18/08/2026
I've been working quietly on something for quite a while now, and today I'm finally putting part of it out into the world.
Over the last couple of years, I've spent a lot of time talking to parents about what happens when you know your child needs something different, but you can't quite get the understanding or support they need.
Sometimes there's a diagnosis. Sometimes families are waiting years for one. And sometimes there isn't a diagnosis at all, just a parent who knows their child incredibly well and knows that the usual approaches aren't quite working.
I've now had numerous long, in-person conversations with parents and families, and I've heard about the assessments, reports, appointments and waiting lists, but also the things that are much harder to measure. The worry, the school mornings, the battles at home, having to explain your child from scratch again and again, and constantly trying to work out what might actually help.
Those conversations have been a huge part of shaping something I've been building called **Know My Child** (working name!).
The idea is to create something that helps build a clearer, strengths-first picture of how a child learns, thinks and experiences the world, bringing together what parents know, what teachers see and, importantly, the child's own voice.
It's not about diagnosing children. It's about understanding them earlier and turning that understanding into practical support.
But the conversations I've had so far can only tell me so much.
I'm now at the point where I need to hear from many more parents to understand how widespread these experiences really are, where families are being let down, what it's costing them in time, money and wellbeing, and what they would actually find useful.
I also have an upcoming meeting with the Ministry of Education, and I'd love to be able to walk into that room carrying more than my own experience and a handful of individual stories. I'd like to be able to show them what a much broader group of families is actually experiencing.
So I've put together an anonymous parent and caregiver survey. It takes around 12 minutes.
You don't need to have a child with a diagnosis. You don't need to be waiting for an assessment. You don't even need to know why something isn't quite working. I'm hoping to hear from parents who have wondered whether their child might learn, think, process or experience the world differently, whether that's led them to explore neurodiversity or learning differences, or they're simply still wondering.
I'd particularly love to hear from the parents who have thought at some point:
“I know my child. I just wish other people could see what I see.”
If that's you, I would be incredibly grateful if you'd take the time to fill it in.
And if it isn't you, but someone immediately came to mind while you were reading this, I'd really appreciate you sharing it with them.
https://surveymars.com/q/71kbVKogu
It feels a little vulnerable to finally put this out there after working on it behind the scenes for so long. But I think I've reached the point where the best thing I can do is stop trying to perfect everything before anyone sees it and start listening on a much bigger scale.
Thank you ❤️
I have posted a survey titled 'Understanding Your Child: A survey for parents and caregivers' on SurveyMars. Please help me by filling it out. Thank you very much!
