Vanessa Lee is a carer to her son, Harry and until recently for her husband, Kevin, who sadly passed away after 38 years together. They have 5 sons: two with a diagnosis of ADHD. Harry has a diagnosis of autism and schizoaffective disorder.
Vanessa is a keen and committed supporter of services, working with local police and inpatient healthcare to advocate and educate, using her own experiences to support kinder and safer care. After an upsetting experience when Harry was sectioned, she produced a training film for Sussex Police to provide information on dealing with individuals who have Autistic Spectrum Disorder. She helps with quality improvement to reduce restrictive practices and championed the appointment of a therapy dog to her local Psychiatric Intensive Care ward. In 2019, Vanessa was recognised as the RCPsych Carer Contributor of the Year. Vanessa has helped numerous parents who have children with ADHD and Autism through her role as an Individual Needs Assistant and has set up a local family support group. Vanessa is a representative on the board of NAPICU as their Carer Representative.
