Ollie U

As a parent and full-time carer to a neurodivergent child, getting mental health support has felt like climbing a mountain with no path. I’m expected to carry so much—advocating, caring, surviving—and yet when I ask for help for my mental wellbeing, the system seems surprised I even need it.

Add to that being from an ethnic minority background, and it gets even harder. Cultural stigma, language barriers, and a lack of representation in services make it feel like these spaces weren’t built for people like me. I’ve often felt unseen, or worse—judged.

What I need is to be treated as a whole person, not just a role. A carer, yes. A mother, yes. But also someone with feelings, limits, and a right to care too.