Staff Lived Experience – Katy Abson

I’m Katy Abson, Head of Children’s Services at Involve, my connection with the organisation began in 2013 and has been shaped by lived experience from the start. Caring for my autistic son was the catalyst for my first role, developing a Peer Support network for unpaid carers. The empathy and determination that grew from navigating Carer’s challenges fuelled eight years of progression through our Carers Support Service into a Service Manager position.

Three years later, I unexpectedly became a carer again, this time for my mother. That experience reinforced how valuably personal and professional journeys can intertwine, and how vital compassionate, accessible information and support truly is.

In 2020, I led our new Children’s Service, designed to help families navigate complex pathways through a single, GP‑based point of contact. Having witnessed the frustration, inequity, and emotional toll families face when trying to secure the right help for their children, I was driven to shape a service that would ease those pressures for both families and the system around them.

Later, developing Connect, a space where neurodivergent children can socialise without judgement and “find their tribe”, drew directly on my own child’s struggle to belong.

Bringing together my lived and professional experience continues to add depth, purpose, and authenticity to the work I do every day.