Every Pair Tells a Story

In this week's episode of The Autism Mums Podcast reflect on attending the peaceful protest Every Pair Tells a Story, led by The SEND Sanctuary.Key TakeawaysThe Every Pair Tells a Story protest shone a light on thousands of children across the UK who have been left without the education or support they deserve.Each pair of shoes represented a child and the pain, resilience, and determination of the families standing behind them.Parents and carers united peacefully to demand accountability, compassion, and systemic change.The stories of children like Archie, Harper, Izzy, Lucas, and Jackson highlighted the devastating human cost of a broken system.Long waiting lists, inconsistent support, and poor understanding within schools continue to fail neurodivergent children.Mentioned in This EpisodeThe SEND SanctuaryASDivas & DudesFix SEND DorsetASCapeThe SEND Nurture NetworkConnect with The Autism MumsWebsite – https://theautismmums.com/Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/theautismmumsFollow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/theautismmumsTranscriptVictoria Bennion:Welcome back to the Autism Mums podcast. Thank you for joining us for today'sepisode, which is both a bit emotional and I think quite historic.Natalie Tealdi: Yeah,I mean, last Monday across England and Scotland, parents and carers cametogether for a peaceful protest called Every Pair Tells a Story.Victoria Bennion:Pairs of shoes were laid outside council buildings, and each pair represented achild who's been failed by the education and support systems. Whether that'sbeen waiting for years for an assessment, missing out on a school place, orbeing left without help.Natalie Tealdi: Thismovement led by the Send Sanctuary is about visibility and accountability. It'sabout family showing through the quiet power of empty shoes. That our childrendeserve better.Victoria Bennion:Yeah. And we went along to support the protest, didn't we? Nat, which wasoutside Dorsett County Council at County Hall in Dorchester. And I dunno aboutyou, but I did find it really moving. [00:01:00]I think there were more than 70 pairs of shoes laid outside those counciloffices and each pair of shoes represented a child who's been let down by thesystem in some way, which I don't know.Victoria Bennion:It's really sad. And I think thinking of the shoes as a symbol, they werereally powerful. They represent. The steps that our children should be takinginto school with friendships, with independence, and yet so many can't becausethe system just keeps letting them down.Natalie Tealdi: Imean, it was so powerful sort of seeing them all laid out and thinking, gosh,thinking about what that rep represents, like 70 pairs of shoes for 70children. I mean, yeah, it was quiteVictoria Bennion:it's shocking and when you see it visually like that, that's the amount ofchildren who maybe aren't in school or are traumatized by school,Natalie Tealdi:that's only in DorsetVictoria Bennion:That's only in Dorset it. And when you buy [00:02:00]those shoes, I don't know if you can remember when you bought your children'sfirst shoes for school, there is quite a lot of excitement.Victoria Bennion: Youhave so much hope. And then when your child doesn't go to school, these shoesand you know, for a lot of us, the whole uniforms, they stay there new andactually what they become is like. That symbol of hope and excitement in thebeginnings are replaced by, feelings of exclusion, waiting, disappointment,sadness for your child that they can't access something that all their peerscan.Natalie Tealdi: Yeah,and I think it's sad for them too because they want to be able to access thosethings and they can't.Victoria Bennion:It's so much more than the education. It's, the missed friendships. It's theskills that they don't get to develop. It's the emotional toll on not just thechildren, but the families of these children.Natalie Tealdi: Yeah,I dunno about you, but I could sort of feel the sadness in the airVictoria Bennion:Yeah.Natalie Tealdi: thatyou know, it, it [00:03:00] was very peacefuland it was calm and we were all coming together in unity. 'cause we all havevery. Similar stories.Victoria Bennion:Yeah, a hundred percent. I think particularly when families came along to addtheir shoes to the collection of shoes outside, it was definitely felt verysad, and it was a really peaceful day. I mean, the organizers from the SENDSanctuary, Aimee, she made it clear that it was about. The loss, thefrustration, and the unity that you mentioned and not anger and yeah, you coulddefinitely feel that.Natalie Tealdi: Itwas a really sort of proud moment. I mean, it's nice to get together with otherparents who have gone through the same thing. 'cause you, we all have similarstories and we're on this journey together and exchanging tips and just generalsupport really standing together.Victoria Bennion:Yeah, you're definitely among people who get it, and that is encouraging insome way. I mean, it was so busy, wasn't it? ...