Meet The Team
We’re absolutely delighted to share our wonderful members, whose enthusiasm and hard work are so essential in creating amazing events and adventures for our community.
Alicia Douglas
Director
Hello, my name is Alicia, and I am the founder of My Child Has a Speech Delay CIC. I started the organisation as a parent of a child with a speech delay, I often felt alone and wanted to connect with other families facing similar challenges. In summer 2022 I organised a small activity day in Crystal Palace Park, only a couple of families attended.
In the summer 2024, I hosted another event which was more successful and after became a CIC, received funding as a CIC and we hosted our first four stay-and-play sessions. In November 2024, we expanded to parent events, creating opportunities for families to connect and share experiences.
My inspiration has always been my son, who was identified as having a speech delay at the age of two and was later diagnosed with autism and a language disorder. His journey showed me how important community support can be. Today, I am incredibly proud of how far MCHASD has come and honoured to support families who may otherwise feel alone on their own journeys.
Melissa Shaw
Director
Hi, I'm Melissa, one of the Co-Directors of My Child Has A Speech Delay CIC.
My son was referred for early intervention due to speech delays and was later diagnosed with autism. He struggled in mainstream education and eventually moved to a specialist school. Throughout this journey, I found the support, advice, and shared experiences of other parents absolutely invaluable.
When Alicia, the founder of MCHASD, asked me to join her in December 2024 in growing the community group, I was delighted to be part of the team. I wanted to give back some of the support that helped us and help create a welcoming community where SEND children and their families can connect, support one another, and thrive together.
Amy Jones
Director
Hi. I am Amy. I have 3 sons my eldest is neurotypical. Then I have twins; one has drug resistant epilepsy, learning disabilities and speech delays the other twin has dyslexia.
I am also a paediatric nurse of 17 years with experience of learning disabilities and complex medical needs.
When my son was diagnosed I was shocked at how little support was available for families compared to 20 years ago when I started my training.
In July 2025 I found MCHASD and felt like the group was making a positive impact by providing much needed support.
I have been involved since. My passion will always be medical needs so you'll often find me delivering health talks at our funded events. But I am also passionate about young carers/siblings as I truly feel that they are amazing and miss out on so much.