Angela was delighted to meet members of The Smallest Things team at Our Lady of Mount Carmel RC Primary – which was awarded Prem Aware status by the charity in 2021.
The charity raises awareness of the impact of prematurity on development and learning, supports parents/carers, and helps schools meet the specific needs children born prematurely might have.
While being born early does not mean a child will have special educational needs, it does increase the chances. With an average of two to three children in every classroom being born prematurely, we know that teachers can play a crucial role in making a difference to the lives of children born prematurely.
Trustees Catriona Ogilvy and Sarah Miles joined headteacher Helen Hayes, SENDCo Janet Bostock and other teaching staff and parents to welcome Angela to the school, which has led the way in supporting children born prematurely in the North West.
Angela said: “As mum to a premature baby myself, I know that the stress and worry doesn’t end when you leave hospital. It’s great to see The Smallest Things supporting a school in my constituency to ensure all children are given the chance to thrive.”
Founder of The Smallest Things Catriona Ogilvy, mum to Samuel born at 29 weeks, added: “We were thrilled to have the opportunity to meet the Deputy Prime Minister and discuss what matters most to neonatal families: from the lasting impact of premature birth on learning and development to improving support for parental mental health after neonatal intensive care.
“We also talked about making sure the new Employment Rights Bill meets the needs of all neonatal families. As a parent-led charity, we recognise that Angela, Mum to Charlie, born at 23 weeks, gets it. Like us, she’s been there too.
“We look forward to working with Angela and her team to make sure the needs of families of children born prematurely remain high on the new government’s agenda.”