Tracy Dunne: Sophie's Mother

“My daughter Sophie, who has Angelman Syndrome, joined Dame Hannahs at 4 years old. Our aims for Sophie were for her to be able to communicate effectively and walk independently. This may seem simple to normal folk, but for Sophie this would be something that needed expertise and dedication - she certainly has had that in this setting.

Sophie is such a happy child and thrives on being surrounded by people - the curriculum is adapted specifically for Sophie’s level and she has excelled more than we ever thought. At 9 years old she is now using an iPad for communicating and is encouraged at all times to walk in a walker, aided or independently - she is getting there!

All of the staff at Dame Hannahs know Sophie very well and they say she lights up their day - the passion for learning and developing the life skills for the students is second to none. Everyone who plays a role at Dame Hannahs is very special, it takes special people to work with special students and wow do they enrich the lives of the individuals to achieve and succeed. Thank you for continuing to support Sophie and most importantly, make everyday fun whilst learning”.