Whether you are trying to get that long awaited assessment for diagnosis, you are seeking mental health support for your CYP or you are fighting for that elusive EHCP, you may feel that you are being blocked at every turn. How many times have you thought ‘It should not be this hard!’? You are absolutely right and it’s the awful reality many of us are facing. To get our child their basic right to suitable health care and education really shouldn’t be this hard. Sometimes it can feel hopeless. I have been there myself, believing that there was no way out of the situation we are in. We are fighting in every direction to get support: school, the LA, our GP, social care … We are still on that path and have a long way to go, but I have realised that it is a marathon and not a sprint so am trying to take the pressure of myself and celebrate each small step. So, my advice today is to conserve your energy, celebrate each small step forward, and think of one step at a time. If you think about everything that needs to be done, it feels overwhelming. If you think about just the very next step (e.g. speaking to GP for anxiety, writing to SENCO to request reasonable adjustments, parent views for EHCP ….), it may just seem manageable. Be kind to yourself along the way. We didn’t go into parenting thinking we would have to fight this hard. The dreams we had for our families and our children can seem so far away from our reality. We can feel like we are failing when the truth is we are being failed. Step back, pat yourself on the back for what you HAVE DONE and stop focussing on what is still to do. When I started creating our quick guides, it was exactly for this reason that it all felt so overwhelming. My simple brain wanted to break it into bitesize steps. Have a look through our quick guides that are summarised in our flip book https://www.facebook.com/share/p/pNYa6fUNnw8uZJ6b/ Think of this now as a marathon. You need to pace yourself. Pick which battles you want to fight (there will be plenty along the way), Keep your eye on the end goal, but use your energy for the very next step you need to take, and, if it all feels overwhelming, come into group and ask for support. WE’VE GOT YOU