Testimonials

We feel blessed as a family to have been allocated Leanne as our school family worker. The support advice and knowledge she gave to us at a very difficult time has seen us through to a point where we now work much better as a family and have a far better understanding of each other and also of others. We felt that Leanne genuinely wanted to help us and empathised with our situation. She went over, above and beyond all of her assigned duties for us and we are so very grateful. A wonderful lady who I only wish everyone got to experience. Thankyou so much!

Leanne Shaw has been an amazing support for myself and my family. I cannot thank her enough for her knowledge, professionalism and kindness. She is wonderful at her job and I feel so lucky to have had her support. She has regularly called me to check in and always listened to any concerns or worries I have had about the children. She has provided clear, helpful information and links to courses and resources. Nothing has been too much trouble for her, she is so helpful and has often helped by offering to liaise with the schools for me to prompt responses or action.

She has conducted regular TAF meetings to help me and has encouraged me to feel comfortable and supported in these meetings.

Again I would like you to know how valuable your service has been to our family in a really difficult time and how much of a difference Leanne has made to us. Thank you.

It is an invaluable service. To have someone to talk to and can then support has been very helpful. To be the link with school as well helps a great deal. I don’t think I would have survived the last 18months with out the support from Vista.

Thank you for all the hard work over the past 2 years you have done an amazing.

Amazing support, we’re not sure our child would of completed school without the help provided, but also so helpful in so many more ways than possible to mention.

They helped me get myself back to normal and helped my son so much.

Claire is a lovely, genuine and knowledgeable person. She has helped us through a difficult period and I am very grateful to her.

Leanne has always been very organised, proactive and quick with providing support for a range of needs of my do and myself. She helped support me to gain the right support to help my son and myself and always in a way that met our needs. Leanne was always, approachable, caring, understanding and without judgement. Without Leanne’s support we would not have made as much progress and would not be as far through the EHCP process.
I can not rave enough about the support Leanne has provided and how much it has changed our lives since she started. Thank you so much!

The support offered was really valuable and constructive at a time when I felt it difficult to talk to anyone else in depth about the issues.

I would not have survived this far without Jackie’s support. She started supporting us over a year ago, just as things started going downhill. To know I have someone on my side to help and support me has been invaluable. She has helped talk with schools and services when I don’t have the words or capability due to sheer exhaustion. She has kept me going with encouragement and understanding. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve cried on her, quite frankly I don’t know what I would have done without her. To have someone to talk to who doesn’t judge or ignore or parent blame has been a lifeline. To have someone who can hold schools and services to account, and advocate on our behalf so we’re not ignored has been a lifeline. She is the extra energy that I don’t have having been beaten down so much by the education system. She has taken the time to listen and get to know our family and I really feel she has our best interests at heart. She can see the whole picture and is willing to do anything and everything to support us. I trust her opinion and guidance because she has no ulterior motive other than wanting the best for us as a family. She can see beyond the ‘it’s fine’ and genuinely cares when it’s not. I look forward to seeing her because I feel listened to and supported. When my child was given a diagnosis of ASD and anxiety we were given and 50 page report and sent on our way. From that point on we have had to find things out by ourselves, we’ve had to battle for everything or sometimes to even be heard. The “professionals” don’t know what the reality is like on the ground and they often don’t know where we can go for extra support, but Jackie does. Being a SEND parent is exhausting. I spend most days just trying to survive. I don’t have the energy to then research or contact people as well but to know that Jackie can is invaluable. As a parent there is often a lot of blame put on us so that schools or services can pass you on, but to have someone on our side who can see we are doing our absolute best, is life saving. Parents can be so easily ignored but to have someone independent fighting for us helps so much. To have someone who is not so emotionally involved has been vital because she can see beyond the emotion and sheer exhaustion. 

Vista quite simply is a lifeline. The relief I had upon first meeting Jackie and knowing she was there for me was immense. I have no doubt that there are other families in situations where Jackie and her colleagues have been and are lifelines.