People ask me what I most want for Em and I say for her to have one friend at school. When you have children you assume they will have similar childhood experiences to you, like having friends and playing out. It's heartbreaking as a parent to realise these things won't happen for your child. It's the exclusion she experiences because of her condition that's the most upsetting for her, so to be part of something is such a huge relief.
At the NAS Bristol out-of-school club she doesn't have to pretend. She can have her meltdowns, or odd ways and no one cares. For that I'm incredibly grateful. I really can't thank the NAS and all the people who support their work enough.
Tracey, Em's mum