Michelle speaks candidly about how her son’s eating difficulties began in early childhood and gradually became severely restrictive. She opens up about the emotional toll, and the reality of fighting for recognition and support.

But this conversation is also full of hope. Michelle shares what changed when she removed pressure around food, and began to understand the sensory and anxiety-driven roots of ARFID.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What ARFID is and early signs
• How autism and sensory sensitivities can impact eating
• Why pressure around food can make things worse
• The postcode lottery of ARFID diagnosis and NHS support
• The decision to implement a feeding tube and the impact it’s had
• Finding community and peer support

Transcript available here

Resources and links

Contact’s information and advice for families with disabled children.

ARFID Awareness UK provides resources and a Helpfinder tool for local support.

Living with ARFID, support for parents & carers UK is a support group on Facebook with over 25,000 members.

BEAT Eating Disorders offers ARFID-specific support, including:

Helpfinder tool to locate services in your area.

Endeavour group support.

Anchor 1-to-1 sessions, access depends on location.

About the host

Contact is a national charity that offers families with disabled children expert advice and a place to support each other — helping them to thrive, access essential services, and campaign for a more inclusive society.

About Michelle

Michelle is an ARFID awareness advocate and mum of two autistic children. She shares lived experience to support families navigating restrictive eating and neurodivergence.

She also co-hosts the podcast 3 Mums 1 Mission ARFID and delivers workshops for families in Essex.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we speak to Mary Mulvey Oates, Contact’s Manager for Early Years Participation and Insights, who co-led an 18-month research project to explore what can be done to improve access to healthcare for these communities.

We also speak to Donna Phipps, Chair of LivPaC (Liverpool Parents and Carers Forum) and a parent carer herself, who shares lived-experience tips for navigating appointments, preparing for hospital visits, and advocating for your child’s needs.

We discuss:

•Why some families face greater barriers to healthcare access

•How co-produced research is helping shape better NHS services

•Practical advice for parent carers accessing healthcare for their child

•How healthcare professionals can make small, meaningful changes that improve equity and trust

If you’re a parent carer, healthcare professional, or anyone passionate about inclusive healthcare, this episode offers practical insights, powerful stories, and real solutions to help every family get the care they deserve.

Listen now to hear how compassion and collaboration can transform the healthcare experience for disabled and neurodivergent children and their families.

Read the full transcript here.

Resources and links

Contact’s information and advice for families with disabled children

Contact’s By Your Side project 

Find your local Parent Carer Forum 

Read more about the research project 

About the host

Contact is a national charity that offers families with disabled children expert advice and a place to support each other – helping them thrive, access essential services, and campaign for a more inclusive society.

The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Maybe they feel like they’re the only person in the world who looks, moves or thinks like they do.

Cathy Reay, disabled writer, journalist, and single mum to two disabled children, wants your child to know that they are not alone. They belong in the world exactly as they are.

This is the message of Cathy’s new book, ‘How to be disabled and proud (or at least kinda sorta okay with it)’. Described as a “powerful call to action for both disabled and non-disabled children”, the book aims to encourage readers to advocate for a more accessible world and to inspire them to embrace their disabled identity. Written for children aged nine and up, it’s also an essential guide to growing up disabled. From navigating school life, finding disabled community and building confidence, to facing challenges like bullying and discrimination and learning how to value and celebrate yourself, just as you are.

In this episode, we're delighted to welcome Cathy to talk about her new book - and listen out at the end for some moments that made you proud of your disabled child.

Transcript: https://contact.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Podcast-episode-2-transcript.pdf

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In this rebooted series of our podcast, we’ll be featuring more interviews and guest contributions, and on the whole exploring the issues we know families care about in a little more depth.

Our first episode is all about helping your disabled child make the move to secondary school. We speak to Caroline Klage, brain injury solicitor and parent to three neurodiverse children, who shares her strategies and top tips for preparing for the move.

We also hear from Bridie from our helpline team, who explains what national offer day is in England and Wales and what options you have when you've been offered a school place.

View a transcript of the episode.

Host: Harriet Squirrel

Producers: Michele Cefai, RJ Dale, Tom Bobbin

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Our parent adviser Derek explains why claiming Disability Living Allowance can be a gateway onto more financial help.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Contact's Head of Commerce Lisa talks to our Wales Information and Networking Coordinator, Mandy, about products to help your child.

You can also watch this conversation on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/j72GXr8KLwY

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But what topics can you talk about and how long for? How did the service come about, and what do parents think of it? And most importantly, how can you book an appointment?

In this episode, we speak to Noreen, an adviser on the Listening Ear line, who tells us all of this and more.

You can find out more about Listening Ear on our website at www.contact.org.uk/listeningear

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That's why we're campaigning to Close the Loophole in school transport law for over 16s. In this podcast, we talk to Contact's Head of Campaigns Una Summerson about what the loophole means, how we're trying to change it, and how you can get involved.

Find our more at contact.org.uk/close-the-loophole

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.