The Special Needs Sibling Podcast (2023 – current) “A space where we talk about what life is REALLY like as a sibling to someone with a mental and/or physical disability.” Listen on your favourite platform “The series as a whole is presented by someone who is an adult sib herself – Charlene, who is in … Continued
‘My sister, Katy’, the three most common words which come out of my mouth everyday. Like any little sister, I absolutely idolised my big sister growing up. I always knew that she was different but I didn’t fully grasp that being ‘different’ wasn’t really accepted by society. I always saw my sister as the most … Continued
For as long as I can remember, I have been close to my sisters. I’m the youngest of three – it feels like having two best friends who will always look out for me. I was drawn to Sibs because one of my sisters, Joanna, has autism and a learning disability. When Joanna and I … Continued
A sibling relationship is one of the most unique familial relationships out there. It usually outlives any other kind of familial relationship, meaning the impact it can have in shaping an individual’s life can be huge. When you add disability to this, the relationship becomes even more formative, for both parties. I grew up with … Continued
Read the stories of eight adult siblings as they reflect on their experiences of secondary school. We asked them what helped them as a child, what didn’t, and what support they would want for young siblings today. The responses are powerful. “I told my teacher that my sister has cerebral palsy and he immediately recognised … Continued
Conversations with Carers is a series of podcasts, articles and innovative dance films, which examines the realities of paid and unpaid care. The work is created by Rashmi Becker, MBE, Founder of Step Change Studios, and supported using public funding by Arts Council England. Episode 3: The informal Carer Photo credit: Conversations with Carers, produced … Continued
I was 6 years old and my sister, Sophie, was nearly 5 years old, when Kathryn was born. Kathryn was a really easy baby, but when it came to her two year check – things weren’t quite right. Physically she was fine, but she wasn’t meeting milestones mentally and didn’t have any language. That has … Continued
I am the youngest of four children to two loving and amazing parents. Two of my siblings have severe learning disabilities and epilepsy. My sister, Mira, who is 45, and my twin brother, Prasad, who is 38. Their disabilities were caused by medical failures at birth. It has been an emotional roller coaster being part … Continued
I’m 61, and my brother, Frazer, has a learning disability and epilepsy. He is 6 years younger than me, so I have always looked out for him. At the moment, his medication seems to be controlling things well, but we review his treatment regularly with his doctors. I feel like I have been on an … Continued