We are proud to share Because they’re worth it — a short film bringing together five powerful collages created for CSIE by Dr Sharon Smith, researcher and parent carer.
In response to media reports blaming parents for the financial pressures on the education system, we had consulted with parents and explored how we could offer support. We heard of the frustration we had anticipated, and also of the well-being needs of parents who have to advocate for their children’s rights. We teamed up with a mental health expert to plan and co-deliver a set of workshops.
With the help of a grant from the National Lottery Community Fund, in 2025 we co-delivered a series of free workshops in Bristol for parents of children who have labels of special educational needs and disability (SEND). Parents who attended our workshops shared their stories and we promised to find a way to amplify their collective voice in an engaging way. While the details of their stories were very different, we noticed important similarities.
Because they’re worth it is a visual representation of common themes in parents’ stories. It presents five collages created for CSIE by Dr Sharon Smith, researcher and parent carer, as a way of representing these parents’ lived experiences. The film describes the five collages, and the process of creating them.
The common themes in parents’ stories, which are represented in the five collages, are: a) the need to become a fighter; b) recognising pressures on teachers; c) the emotional toll of all this on families; d) the experience of living on the edge; and e) the recognition that welcome help can come from any direction. Together, the collages paint a vivid picture of love, resilience and determination, as well as of strain and uncertainty in the face of substantial systemic barriers. They highlight the emotional labour many parents undertake as they navigate complex systems, advocate for their children and try to make the best of fraught relationships with overstretched schools and professionals.
We extend our most heartfelt thanks to Dr Smith for translating parents’ shared experiences into such thoughtful and evocative artwork, and to every parent who attended the workshops and entrusted us with their stories. We hope this film honours your voices and encourages others to listen deeply. Many thanks also to The National Lottery Community Fund for making this work possible. We remain grateful to you all!
