L Of A Community CIC

01/06/2026

I've written something a bit different.

Next week I turn 50. And I've been thinking about the girl I was before all of this. Before the advocacy, before the CIC, before the BBC interviews and the meetings and the fighting.

The girl who was socially mute. Not shy. Not quiet. Mute.

The irony of that being the same person who now can't stay quiet when families are being failed is not lost on me.

I wrote about it. About masking, about resilience being a survival skill nobody asked for, about what it actually means to be a neurodivergent parent in systems that weren't built for you.

29/05/2026

Five months in.

No funding. No paid staff. 30 to 40 hours of volunteer support every single week.

We've helped families challenge refused referrals.

We've sat with parents in meetings where they needed someone in their corner.

We've worked on EHCPs that were vague and unenforceable.

We've connected families to each other.

We're not done. We're just getting started.

28/05/2026

Community, connection….. purpose!

With good coffee and cake!

Seriously!
Pay it forward is slowly changing lives!
Thank you!

The power of pay it forward really does matter.

About six months ago, a young man was introduced to us and at that point, he was extremely vulnerable and homeless.

Bit by bit, through the pay it forward scheme, we supported that young man with food, lots of coffee and connection!

He’s now in supported accommodation and today I personally took him somewhere with one of my partner charities, and next week he starts a voluntary role.

To say he is buzzing is an understatement.

Right now I feel like the proudest “mam” on the planet.

Not long ago, life looked totally different.
No stability.
No direction.
No sense of purpose.

Now he’s got a roof over his head, routine, people around him, a role, a reason to get up, a purpose in life and a community around him.

And this happened because people believed in the power of paying it forward.

People massively underestimate what feeling seen, welcomed and believed in can do for someone.

Because as a community, you guys have literally helped change somebody’s life through very small donations and I honestly can’t thank you enough.

This is what community is supposed to look like.

27/05/2026

We've got a website now. Get me!

While the Bank Holiday sun was shining.. I was working over an overworked laptop!

www.lofacommunity.org

Not everything's on there just yet!
What we do, who we are, how to support us.
If you want to share us with a school, a business, or another parent, now you've got a link.

26/05/2026

Support and see the parent first.. and the child benefits.

25/05/2026

Massive congratulations to Jodi and Worley’s World CIC on receiving funding from The National Lottery Community Fund 💛🌈

We’ve had the privilege of providing space at L of a Bake for some of Jodi’s wellbeing sessions and honestly, watching families come together, connect and just breathe for a minute has been really special.

What started as one mum wanting to make things better for children and families is now growing into something that’s helping people across our community, and that deserves celebrating.

I’m genuinely excited for the future of
Worley’s World,
L of a Community and Unite Club.

Parent and family-led support is powerful because it comes from real lived experience, real understanding and people who genuinely care.

Community supporting community. Exactly how it should be 💛🌈

https://facebook.com/groups/wwrainbowrebels/

25/05/2026

A family I’ve been supporting has just found out their complaint was upheld.
CYPS had refused a referral.
I helped them navigate the complaints procedure, they submitted it, and it worked.

The referral has now been accepted.

But even better than that, the wording in CYPS refusal letters is now being changed because of that complaint.

One family.
One complaint.

And it’s already going to affect every parent who gets one of those letters after them.
That is why knowing how to challenge things matters.
That is why wording matters.
That is why parents need support before they’re completely burnt out and ready to give up.
If you’ve had a referral refused and you don’t know what to do next, come and find us.

You’re not being difficult.

You’re asking for the right support, in the right way.

17/05/2026

When an understanding of statutory services comes from working in it…
and an understanding of the SEND system comes from living in it…
collides with a passion to make the SEND world better…
this is what happens.
I’m a helper.
In a world where more helpers are needed, I’m a helper.
I help families find the words when they don’t know where to start.
I help make things feel a bit less heavy.
And I’ll keep doing that for as long as families need someone standing beside them.

Thank you to whoever voted for me in the National Diversity Awards and left this comment.

06/05/2026

Northumberland County Council are asking families to help shape what future SEND support could look like across the county through something called the “Experts at Hand” model.

In simple terms?
The idea is that schools and settings should be able to access the RIGHT specialist support at the RIGHT time instead of families having to fight for years whilst children spiral into crisis.

This could include support and input from:
• Educational Psychologists
• Specialist Teachers
• Speech and Language Therapists
• Occupational Therapists
• Health professionals and SEND specialists

But here’s the thing…

Systems are often designed ABOUT families without actually listening TO families properly first.

And those of us living this life every single day know exactly where things work, where they fall apart, and what support is actually needed before children hit burnout.

If you’ve ever:
• felt unheard
• fought to get support
• watched your child struggle whilst waiting for help
• or thought “why does it take crisis before anyone listens?”

…then this survey matters.

This is the early planning stage, which means parent carer voices genuinely have the chance to influence what this becomes in Northumberland.

Please take a few minutes to complete it and be honest. The good, the bad, and the reality of it all.