Listen to this honest and moving BBC Radio 2 programme featuring adult sibling Hannah, who grew up as a young carer for her sister Sally, who is autistic and has ADHD and OCD. Listen on BBC Sounds (free account required). Hannah’s interview begins at 48 minutes 40 seconds and lasts around 22 minutes. Hannah reflects on … Continued
I listened to the TED Talk – Alicia Maples, Recognising Glass Children. As a ‘glass child’ I found this difficult to listen to but very interesting. So much of what Alicia said made sense to me and it made me very reflective of my own childhood. My childhood was wonderful in so many ways, but … Continued
The thing about being a sibling to someone with a lifelong disability is that it is very difficult to know how you feel about it. The depth of emotions are never linear and only as an adult have I realised the significance of what this has meant, how it has shaped me, and how it … Continued
Being the sibling of someone with a disability is a story that’s hard to tell, not because it’s difficult to remember or describe, but because, for me, it’s just life. My sister is three years younger than me, and from the very beginning, her journey has been completely her own. She was born with a … Continued
Hellooo everyone! Thank you for taking the time to read this. My name is Emily, and I currently live in Brighton, around 125 miles from Suffolk, where my mum, dad, and sister, Kate, still live. I usually see my parents about once every three months and my sister about twice a year. Honestly, one of … Continued
Hear more about the experiences of siblings in the video below, which was created in 2021 to celebrate Sibs 20th anniversary
From the ages of 1-6 years old, me & my twin brother were very close. Our sibling relationship began to decline rapidly when he started experiencing autistic meltdowns and this impacted our relationship heavily. At the time, I was still young and unable to understand what autism was, with adults around me too weary to … Continued
Olly and I were born twenty years ago. We were identical in every way until he was diagnosed with autism, learning difficulties, and ADHD. This has led to us having different life plans from the start: I am destined to care for Olly all my life, while Olly is destined to be cared for. Olly … Continued
Ewen is my big brother and he has consumed my life from the moment I entered this complex world. I never recall questioning why Ewen didn’t talk, nor why we couldn’t attend the family meet-up or neighbour’s birthday party. My pride for my brother has always been in great abundance, not leaving any space for … Continued
My brother Lionel, died in January 2020 of acute myeloid leukaemia. Lionel was 70 when he died; for 68 out of his 70 years he had been supported tirelessly by my mother, who died in 2017 aged 94. My sister Liz and I only had to take full responsibility for Lionel’s wellbeing for the brief … Continued