I'm Leanne. I'm an autistic parent carer with my own lived experience, as well as from supporting neurodivergent children, including autism, ADHD, PDA, OCD, ARFID, situational mutism and Tourette's Syndrome. I now facilitate learning at home for two of my children due to incompatibility with the school system, and offer peer support to other families navigating similar paths. The difficulty my children faced in having their differences understood was the inspiration for my book series. They were created as a tool to help children see themselves represented in positive and affirming ways, and to help educate those around them in ways to support with a view to always changing the environment and never the child.

Before relocating to Grimsby, I worked for a SENDIAS (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information, Advice and Support) Service outside the area. In this role, I supported the delivery of training programmes designed to educate and empower parent carers, as well as help professionals better understand the lived experience of families navigating SEND systems. While I did not offer individual advice or advocacy in this role, this experience gave me valuable insight into the SEN process from both the family and service perspective. I also briefly held a role as a Peer Educator with Autism Central, contributing to the national effort to amplify autistic voices and peer-led knowledge. Although the position wasn't the right long-term fit, it reaffirmed my commitment to supporting families in meaningful, personal ways.

SEND Friends Peer Support is a space built on empathy, honesty and shared understanding -where your voice is heard and your experience matters. I offer support face to face locally in Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire, and online as an alternative to local families and to enable me to support as many people as possible further afield.

Leanne Thompson (she/her)

Peer Support Facilitator