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MNHQ

Do you think it's a good idea to have a non-public, password-protected area for special needs parents to vent?

13 replies

JustineMumsnet · 17/10/2006 08:26

Following on for the discussion on this thread we'd like to know your thoughts.
For a little while now some of our special needs parents have said they don't feel Mumsnet is working for them in certain situations when they need to vent/rant/talk honestly about their situations and we've been thinking about whether there's anything structurally we can do to help. We feel very strongly that the special needs boards are a core part of Mumsnet and indeed for most of the last six years have been an exemplar of what we're all about - a place where parents can gain support and tap the experience of others to make their lives' easier. That said, we do understand that special needs parents are under extraordinary pressure and therefore more than most could do with a bit of privacy to vent when needed.
One idea that has been raised is a private, password-protected area for special needs parents on Mumsnet. This area would not be automatically visible to all but those who wanted to join could do so - though obviously you wouldn't have to join to discuss special needs - the existing public boards would remain. Clearly this is a break from the norm for Mumsnet and in some ways it feels an anathema because as we all know Mumsnet is an open forum and free access to all who need it is one of our underlying principles. But it's clear the current format is not working for many and if it's not helpful then we need to change things. We've thought about it a lot and feel it could be worth a try.
So what do you think? Special needs crowd, would this work for you do you think? Would you use it? NT parents how do you feel about it? Is it worth a go?
Let us know...
Thanks,
Mumsnet Towers

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MNHQ

JustineMumsnet · 17/10/2006 08:48

To be clear - this would not be instead of the special needs boards but in addition to - ie newcomers would still have somewhere to join when they arrived and I'd imagine a lot of the discussion would carry on exactly as before. Right now, though, a lot of our SN parents have told us they don't feel comfortable posting things that might be controversial or very personal and as a result are using msn to do so. We think this might be the time to try something a bit different that in effect is what they are already doing - but allowing them a safe haven on Mumsnet to do it... or it might not be...

MNHQ

JustineMumsnet · 17/10/2006 08:56

Moderators are problematic for a couple of reasons in our opinion.
First, legally, if you moderate you become more liable for what appears on the site in the eyes of the court - which is something, obviously, we need to be keenly aware of right now.
Second, we think it would be nigh on impossible to draw the line about what's acceptable and what's not - what the SN parents are saying (please correct me if I'm wrong folks) is that they'd like a place where they don't have to argue about semantics, justify, explain stuff to the wider world all the time - somewhere to let off steam about their particular issues without causing offense. Once you start moderating because of offense caused however, it becomes almost impossible to draw the line and you get into very difficult decisions about who's hurt feelings are valid and who's are not. (Speaking from bitter experience here ).

MNHQ

JustineMumsnet · 17/10/2006 09:03

ElleMac - we wouldn't ask people to prove they had a sn child and obviously there would be no way of knowing - but it would be pretty clear pretty quick I'd imagine if anyone joined for stirring/malicious purposes and they could be asked to leave.

MNHQ

JustineMumsnet · 17/10/2006 09:15

Not sure locking away is the way to view it - public sn boards would still be there - just a private area for use when needed.

MNHQ

JustineMumsnet · 17/10/2006 09:18

a private area, open to all?

MNHQ

JustineMumsnet · 17/10/2006 09:27

Well there would be nothing to stop anyone actually joining the group, as said we can't prove who's who so you wouldn't have to have a special needs child to join. In practice though we doubt folk would actually join a group designed for special needs parents if they weren't special needs parents - doesn't tend to happen in real life - but nothing to stop you if you wanted to.

MNHQ

JustineMumsnet · 17/10/2006 09:32

I think Georgina's suggestion makes a lot of sense Castyspells, but our impression is that the SN parents may feel it wasn't enough of a step?

MNHQ

JustineMumsnet · 17/10/2006 12:09

Yes pretty sure we can do the active conversation thing fairly speedily - will set that in motion.

MNHQ

JustineMumsnet · 17/10/2006 12:24

Honestly don't think it's sad HuwEdwards, more realistic. Mumsnet has changed simply by virtue of the fact it's hundreds of times bigger than it was... which in general is a good thing as more people have access to advice etc but many more posters does bring complications. From our perspective we need to find a way to continue to be as useful and relevant as we can be to all parents. If the special needs boards are not really working properly for the people they are designed to help then it's worth thinking about what modifications we can make, whilst being sensitive to the Mumsnet ethos. Don't think that's sad, necessarily... just a challenge.

MNHQ

JustineMumsnet · 17/10/2006 12:27

Tech promising the active conversations modification tonight. Thanks for that suggestion.

MNHQ

JustineMumsnet · 17/10/2006 21:08

Hi Fio - was deleted because it was a personal attack. Not sure that you could think it otherwise really...

MNHQ

JustineMumsnet · 17/10/2006 21:47

Blimey! Might be time to quote the old philosophy, no? Mumsnet's express purpose is to make parents' lives easier, not the reverse. We'd be really grateful if you could bear that in mind before posting.
Thanks,
MN Towers

MNHQ

JustineMumsnet · 18/10/2006 10:21

Morning all,
Thanks for everyone's input on this. It's not easy and feelings understandably run high but we appreciate everyone's constructive efforts. Here's what seems to make sense:

We have removed the special needs topic from active conversations and we will shortly be adding a "with special needs" option to the active conversations links across the top of Talk.

We are planning a few new features/areas on Mumsnet (nothing radical honest, more technical input to make some of the things people do via the talk boards - eg meet ups, classifieds - function a bit better). At that time (probably in the new year) we will take a look at the possibility of password protected areas. This does not mean we'll definitely be having them, but we'll take a look at how it might work.
We promise to keep you posted all the way.

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