Jodie Isitt, Author
I am a mother of three amazingly determined disabled children and I am also a carer for my daughter Lola aged 9.
Lola is Autistic with a demand avoidant profile and has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. She had an extremely difficult time whilst attending a mainstream primary because of her ability to mask her difficulties. She also had some trouble regulating her sensory differences which were perceived as bad behaviour.
When Lola transferred into a specialist primary school I found that I was having trouble accepting I would always be a carer, and I wanted to use my creativity to help others realise that you can build something around being a parent/carer, and whilst doing that helping to change people’s perceptions of disabilities including autism.
I finally knew I wanted to create a series of stories that would help typically developing children understand and have knowledge of those children who found normal everyday situations that bit more difficult.
Lucy Smith, Illustrator
Award winning illustrator, Lucy Smith is a freelance illustrator and graphic designer specialising in children’s picture books. As an experienced former school teacher and psychology graduate, Lucy has a in-depth knowledge of language development and the role high quality literature and illustrations play in encouraging a life long love of reading. Her past career paved the way for her success as a children’s illustrator. Lucy aims to create magical worlds to enthral readers and inspire their own creativity and imagination as children’s illustrators and authors did for her as a child.
Libby Hill, Consultant Speech & Language Therapist
Libby set up Small Talk Speech and language therapy in 2007 which has grown to include speech and language therapists, SLT assistants, early years practitioners and counsellors with access to Clinical Psychology and Educational Psychology. She set up Smart Talkers Pre-School communication groups in 2009 which are franchised in the UK and abroad. In 2011 she created S & L World, the global bulletin for Speech and language professionals which she continues to edit. Her latest projects include a website to provide speech therapy materials and being consultant speech and language therapist to Channel 4s ‘Born naughty?
Lucy Bates, Occupational Therapy
Lucy Bates is a Children’s Occupational Therapist based in Kidderminster. She is an accredited sensory and integration practitioner, sleep practitioner and feeding specialist who loves working with children and families to make a real difference.
