Rachel Osbourne

Rachel has been involved in local SEND advocacy within the East London Borough of Newham for several years. Her son was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy in 2013, and it became evident to her that SEND health, social care, and educational provisions were insufficient.

Unfortunately, Rachel struggled for many years to get community SEND support services to engage properly and provide the correct support for her son. These challenges sparked her particular interest in ‘Inclusion’ and ‘Ableism’, and she began to use her lived experience to participate in local SEND quality improvement projects, sharing her experience of childrens SEND health and social care services to effect change.

Through her involvement with the Specialist Childrens and Young People’s Services (SCYPS) People Participation Team, Rachel contributed to the initial Encompass study consultation in 2019, asserting that if such a programme was avaliable after her child had been diagnosed, she would have been better equipped to navigate her earlier journey as a parent-carer. Rachel strongly believes that providing parents and carers with holistic support, knowledge, and practical skills will not only empower them to navigate services, but also ensure they can meet their children’s needs, and reduce associated depression and anxiety.

Today, Rachel works for SCYPS as a People Participation Worker, working closely with service users and their families to ensure their voices are heard in the planning and delivery of the service.