Explore every episode of the podcast VICTA Parent Voice

VICTA Parent Voice podcast: The Moment Everything Changed

In this powerful episode, we explore the emotional impact of hearing your child's diagnosis and how life changes in an instant. It's a moment many parents never forget- one that shapes the journey ahead in ways they could never have imagined.

Join us as we speak with Paula Thomas from Great Ormond Street Hospital, parent Karen Howkins, Mark Chapman, RNIB ECLO, and Dr Jay Self, Consultant Ophthalmologist. Together, they share perspectives from both sides of the diagnosis conversation, whether families receive news at the very beginning of their journey or during the transition from SI to SSI.

We'll discuss how parents respond to life-changing news, the vital role ECLOs play in providing holistic support, and why those first conversations matter so much. Most importantly, we reflect on how that first day marks the beginning of a new chapter for families, a moment that stays with us forever.

Finding Our Way: VI, Autism and Everything In Between - victaAlbinismFellowshipUK - YouTube

Paula.Thomas@gosh.nhs.uk

Mark.Chapman@rnib.org.uk

Join a range of expert guests as we explore how vision impairment and sensory needs can affect sleep. With up to 80% of people with vision impairment experiencing sleep difficulties, this episode looks at why this connection exists and what it means for families.

Tune in to learn practical ways parents can support their children in achieving longer, more restful nights.

In our first episode, mothers Charlotte and Julie-Ann share the realities of raising a vision-impaired child. From early diagnosis and school choices to shifting social lives, they reflect on the unexpected paths they’ve navigated as parents to Scarlett and Dexter. They explore how finding a supportive community changed everything—and how resilience, connection, and pride shaped a future they never imagined but deeply value.

victaparents.org.uk