Kate Cullen
Network Chair
Introduction
The Families with Diabetes National Network is the network of the parent reps from each regional network of the country. We are recruited by the network co-ordinators in each region and we all have children with diabetes and attend network meetings in our regions to represent the views of families living with diabetes.
We believe it is important to have ‘Family’ in our name as a diagnosis of diabetes in a child has an effect on the whole family, mothers and fathers but also brothers, sisters and grandparents. We are run independently and managed by parents and meet twice a year at the National Children and Young People’s Diabetes Network meeting and regularly throughout the year by Skype.
We represent a wide variety of families across all eleven regions. Families’ views are sought by a number of methods including Facebook groups for each region, local support groups and through clinics. Facebook enables us to reach families not engaged in more formal meetings and also allows sharing of regional and national documents. We provide a parent voice to the National Children and Young People’s Diabetes Network and share good practice between parent representatives across the regions.
Key Contacts
Jenny Dias
Network Chair
Steve Paxton
Network Vice-Chair
Sharon Oliver
Network Vice-Chair
Annie Astle
Network Vice-Chair
Katie Scott
Network Vice-Chair