I know how tough it can be to get real help for a child with learning difficulties, because I’ve lived it. I’m a parent of two young adults with Specific Learning Difficulties (SLD), including dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia and ADHD. Over the past decade, I’ve supported hundreds of families navigating schools, systems, and paperwork that too often make things harder instead of easier.

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I’m not a clinician. I’m a parent advocate who’s had to learn how to translate reports, write better learning plans, and push for evidence-based teaching, especially for children with dyslexia, ADHD and related conditions.

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In 2022, Dyslexia Victoria Support led a successful campaign to introduce a Year 1 Phonics Screening Check in Victoria. It was adopted as government policy, and in 2026, the Check will be rolled out statewide. It’s designed to catch reading difficulties early—before they turn into long-term struggles.

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In 2024, I gave evidence as a witness to the Legislative Council Inquiry into the State Education System in Victoria. These milestones are proof that when parents are organised and informed, we can influence real change.

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I am also a co-author of a peer-reviewed paper published in Educational and Developmental Psychologist (2025), “The actual diagnosis was a relief after everything settled down, but getting to that point was really difficult”: parents’ perspectives on dyslexia assessment and diagnosis in Australia. The study highlights the lived experience of parents during the diagnostic journey and identifies key areas where systems must improve, including affordability, timely access, post-diagnosis support, and school response. Read the paper here.

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I run Dyslexia Victoria Support, a Facebook community of over 12,000 members. I also work directly with families to prepare for school meetings, improve ILPs, apply for SEAs, and advocate for the supports their children are legally entitled to. I am on the Committee of Management as Vice President for SPELD Victoria. 

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My background is in advocacy, libraries, research, and information management. I bring that lens to everything I do, making sense of reports, systems and legislation, so parents don’t have to do it alone. 

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If you’re just starting out or feeling stuck, my Parent Advocacy Pocket Guide is a practical, plain-English resource to help you take clear, confident steps. It’s packed with the tools I wish I’d had when I was starting out.

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Let’s get to work.