Choice Wellbeing Service CIC

30/07/2026

When I created choice, I was already wearing multiple hats.

I was a student, a member of the parent carer forum, a wife, a mum, and a parent carer…

Oh and a blogger.

I began my blog way back when to be able to share with the world not only how I was dealing with becoming a parent carer but also to see if I could find my community.

The SEND World According to Me is a blog created to discuss the nuances of being a mum and a carer all at once. Discussing how I manage the ever changing world of SEND while trying to hold it altogether…

My most recent post is discussing what I wish others knew - if you are curious, have a read…

I feel it’s important to normalise discussing how we cope, or don’t cope, to be able to make changes not just for our families but others in our community 🥰

Tracey ❤️

Things I wish others knew about parenting a disabled child...

Not everything is visible.
People see the wheelchair. The appointments. The adaptations. The equipment.
They don't see the hours spent chasing phone calls, writing emails, reading reports, filling in forms, or lying awake at 3am wondering if you've made the right decision.

I wish people knew that we don't get to "switch off" when our child goes to bed.
Our minds don't.
We're planning the next appointment, worrying about the next surgery, thinking about school, wondering what adulthood will look like, calculating finances, researching equipment, preparing for battles we never asked to fight.

I wish people knew that grief and joy can exist together.
I can be incredibly proud of my daughter while grieving the opportunities she's been denied.
I can celebrate the smallest milestones while feeling angry that they had to be so hard to reach.
Both emotions are valid.

I wish people knew that I don’t cancel our time together ‘because i can’t be bothered’. I cancel because the energy itt takes to get through the days can be a lot. It genuinely is me - not you.

I wish people understood that inclusion isn't just about getting through the door.
It's about belonging.
It's about being able to take part without feeling like an inconvenience, a problem to solve, or an afterthought.

I wish people knew that no matter how much I love my daughter, I cannot fix the world for her.
I wish I could.
I wish I could snap my fingers and have her experience the same as other teens... but she can’t and no amount of ‘tell her she has too’ will change that.

I wish people knew how exhausting it is having to constantly explain your child's needs.
To new practitioners.
To schools.
To family.
To strangers.
You become an expert because you have to.

And perhaps the biggest thing I wish people knew...

We don't want pity.
We want understanding.

We don't expect the world to have all the answers, but we do hope people will choose kindness over judgement, curiosity over assumptions, and listening over telling us what they think they'd do.

Because unless you've lived this life...
You don't just understand it by looking in from the outside.
💜

27/07/2026

Sometimes the holidays aren’t about the big days out ❤️

Social media can make it feel like every day should be packed with expensive trips, theme parks, holidays abroad, or exciting adventures.

But for many families of children with additional needs… that’s simply not our reality.

Sometimes our biggest achievement is getting out of the house.

Sometimes the day revolves around medication, appointments, sensory needs, accessibility, fatigue, or just making it through without anyone becoming overwhelmed.

And sometimes…

Sometimes it’s this.

A quiet moment.

Watching the fish swim by.

Seeing your child smile without prompting.

Watching them become completely absorbed in something that brings them peace.

That one smile can erase hours of stress. It reminds you why you keep going.

This photo of Delilah won’t be remembered because it was an expensive day out. I’ll remember it because, for those few minutes, everything else disappeared. There were no battles, no paperwork, no phone calls, no worries about September… just my girl, completely content.

Those are the moments I hold onto.

So if your holiday doesn’t look like everyone else’s, please don’t feel you’re getting it wrong.

Your child won’t remember how much you spent.

They’ll remember how you made them feel.

Sometimes the smallest moments become the biggest memories. 💙

What has been your favourite “little moment” with your child this summer? We’d love to celebrate those alongside the big adventures.

24/07/2026

People often ask me for advice about setting up a charity, CIO or CIC, especially as Choice has grown over the last few years.

I’m certainly no expert who’s got everything right (far from it 😂), but I have learnt a few lessons the hard way. So if you’re a parent carer thinking about taking the leap, here’s what I’d tell you…

1. Collaborate before you duplicate.

If you’ve discovered you’re brilliant at something, whether that’s peer support, benefits advice, activities or mental health, consider offering that service through an existing organisation first, either voluntarily or as paid work.

Why? Because funders will look at what’s already happening in your area. If you’re applying to fund a parent carer mental health service, for example, you’ll need to clearly demonstrate why your service is different and why another one is needed. It’s much easier to strengthen what’s already working than to compete with it.

2. Don’t go all in straight away.

Your own experience is incredibly valuable… but it might not represent every family’s experience.

Talk to people. Run surveys. Listen. Test your ideas. You’ll be asked for evidence by funders, so start gathering it now.

3. Know where you’re heading.

Think beyond your first project.

What’s your vision in three years? Five years?

Many funders want to know you’re building something sustainable, not just running one great activity.

4. Policies and insurance matter.

It’s probably the least exciting part… but it’s one of the most important.

Have your policies in place. Make sure you have the right insurance. Show people that you know how to safeguard others, protect your organisation and operate professionally.

5. Stay in your bloody lane.

Honestly… perfect what you do.

Don’t spend your time looking over everyone else’s fence, pinching ideas because you think it’ll unlock another funding pot.

Apart from annoying the organisations who’ve spent years building those services, you could end up promising something you can’t actually deliver.

Be known for doing one thing brilliantly before trying to do ten things okay.

6. Collaboration wins every time.

Make friends in SEND.

The biggest achievements I’ve seen haven’t come from organisations competing… they’ve come from organisations working together.

I’m a huge believer in co-production, sharing knowledge and opening doors for other parent carers. If I know someone who can help you, I’ll happily introduce you.

Setting up Choice has been one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.

There have been plenty of days I’ve wanted to throw the towel in.

