The Expanding Worlds Podcast

The term 'letting go' means different things to different people. Sometimes as parents we have to let go of our own expectations of what our children's lives will look like. This was the case for this week's guest Fiona who found that once she let of her own expectations it opened up a new world of possibilities. Originally from the UK but now living in the US Fiona shares her story about why she...

One day soon people with additional needs will be valued as contributors to society and not just as passive recipients of social care, this is the vision that Matt and Steve from Skillnet Group share in this episode.   Skillnet Group support people with additional needs into employment. They do this through creating projects to develop work related skills and through providing supported internship...

The best way to boost the self-esteem of our children is to let them have their say, give them a voice and help them to feel a sense of control, according to Soli Lazarus this week's podcast guest. Soli has a son with ADHD and so knows some of the struggles parents have first hand, as well as being a teacher for over 30 years. Her consultancy Yellow Sun delivers support and advice to parents of ch...

"We all want friends, a misconception about people on the spectrum is that they don't want friends" Jamie Wheeler tells us in this week's podcast.  Jamie runs Austen's Autistic Adventures, based in Richardson, Texas, a social group where people over the age of 18 can meet friends and engage in fun activities to develop their social skills. Jamie explains that when her daughter graduated from High...

It is possible to create a viable business while employing people with additional needs and this week's podcast guest proves that. Nick O'Shea is the founder of Ignition Brewery in London, a successful business employing people with additional needs. At Ignition Brewery it's all about the beer because as Nick has found his customers don't mind who's making the beer as long as it tastes good! Nick'...

Being able to see properly can really transform a child's life according to Antonia Chitty. As a qualified optometrist and author Antonia is passionate about getting all children's sight checked. She explains that many parents feel daunted at the prospect of taking their child with additional needs for an eye test. However, as she explains children don't need to be able to read or communicate verb...

Being listened to and being understood are important to us all, but this can be difficult when you struggle to find a common language. Language is the way we communicate and if you can't communicate with others the impact can be devastating. This week I talk with Veronica, Mum to Emma, who has a speech and language impairment. Veronica explains what this means for Emma and her family.  Veronica gu...

Feeling like you belong to a community and being accepted for who you are is important to all of us. This week we talk to James Cuming, Community Leader, at L'Arche Kent who explains how L'Arche provides both of these for people all over the world, some who have additional needs. James explains the history of L'Arche and how its beginnings drive the mission of creating communities which bring diff...

Being a step parent brings with it some unique challenges. In this episode Rob stepdad to two boys, one, Thomas, who has autism and ADHD, talks about his experiences as a stepdad. The first challenge for many is what to be called. Sometimes Mum or Dad isn't an option. Rob happened upon a fairly unique solution to this issue and you will hear from him why he is now known by family and friends as "K...

When faced with a storm the key is to stay calm and get prepared for whatever it might bring. Sometimes dealing with the system and fighting for your child with additional needs is like sailing into a storm. This week Caroline, in part 2 of her interview, talks about her experiences of staying calm and getting prepared. Caroline starts off by reminding us that parenting is already hard without hav...

Most of us go through our day unaware of how our brain is continuously filtering everything our senses are picking up. This filtering means we are only left with the information we really need and we don't get sensory overload.  This week we talk to Caroline who explains to us what happens when those filters are not working as they should.   Caroline shares the journey of her son James as they nav...

Independence can be reached in many ways. Shared Lives in the UK offers one approach to help people with additional needs develop independence focused skills based on a holistic approach. This week we talk to Karen from Shared Lives who explains how this innovative program works. Shared Lives matches hosts with people requiring support to develop certain skills. It offers a more individualized and...

There's a solution out there for every challenge, including finding clothing designed to make getting dressed easier. This week we talk to Katie Ellis, from The Able Label, a UK based clothing manufacturer. The company was originally started to help Katie's grandmother, who had Parkinson's, find clothes that were both fashionable and functional. The company has now grown to providing clothing that...

Not giving up, hanging in there – is the theme of this week's podcast interview with Carmelina. She shares her journey with her son Dominic with us. Sometimes picking your battles is the key, as small things become your focus when you need to be looking at the bigger picture. We need to decide what will make the real differences, and fight those battles. Carmelina offers insights on relationships....

REDinc offers a model worth replicating when it comes to helping young people achieve their work related dreams according to Mitch Halligan Work and Training Coordinator at REDinc. REDinc. is based in NSW, Australia, and was originally started by 5 families who found there was nowhere for their children to progress to after secondary school. It now provides a variety of support services, including...

You need to be brave and a bit terrified at the same time when it comes to building independence skills, according to Robyn in the second part of her son's story. The key is to not underestimate our children and what they can do, but you will always struggle with your own fears when letting them be more independent. Robyn offers some practical insights into how they have taught Riley travel skills...

You need to focus forward 100%, and not waste your energy looking backwards, according to Robyn. Robyn lives in Sydney with her son Riley, his younger brother and her husband. She talks about the early years, finding out Riley has autism and how their family dealt with this news. As she says Riley is a child with autism rather than an autistic child, because before anything else Riley is a child....

Finding an interest as child, such as in sport, can lead to a lifelong passion that lasts right through adolescence and adulthood, and provides a strong connection to a community and a focus for life. This is the opinion of Maire who shares her story in this week's podcast.  Maire talks about how a lack of confidence can lead to a young person to want to give up things they have always enjoyed. Co...

Everyone's journey is very different but sometimes listening to someone else's journey can help us on our own way. This week we talk to Carol, mother to Leo, about her and her family's journey with him. His leaving home is still a way off for them, but there are many small steps to take along the way with which we can all identify. Leo has had many challenges in his 10 years, but despite this his...

The earlier you know what you're dealing with the easier it is to seek out the right support and put in place the right plan. This is the opinion of Scarlett, mother to Edith. She believes her daughter Edith will achieve a great deal because her daughter has an in born desire to be independent.  Edith's spirit is inspirational. Scarlet and her husband swapped countries and swapped schools to give...

K nowing when to take the stabilisers off, and not just on a bicycle, is key to moving towards achieving any goal. This is the view of Jackie, mother to Joe who has additional needs, including a speech and language disorder.  Jackie explains what works for Joe is repetition and chunking (breaking tasks into chunks) so that they are never too daunting and that achieving the task is realistic. Of co...

Holidays are a time to relax, rewind and recharge, but more often than not they end up being less about fun and more about stress. Vicki, an experienced travel consultant, shares tips for making travel less stressful. She understands our perspective because she is also a mother to a daughter with additional needs. Vicki says preparation is key. Have everything you may ever need to hand, and have a...

Laura Ashfield is an outreach worker for the Surrey Wildlife Trust.  She believes the forest is a great place to learn about ourselves as well as the rhythms of nature.  More than this, she passionately believes the forest is a place that can help us discover our place in the world. Discovering a place in the world, we know as parents to children with additional needs, is very important.  Sometime...

Andy, a father to a son with ASD and ADHD, takes a strategic view of independence, rather like a business plan.  Because he does this, he and his wife have a clear vision of what they hope their son will be able to do age 21. If their plan needs a little longer to be achieved, Andy is ok with this.  He says, 'Being a kid is just a 15 year period of their lives, but they are going to be adults for...

Success stories inspire us all. Proof that perseverance pays off is shown by Jacob and Sarah as Sarah explains the second part of Jacob's story: leaving school.  Jacob has ambitions to work in the music industry, and is currently holding down a testing job as a barman to save money towards a year long course at Abbey Road Studios, London. Sarah briefly recaps where Jacob is at the moment before sh...