a parent, practitioner, or professional working in the SEND sector, this episode offers a candid conversation about what SEND childcare really looks like for families on the ground.

In this episode we read the famous poem 'Welcome to Holland' by Emily Pearl Kingsley. The poem attempts to explain what life as a SEND parent is like. Over the years it has become somewhat of a right of passage for SEND parents to read. In this episode Imogen and Naz talk about their mixed feelings about the poem and how the analogy can feel both helpful and hard.

In this episode, we speak to Gail, founder of Oxfordshire Family Support Network, about her son Guy and receiving his Angelman Syndrome diagnosis.

We explore the values that sit at the heart of OXFSN — being person-centred, truly seeing the child in front of you, and supporting families as whole people rather than just medical cases. We talk honestly about medicalisation: how it can sometimes make our children feel reduced to symptoms and appointments, whilst also recognising the important role medicine and professionals can play.

Together, we discuss learning who our children are outside of comparison, how our expectations shift over time, and the process of getting to know and celebrate them for exactly who they are.

Gail also shares more about the support OXFSN offers parent carers, and we finish with a conversation about how having a disabled child changes you — not only through grief and challenge, but in beautiful and unexpected ways too.

In this episode, we’re joined by Claire, a Speech and Language Therapist (SALT) from the dysphagia team at the John Radcliffe, for an open and reassuring conversation about feeding in the early years.

We talk about how feeding can look very different for our children — from oral feeding to tube feeding and everything in between — and what support from SALT might involve along the way.

Alongside the practical side, we explore the emotional weight that feeding can carry for parent carers. The worry, the pressure, the expectations, and the grief that can sometimes sit alongside something that’s meant to feel so natural.

This is a gentle, honest episode for anyone navigating feeding challenges, looking for understanding, and wanting to feel a little less alone in it.

In this episode, we speak to Ruth Hornby, paediatric dietitian, about blended diets — what they are, why more tube-fed families are exploring them, and why there’s a growing movement to make them better understood and more widely supported, including in hospital settings.

Ruth shares her expertise and passion, as well as the work being done to improve guidance and access. We talk about the strong anecdotal evidence families report around improvements in children and adults who are tube fed, and why many parents feel drawn to try a blended approach.

We also acknowledge how daunting this can feel — especially if your child has never eaten — and how limited the guidance can be when you’re starting out.

Imogen shares her own journey with blended diets for Ewan, including the very real, practical ways she began and how she’s still figuring it out along the way.

If you’re curious but unsure where to start, this episode is a gentle introduction.

🔗 https://oxfordpaediatricdietitians.com/