But every time I question it, I come back to my why.

The families.

The parent carers.

The people who just need someone in their corner.

So if you’re thinking about starting your own CIC, CIO or charity… don’t be afraid to reach out.

Whether you want to bounce around an idea, ask a question or just have an honest conversation about what it’s really like, my inbox is always open.

I’m a firm believer that knowledge should be shared, not guarded. The stronger we make each other, the stronger our community becomes.

Look at me in our first ever office!

Tracey ❤️

24/07/2026

☀️ 𝐀 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 ☀️

One thing that's really important to us is being honest about who we are.

𝑪𝒉𝒐𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔𝒏'𝒕 𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒓𝒔... 𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒓𝒖𝒏 𝒃𝒚 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒕𝒐𝒐.

Just like many of the families we support, our team are also juggling school holidays, childcare, caring responsibilities, appointments, hospital visits, and trying to make special memories with our own children.

Because of this, throughout the summer holidays we operate on skeleton staffing.

Unless your practitioner has discussed something different with you, you won't hear from us as regularly over the summer break. This allows our team the opportunity to spend some well-deserved time with their own families too.

That doesn't mean we've disappeared!

You'll still see us popping up across Sunderland at family events, HAF activities, community sessions, wellbeing events and supporting families wherever we can. If you spot us, please come and say hello! 👋

If you're looking for extra support or ideas over the holidays, don’t forget to check out our Surviving the Summer Guide on our website: https://www.choicewellbeingservice.org/schoolholidays

Thank you for always understanding that behind Choice are real families, living the same realities as many of the people we support.

We hope you all have a wonderful, safe and memory-filled summer. 💙

22/07/2026

If you haven’t before, go check out Rainbows Sensory Space Ltd you will be well looked after by Fiona and they are introducing some fabulous parent carer offers too 🥰

Built with real experience, extensive knowledge, and loads of heart ❤️

Team CWS

19/07/2026

Hands up if every year you have to buy multiple gifts for multiple staff because your child has so many people supporting them at school. 🙋‍♀️

Teaching staff, teaching assistants, LSA’s, therapists, lunchtime staff... the list seems to grow every year! By the time you've bought a little something for everyone, your bank account is quietly crying in the corner. 😂

So this year I decided to do things a little differently.

Thankfully I'm a crafty person, so instead of spending a fortune, I made my own little thank you gift bags. They worked out much cheaper!

Each one has a few little treats inside and a message to let them know just how much they've meant to Delilah this year, as she is a super loving kid.

As parent carers, we know that the people who genuinely see our children, celebrate their achievements, wipe away tears, encourage them through the hard days, and believe in them when they don't believe in themselves... are worth their weight in gold. Although, this happens rarely…

But for those who truly cared about D, I really don’t mind putting the effort in for.

Plus... I got to spend an evening crafting without someone asking me a hundred questions every five minutes, so that's a win too! 😂❤️

Tracey ❤️

17/07/2026

🌊 Build a Calm Corner 🌊

If your child becomes overwhelmed more easily during the holidays, try creating a simple calm space at home.

It doesn't have to be fancy.

It could simply include:

🛋 Cushions or beanbags
🎧 Headphones
📚 Favourite books
🧸 Comfort toys
💡 Soft lighting
🎨 Colouring
🫧 Fidget toys
🎵 Calming music

Having somewhere familiar to regulate emotions can help prevent overwhelm becoming crisis.

Sometimes a quiet corner is all that's needed.

Team CWS

16/07/2026

💃🕺 Family Fun Session with Jeneration Fitness! 🎉

We're so excited to be teaming up with Jeneration Dance & Fitness to bring you a FREE Family Fun Session full of movement, music and smiles! 🌈

Come along and enjoy a fun-filled hour of dance, Zumba and movement activities in a relaxed, welcoming environment where everyone can join in at their own pace.

This session is open to SEND children and young people and their families, and no experience is needed – just bring yourselves and get ready to have fun together! 💙

📅 Tuesday 12th August
🕛 12:00pm – 1:00pm
📍 Choice HQ, Unit 4, Cuthbert House, Tower Road, Washington, NE37 2SH

✨ Free to attend
✨ Inclusive and welcoming
✨ A great way to build confidence, make new friends and create happy family memories

Whether you love to dance, want to try something new, or simply want to enjoy a fun activity together as a family, we'd love to see you there!

👉 Book your free place here: https://wix.app/mobile.apps/NGV7HY8?ref=2_cl

16/07/2026

💜 You deserve breaks too 💜

Parent carers...

Please remember this over the summer.

You are allowed to sit down.

You are allowed to order a takeaway.

You are allowed to say no.

You are allowed to let the washing wait.

You are allowed to choose the easy option.

Looking after yourself isn't taking away from your child.

It's helping you keep going.

This summer, don't aim to be the perfect parent.

Aim to still have some energy left by September.

Team CWS

15/07/2026

We had the pleasure of visiting Sunderland City Council's Assistive Technology Team Smart House, and it was fantastic to see the innovative ways they're using technology to help people live more independently.

It was inspiring to see how they are thinking outside the box, showcasing a wide range of practical solutions including voice-controlled technology such as Alexa, smart showers, environmental controls, sensory equipment, and so much more. These aren't just gadgets—they're tools that can make everyday life safer, more accessible, and more empowering for children, young people, adults, and families.

As parent carers, we know that sometimes the smallest adaptation can make the biggest difference, and it was brilliant to see so many ideas that could help reduce barriers and support independence.

A huge thank you to the team for taking the time to show us around and for sharing their knowledge and passion. It's encouraging to see services embracing innovation and exploring creative ways to support people with different needs.

We're looking forward to continuing conversations about how assistive technology can be more widely understood and accessed by the families we support.