Book Project 2026 and Charity Fundraiser

Background

There're various opinions about whether having a conclusive diagnosis of a learning need such as dyslexia makes a difference. Support should be in place in the education setting/workplace regardless of a formal diagnosis and there are many schools, colleges, universities and workplaces that already provide excellent help. However, the full picture of people's actual needs can often go undetected and therefore go unsupported which, in the case of dyslexia, can be due to misconceptions about what dyslexia is. Time and time again, I see really positive outcomes from a conclusive, formal diagnosis which are captured on my testimonials page but include:

  • Children understanding there's a reason why they find some things more tricky than their peers and the strategies in their report will help them.

  • Families seeing their young people happier, more confident, less frustrated, more self-compassionate, understood, empowered, etc… It can dramatically improve one's concept of self.

  • Homelife being calmer when it’s understood that dyslexia and other potential needs raised at the assessment around language, ADHD, etc. may be the trigger for strong emotions or misunderstandings.

  • Schools now having a clearer picture of need, especially those that have gone under the radar in the classroom.

  • Little difference being seen at school regarding support (perhaps because they're already doing a great job or they're still not putting in place interventions) but families relieved to have an answer and the assessment findings leading to more refined help at home.

  • Other types of neurodiversity often being raised as possibilities which explain what's going on beyond dyslexia and referral letters can be written.

  • University students having exam access arrangements, specialist learning support, help through the Disabled Students’ Allowance.

  • Adults who previously didn’t think they could return to study or go for promotion at work now realising that perhaps they can…or they're just hugely relieved to finally have an answer to the question mark that’s hovered above them for years. Like for children, the positive impact on self-esteem and mental health is immeasurable.

Why are you inviting others to be involved?

Whilst the book will include a lot of practical information and my own anecdotes, it's the people who've been assessed who have the most inspiring stories to tell, even if it's just a few lines. So, I'm currently looking contributions from the following groups:

  • parents of primary school age children who've been formally assessed (looking for at least another 5 stories)

  • parents of secondary school age children who've been formally assessed (looking for at least another 7 stories)

  • sixth form students (looking for at least another 7 stories)

  • university students (looking for another 8 stories)

  • other adults, such as those in work, looking after the home, job searching or retired

Is there a deadline for sharing my story and will I get paid?

The deadline to submit wording for the book has been extended to 31 October 2026 and you can choose to remain anonymous.

No money will be paid and Sarah retains final editing rights but everyone contributing can put their names forward for a draw where the first 5 names drawn will receive a printed copy of the book. 10% of any money I receive will be going to the mental health charity MIND.

I’d like to get involved. What do I need to do next?

Please either email me at [email protected] or send me a message through my website in the first instance.

I'll send you a link to a Google form which has 3 main questions with some prompts to help you and this can be completed on a laptop, phone, etc. This form can be completed anonymously. If form filling is tricky, we can alternatively meet up over Zoom to discuss your responses. If I've seen you/your child recently, I may have already shared this link with you.

If you know someone who’s had an assessment and they’d like to be involved in this project too, I’d love to hear from them so please encourage them to get in touch.