Latest Articles

• • • Eva Juusola

    • Director of Operations
  • • Eva first became involved with the Forum as a parent volunteer back in 2009 – and liked it so much she left her job as a translator to join our small staff team.

      Eva has a particular interest in marketing and communications, and writes most of the articles for our newsletter and this website. She oversees our finances and our IT systems.

      In her spare time, Eva enjoys painting, printmaking and photography.

• • • Katie Monette

    • Director of Strategy
  • • Katie was our Chair for several years and has recently become an employee. She is a single full-time mum of two girls. Her eldest has verbal dyspraxia, autism and ADHD and is in mainstream school. Her youngest has no special educational needs, but does have various health issues. She has had major open heart surgery and suffers from extreme migraines, Raynauds syndrome and hyper mobility.

      Katie attends many strategic meetings as a parent carer representative. She is also trying to strengthen our links with local parent support groups by setting up an Affiliate Membership scheme.

• • • Robyn Webster

    • Neurodisability Training Project Manager
  • • Robyn manages the Neurodisability Training Project, designed to help improve signposting among professionals, through parent carer voices.

      She has recently finished her master’s degree in Psychology where she specialised in Autism and SEN education. Robyn has also previously worked on mobility access and emergency accommodation projects and has many years’ experience working with children, young people and families. Robyn has a daughter who has a diagnosis of autism and is waiting on an ADHD assessment.

      In her spare time, Robyn loves to create tailored special interest education materials, read, play video or board games and attend Aerial sport classes.

• • • Sharon Blagden

    • Peer Support Manager
  • • Sharon leads the Peer Support Service.

      She retired from a career as a primary teacher and Headteacher where she led on parental involvement and inclusion.  Sharon worked for many years in communities where families spoke over 30 first languages.  She is a trained mindfulness teacher and has a strong interest in self compassion and well-being.

      In her free time Sharon loves to read, be out in nature and spend time with her family, especially her two young grandsons.

• • • Celia Pritchard

    • Senior Administrator
  • • Celia started working with us in May 2022. She has many years of experience working within administration and is passionate about working with SPCF.

      In her spare time, Celia loves to explore the Peak District with her two young boys and enjoys crotchet.

• • • Eleanor Cantor

    • Peer Support Worker
  • • Eleanor is mother to a gloriously autistic boy and his loving neurotypical brother. She’s also a writer, a musician, and an English as a Second Language teacher, with ample experience advocating for inclusion and autism rights. Having lived in several countries, she’s particularly aware of the challenges facing immigrant carers and wishes to assist newly relocated families to navigate the system.

      Eleanor is a self-professed news junkie: When not glued to the radio, she enjoys drawing comics and walking in the Peak District.

• • • Rebecca Lewis

    • Peer Support Worker
  • • Rebecca is a Peer Support Worker. She has many years experience supporting families as a family support worker and is passionate about working with parents to achieve the best possible outcomes.
      Rebecca has a son who has a diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy and learning needs. He has an EHCP and attends a resource provision within a mainstream school.
      In her spare time Rebecca loves creating sensory play activities for her son, walks in the countryside and trips to the theatre.

• • • Amanda Flounders

    • Peer Support Worker
  • • Amanda started working for Parent Carer Forum as a peer support worker in November 2022. Amanda is passionate about supporting families and has substantive experience of the benefits process gained from previous job roles. Amanda is a single carer to 3 children with complex needs, including autism, Foetal Alcohol Syndrome and Cornelia de Lange syndrome. Amanda has experience of adoption and the experiences of adopted children in education.
      Amanda likes to spend her spare time cooking and spending time with friends and family.

• • • Hazel Cade

    • Peer Support Worker
  • • Hazel is a proud “momma” of two beautiful children. Her son has a diagnosis of autism and her daughter has been referred for an autism and PDA assessment.

      Hazel has over 16 years’ experience working with children. She holds a Diploma in childcare, but her passion is SEND and helping families. Hazel volunteers at Discover SEND run by the Health Visiting team, and she is a volunteer parent group leader, running parenting groups for families with autistic children.

      Hazel loves to spend time with her family and friends. In her spare time, she enjoys swimming, reading, and making bespoke alternative clothing.

• • • Sarah Hinchliffe

    • Peer Support Worker
  • • Sarah has two amazing boys, her eldest has an ADHD and autism diagnosis and attends an Integrated Resource, and her youngest is in infant school. Sarah is a strong advocate for inclusion, particularly in education, and is a SEND Parent Governor at a primary school. Before she was a parent carer, Sarah worked for 15 years in Marketing and Internal Communications in the finance and regeneration sectors.

      Sarah loves to travel and is happiest by the sea. Peer support has made a huge difference for Sarah and her family, and is the reason why she helps other parents and children on their SEND journey.

• • • Shameela Sadiq

    • Peer Support Worker
  • • Shameela has three young children, one of whom has dyslexia and dyspraxia. She is originally from Birmingham, but now Sheffield has become home for her. She has actively been part of the local community through voluntarily running a toddler group, being part of her children’s school PTA and attending coffee mornings. She herself has gone from pillar to post to gain help for her child and is passionate about helping others who are in a similar position to her.

      Away from work, Shameela has a desserts business which she takes great pride in. She also loves art and enjoys spending time with her family.

• • • Sharon Court

    • Project Worker, Autism in Schools
  • • Sharon works on the Autism in Schools project. Her background is mainly administrative and mentoring autistic young people. Sharon has two children, the youngest has a diagnosis of autism, ADHD, an array of other medical issues and currently attends a mainstream school with SEND support.

      In her spare time Sharon is doing a part-time MA in Autism, so her hobbies are currently finding/reading research papers and stock piling highlighter pens. But she also loves walking in the Peaks and the Lake District with the family and the dog.