At Successful Mums, our trainers bring their own knowledge, experience and personality to every course they deliver. In our Meet the Team series, we’re introducing some of the people behind our courses and sharing a little more about what brought them to Successful Mums.

Meet Lucie, one of our Working in SEND trainers, whose personal journey as a mum has shaped both her career and her passion for helping others understand autism and SEND.

Hi, my name is Lucie and I am one of the trainers at Successful Mums, specialising in Working in SEND.

I am a mum of three amazing daughters, each of whom I love and adore with my whole heart! The middle of my three daughters, now aged 19, has additional needs, with her primary diagnosis being ASD, alongside ADHD and learning difficulties.

I have found the journey as a mum to a child with additional needs a huge rollercoaster of emotions, with enormous highs and lows and one definitely not for the faint-hearted!

While we have navigated our way through this sometimes lonely journey with no instruction manual, we have celebrated the wins, no matter how small and learned and grown from the setbacks. While parents of neurotypical children celebrate the developmental milestones, we celebrate the ‘inch stones’ – the small steps of progress that mean so much!

As my daughter left primary school, her needs became more apparent and it was clear that she needed my support. I left my corporate career to be around and provide as much care and support for her as I possibly could.

I am a firm believer that whatever is meant to be, will be. I have always had the attitude that we did not choose this life – this life chose us!

Since leaving the corporate world, I have dedicated my time to learning as much as I can about autism so that I can support my daughter and share my knowledge and personal experience to help others learn and understand as much as they can about autism and SEND. I hope to make a contribution, no matter how small, to a more inclusive society.

I feel it is SO important and, honestly, I wish it was compulsory for the entire world to be taught about neurodiversity and additional needs, in the same way that it is compulsory to learn Maths and English in schools.

Neurodiversity is everywhere and there is sadly just not enough understanding out there.

After completing the TQUK Qualification in Understanding Autism with Successful Mums, I considered more flexible roles working with children with additional needs. I honestly believe that anybody who works with individuals with SEND is a living, breathing angel, but I quickly realised that this would not be for me.

The challenge of home life and then continuing this into a working environment would, for me personally, simply be too challenging.

I am passionate about helping people learn more about autism and SEND and as a result, completed qualifications in Advanced Education and Training and Assessing. I am now delighted to be a trainer with Successful Mums.

I bring passion, knowledge, personal experience, professionalism and since I am also human, emotion to the sessions. I take pride every day in helping others to support those with autism and wider additional needs by gaining employment in this field.

Together, we can create a more inclusive society.

Interested in working in SEND?

If Lucie’s story has inspired you to learn more about autism and SEND, our Working in SEND course could help you take your next step. You’ll develop your knowledge and understanding, gain an accredited qualification and explore opportunities to use those skills in SEND and education roles.

Find out more about the course and how to apply HERE.