“No one could help him”: One family’s fight for support

The latest episode of RiskSTOP Group’s People at the Heart podcast shines a light on a story that is as personal as it is painfully familiar to many families across the UK.

Host Abbie Davis, Team Leader at RebuildCostASSESSMENT.com and Neurodiversity Ambassador at RiskSTOP Group, welcomes Carly, mum to five-year-old Axel, and Axel’s aunt, Chelsea, to share their family’s experience of navigating the education system for a child with complex needs.

Axel is autistic and non-verbal, a bright and curious little boy who experiences the world in his own way. In this episode, Carly speaks openly about what it has meant to advocate for her son, the uncertainty of waiting for the right support, and the emotional toll this can take on everyday family life. Chelsea adds a wider family perspective, reflecting on what it is like to support a loved one through a system that often feels stretched and unresponsive.

Together, they touch on the challenges of securing appropriate educational provision, the strain prolonged uncertainty places on parents and carers, and why speaking openly about these experiences matters, even when it’s difficult.

The conversation also gently raises broader questions around funding, access to specialist support and what meaningful inclusion looks like in practice, while remaining rooted in one family’s lived experience.

At RiskSTOP Group, People at the Heart exists to give space to real stories and honest conversations. This episode is a powerful reminder of why listening to those experiences matters.

You can watch or listen to the episode now.

An update

Since recording this episode, there has been a significant development for Carly and her family. On 18^th December, while out doing the weekly food shop, Carly received a phone call that stopped her in the middle of the aisle. It was the Headteacher of their first-choice school, calling to let her know that Axel would be able to start with them on 7^th January 2026. We are over the moon for Axel, Carly and family and wish them all the best for the future.  

To hear more stories from our people and community, visit the People at the Heart page on riskstopgroup.co.uk.