This Is My Child - the new MNHQ campaign. Everyone come look please!

[RowanMumsnet]

Hello,

As lots of you will already know, we've spent the last few months working on a new campaign called 'This Is My Child' - and it's launching on Monday. (We're letting you know about it now because there's a rather nice piece about in in the Guardian this weekend.)

You can read about the background to the campaign here, but in essence it's about myth-busting and awareness-raising - so we'd really love you all to share it as widely as possible. We've consulted with Mumsnetters and the material is supported by input from some of the leading charities in the field: Mencap, Contact A Family and Every Disabled Child Matters.

Over the years on Mumsnet, parents of children with SN have described how their lives are made more difficult by the occasional (or not-so-occasional) judginess of members of the public. They've described how this can contribute to their isolation, placing limits on their social opportunities because they can't face the stress and disapproval that comes with public interactions.

That's why we came up with This Is My Child. Its aim is to support parents of children with additional needs, inform everyone else, and open up a conversation about how we can all act together to make day-to-day life a bit easier for these families.

The input of parents caring for children with special needs has always provided a fascinating perspective for other MNers, encouraging empathy and giving real insight into what life can be like. We're hoping that our myth-busters, tips for non-experts and strategies for parents and carers, along with our background facts and figures, will help to bring the wisdom and perspective of Mumsnet SN posters to a wider audience.

So if you like what you read and think someone you know would find it interesting or useful, please share it as widely as you can (you'll find our impressively large sharing buttons on each page ).

And for the Tweeps among you, we'll be holding a Twitter party on the #ThisIsMyChild hashtag on Tuesday between 1pm and 2pm; please join in if you can.

As ever, we'd love to know your thoughts and hear your feedback, so please use this thread to post up anything that occurs to you.

Thanks
MNHQ

[RubyrooUK]

Great campaign and article. Thank you for highlighting it.

[LouDou]

My heart took a leap when I saw about the campaign. The last eight years have been a combination of highs, but also lows: heartache, disappointment and loneliness. I am so, so grateful for this and for bringing to wider attention the issues that so many of us face, day in, day out. Wildflower's comment on the Guardian site could have been written by me. Am having a couple of tears now.

[MairzyDoats]

Awesome campaign, well done Mumsnet HQ!

[JacqueslePeacock]

This is great. Well done everyone who contributed.

[lougle]

Ooh thanks, MNHQ. You've used one of my favourite photos of DD1 I've shared on FB.

[Kiriwawa]

Thanks MN - I'm really grateful for this campaign.

I might buy a job lot of papers tomorrow when we're at the airport and DS is doing something that is clearly 'weird' and hand the article out to the tutters and starers

[Perspective21]

Just logged in, back from holidays today...fab, fab work MNHQ and so proud of my son in the gallery. The photos really make the point about individuals so clearly, lovely pictures.
Think I may have missed a call from the Guardian, but no matter, it's a great article...thanks Mumsnetters...such a great force to be reckoned with!
Am busily sharing to spread the word..

Thanks so much

[NorksAreMessy]

Wonderful campaign and beautiful photographs.
I adore the dragon and the jewellery designer :)

Please don't let this fizzle out after a few months

[PlentyOfPubeGardens]

This is great

[timidviper]

Well done Mumsnet .
I maintain that the biggest gift MN gives all of us is the broadening of our horizons; we get support, advice and laughs from people who are very different to us in real life and, with whom, we would not normally interact.
Many of us have had very little contact with children with special needs and we learn a lot here, I hope this campaign will spread this learning to others in society

[SallyBear]

I emailed the BBC last night, about the article, and its their lead UK news story this morning.

BBC

[MissBetseyTrotwood]

DS2 went to a summer holiday playscheme this week, at the end of which the children did a show the parents watched. By the attitudes towards his lovely performance from some of the parents there, I'd say this campaign is timely.

It's a great campaign.

[TheaCMcM]

I think the most important thing for people to realise is that we are just a family like any other, we may need extra help with things, but really Greta is just a nine year old little girl, just like their little boys and girls, with hopes and worries, and delights, just the same

[SallyBear]

Absolutely agree with you Thea.

[amberlight]

Huge thanks, Mumsnet.

[2littledinos]

Really pleased to see this campaign.
As a family we've had the open mouthed long stares at my son who had oxygen via nasal cannula for 2 yrs, and a nasogastric tube for feeding. We've had the parents dragging their children away from him, shushing them from asking me questions.
Now he's a bit older, in a SN push chair for support, we still get them, and it still hurts :(

[SilveryMoon]

Shared the link on fb. Great campaign.

[NeoMaxiZoomDweebie]

Just been to look at the gallery...such beautiful DC there. I love this campaign. I have only bee slightly touched by a child with sn in my life but it was enough to open up my mind as to the struggles that many parents have regarding other people's ignorance. This campaign is so positive and yet it will educate people massively. Its great. xx

[NeoMaxiZoomDweebie]

MissBetsy those people will always be rude and unhappy...you and your child won't be...I'm sorry they never appreciated his performance...they're the losers. x

[r3dh3d]

Is it too late for photos?

[LillethTheCat]

Thanks for this campaign. My sister had downs (unfortunately she passed away in 2002) and my DS is autistic. Definitely sharing this one

[minkembernard]

Thankyou for this.
As someone who has very little knowledge of SN this has been really helpful and an eye opener. It is always good to learn more about something of which I am embarrassingly ignorant

I do not stand and stare. And I don't judge at the checkouts- my own dcs are quite likely to be the ones making a scene so I never tut at other parents. But I will make more effort to offer help if it looks like it is needed.