About us
SEND Family Voice Redcar & Cleveland
We are a group of parents whose children each have an array of special educational needs. We feel incredibly passionate about ensuring the services in our area meet the needs of all our children and young people. We want to make sure that each one of our families feel fully included, supported and empowered throughout their journeys in caring for someone with additional needs.
SEND Family Voice supports young people with special educational needs and their families
Michelle Caddy
Chair – SEND Family Voice Redcar & Cleveland
“There are two ways of exerting one’s strength: one is pushing down, the other is pulling up.” – Booker T.Washington
My name is Michelle Caddy and I am the Chair of the parent carer forum in Redcar & Cleveland, recently renamed as ‘SEND Family Voice, Redcar & Cleveland’.
My own experience of living this challenging, but rewarding life, started with a diagnosis of autism for my eldest son in 2014. At the time I was a full time English teacher in a busy and demanding secondary school, but fast forward to 2016, a new baby in 2015, and it was clear that my path was changing direction and I became a full-time carer. That was a really hard time and I have worked hard on the practice of radical acceptance. It isn’t always easy but ultimately I have changed my whole outlook on who my children were born to be, and I wouldn’t change them for the world.
My youngest is also autistic so as the mother of two autistic children, I have a fair amount of experience on things that work, things that don’t, and I am still learning. My children are my greatest teachers on autism, and on life really!
I am optimistic that SEND Family Voice, Redcar & Cleveland can re-invigorate and represent the collective voice of the SEND community, so together we can drive change and improvements for our wonderful children and young people.
“We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” – E.M.Forster
SEND Family Voice’s aim is to improve families’ quality of life.
Supporting young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and their families
We feel incredibly passionate about ensuring the services in our area meet the needs of all our children and young people.
