Tina Cockram, SEND Family Support

16/03/2026

I’m really pleased to share this post about my journey and how Tina Cockram, SEND Family Support came about.

A genuine thank you to Gaddum and the Employcare programme for the support and guidance while I was figuring out what the next step looked like for me. The encouragement and practical help from the programme made a real difference in helping me turn my experience into a service that supports other SEND families.

If you’d like to read a bit more about how it all started, you can find the article here:
www.carersmanchester.org.uk/employcare-tina/

Thanks again to everyone involved.

Tina is a full-time parent/carer, with decades of experience in the legal and third sectors. She joined our Employcare programme in November 2025, and with a bit of support from an employment coach, set up her own SEND Family Support service!

Read Tina's story at www.carersmanchester.org.uk/employcare-tina/ and check out her page Tina Cockram, SEND Family Support!

09/03/2026

Please take note and sign the petitions….we need to act this affects all children, we can’t leave it to others to fight this for us, we all need to act and fast!

Ping-pong on the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill starts today in the House of Commons.

If you care about children’s wellbeing and education:

• Email or call your MP today - some templates you can use https://rightsforchildren.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Template-letter-for-MP-Reclaim-Rights-for-Children-New-Amendment.docx
https://together.eaction.org.uk/kids
or write your own based on the amendments you want your MP to reject, or supporthttps://publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/59-01/0383/240383.pdf
• Sign and share petitions
Stop dangerous Children's Bill: no to digital identifier and data sharing https://c.org/XTZPhm4jfG
Withdraw the children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill immediately
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/747448
Pause Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill for Consultation with children
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/756811
Explicitly exclude s*x offenders from accessing children's data under CWS bill
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/756708
Commission an independent inquiry into social care and social work
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/757005

• Organise community discussions
• Speak out online

Parliament is deciding now. Public pressure matters.

09/03/2026

Rachel is amazing, take a look at her page.

Hi, I’m Rachael, I’m a qualified primary school teacher and private tutor with 15 years of experience supporting children to thrive both academically and emotionally.

I have significant experience working with children with SEND, including autism, PDA and EBSA (Emotionally Based School Avoidance). I also support children experiencing anxiety and low self-confidence, using a calm, nurturing and personalised approach to help each child feel safe, understood and capable.

I work closely with families who home educate and world school, offering daytime support tailored to each child’s individual needs and lifestyle.

Follow me or send me a message for more information. 🌟

08/03/2026

Good morning everyone ☀️

I just wanted to say thank you for all the continued support. I’m incredibly grateful! This coming week is quite busy and I have not been able to accommodate everyone. my availability is limited this week more so as I have some heavy tasks on that I have had to block out more time than usual, but I’ve opened up a few additional evening appointments and have now also opened my diary for the following week.

If you’re struggling to find a time that works for you and need to speak to me urgently, I will always try my best to accomodate you.

Please feel free to send me a message and I’ll do my best to fit you in.

08/03/2026

Eating is not something many people think twice about, but for families living with ARFID (Avoidant Restrive Food Intake Disorder), eating can be one of the biggest daily challenges.

ARFID is not the same as fussy eating. It is a complex eating disorder that can involve sensory sensitivities, fear of choking, past traumatic experiences with food, and an extremely limited range of foods that feel safe.

For parents and carers, this creates a constant worry, how do you nourish your child when their safe foods are so limited? Mealtimes can become stressful, exhausting and emotionally draining for the whole family.

One of the hardest parts can be the misunderstanding from others. Well meaning but often ill informed comments like “they’ll eat when they’re hungry” or “just don’t give them anything else” can be incredibly difficult to hear. ARFID is not about being stubborn or picky, it is a genuine eating disorder.

When our journey began, ARFID was not widely recognised by health professionals. I was even told by professionals to “stay off the internet.”
Today, ARFID is recognised in the DSM-5, which was an important step forward in understanding and building awareness and is now recognised widely by professionals.

Our diagnosis took 10 years. Did the diagnosis change everything? Not really, but what it did bring was recognition and the strength to keep fighting to ensure our child was properly understood and supported.

I have since attended many courses on ARFID and have also been a Peer Educator for Autism Central on this topic supporting families. It is a subject incredibly close to my heart because ARFID affects so many aspects of daily life for families.

Eating is not something that can ever be taken for granted when ARFID is part of your world.

If you are a parent or carer navigating ARFID, please know you are not alone. 💙

If you would like more guidance and support and knowledge on the subject and how to gain better support, please book a Wellbeing Session and we can have a talk through the options.

Please also take a look at the Arfid awareness charity UK for more informaton

https://www.arfidawarenessuk.org/what-is-arfid

07/03/2026

Jenn Hodge - Doing Education Differently has posted another important video with Caroline Ellis on the protest to Stop the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill. This bill is going to be very damaging to our home education community. Perhaps we arrange a protest for Manchester? Even if you are not a home educator this bill could still impact on your autonomy as a parent in the future. If you are interest in this then please let me know and I will contact Caroline Ellis about arranging our own.

06/03/2026

It’s been a very busy week for me and I haven’t had much time to post. All my Discovery Calls were taken again this week and there are only a few slots left for next week.

This week I was invited to give a talk about being a carer with Carers Manchester, about the demands of being a parent, and the many struggles parents and carers face when trying to build a career while often feeling disadvantaged. It’s a topic very close to my heart, and one that so many people can relate to.

What really stood out was the number of amazing, like minded people I met. I made some lovely new connections and had the chance to share experiences with others who truly understand the challenges carers and parents face every day.

It was also really nice to support others at the event and hear that my talk resonated with them. Knowing that people valued what I had to say means a lot and reminds me why these conversations are so important.

Please take a look at their page.

04/03/2026

SEND Reform Must Not Cost Children Their Lives

The government’s SEND White Paper published by Department for Education, sets out an ambition for a more consistent, inclusive, and sustainable system.

The vision speaks of early intervention, national standards, and reducing adversarial battles between families and local authorities.

But many parents, professionals, and campaigners are deeply concerned.

Because right now, too many children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities are already in crisis.

Children who are autistic, who have ADHD, learning disabilities, trauma histories, or complex needs are disproportionately affected by:
• Persistent absence
• Exclusion (formal and informal)
• Long delays in Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) assessments
• Provision written into EHCPs that is not delivered
• Placement breakdowns
• Severe anxiety and school-based trauma

For some, the impact escalates beyond distress. It becomes hopelessness.

There is growing fear among families that if reform focuses primarily on cost control, standardisation, and reducing EHCP numbers without fully funding specialist provision and enforcing accountability vulnerable children will fall further through the gaps.

When children feel unsafe in school, unheard by professionals, and blamed for unmet needs, the psychological toll is profound.

We cannot ignore the link between unmet SEND needs, chronic stress, exclusion, and deteriorating mental health. Su***de is rarely caused by one factor alone, but systemic failure compounds vulnerability.

If support is delayed…
If specialist placements are reduced…
If local authorities are not held accountable for delivering provision…
If early intervention remains underfunded…

Then the risk is clear: crisis will increase.