Let's Take Care - Support for Carers of Disabled Children and Young Adults

Melissa and Jane have been caring for their daughters for over 20 years, helping them to lead hugely successful lives. But they've made some mistakes along the way, and learnt a lot. Or, learnt the hard way.

They've been tired, burnt out, broke, ignored, isolated - yet still expected to keep going.

Let's Take Care is their way of helping other carers of disabled children feel less alone - and more equipped to cope with the realities of care that no one talks about.

In each episode they'll talk about the emotional and mental weight of lifelong care - what it's like to fight the system constantly and how to survive practically, emotionally, physically.

They'll be sharing what they wish they knew 20 years ago ... and hoping to make you laugh as well.

Host

Jane Holmes

I am mum to Kitty who is 23 and has cerebral palsy at the severe end of the spectrum. She is non-verbal, a full-time wheelchair-user, tube-fed and reliant on others for all aspects of her care. She is bright, engaging and happy. Building for the Future was set up in 2007 by a group of us mums of disabled children with the aim of raising enough money to open a community centre for our children and others like them. Happily this dream was realised in 2014 when Our House was opened by the then Earl and Countess of Wessex, in Wokingham. Today, well over 500 local families access our numerous services for disabled children and others visit our centre from far and wide. We are now working hard to open a new, bigger and better centre to not only continue to serve our growing number of visitors but also from which to run our expanding service for young, disabled adults who have left full-time education.

Jane Holmes

CEO of Building for the Future