The South East Coast and London Diabetes Network is part of the Families with Diabetes National Network (FWDNN). FWDNN is a network of parent representatives from each of the eleven regional networks of the country and we are part of the Children and Young People Diabetes National Network. 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 are managed by parents. We meet twice a year at the National Children and Young People’s Diabetes Network meeting and regularly throughout the year by Skype. FWDNN has worked closely with the National Network and helped produce the National Children and Young People’s Diabetes Network Delivery Plan 2020-25, and will continue to work closely to ensure its delivery.

Our aim is to provide a parent/carer voice, giving families and clinicians an equal voice. We hope to be able to represent a wide variety of families across all eleven regions. Families’ views are sought through 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 the more formal meetings and which 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.

The South East Coast and London Network regularly arranges family meet ups at various hospitals around London and the South East Coast. These meetings are a good place to meet other families and we have guest speakers on various topics. We have play specialists available, so it is also a good opportunity for the children to meet other children with Type 1. A favourite session at these meetings is the children’s panel, this is when we invite adults and children to ask our panel of children questions, as you can imagine children are very honest so listening to their responses is very enlightening!

Our main objective is to hear your voice, we are driven by what parents /carers want. We circulate surveys via our Facebook page, these surveys are sent out at the request of the National Network. Clinicians and network leads want to hear what parents/carers think and surveys are a good way of gathering data to help make decisions on how to deliver the best care to our children and young people.

Please join our Facebook community (Information below) so we can hear your views and you can learn about the different events in your area.

You can share your experiences and you will find useful information and details of any events in your area https://www.facebook.com/groups/southeastandlondon or search: South East Coast and London Paediatric Diabetes Network

For more details contact your parent representatives

Jenny Dias : 07989 352554 / jenny@miriad.co.uk

Adrienne Burton : 07912 376406 / adrienne@atburton.plus.com

Andrew Stroud : 07939 139903 / andrew.stroud@sparesfinder.com

Sharon Oliver : 07952 524660 / sharon.oliver74@gmail.com

Donna Williams : 07968109148 / donnasbwilliams@hotmail.com

Or the Children & Young People’s South East Coast & London Diabetes Network Manager :
Usha Parkash on 07432 598896 / usha.parkash@nhs.net 

This work is being supported by the Children & Young People’s South East Coast & London Diabetes Partnership.