I have spoken to a number of parents in the north-east with whom I come into contact as a result of my son’s additional support needs. They told me about their aspirations, one of which is that“young people need to be nurtured, challenged and accepted in an environment that works together to support the whole child.”One parent said:“I consider myself and my son to be fortunate in that his needs were picked up and identified early on and a programme of early intervention is put in place.”I found myself in the same position.Early intervention is crucial, as is the ability to get the right support at the right time.