Hayley Goleniowska

A former language teacher and voice-over artist, Hayley is now the Mum of two gorgeous girls, the youngest of whom, Natty, has Down’s Syndrome. She blogs, speaks and writes articles on the subject for all who will read or listen.

Through Downs Side Up she aims to both offer support and encouragement to new families with a diagnosis, and gently change perceptions of Down’s Syndrome from within hearts through beautiful words and photos.

Her daughter Natty is a clothing model and an amazing ambassador for children with disabilities everywhere. She has appeared in The Sun, Mail Online, Bella Magazine and on ITV Daybreak.

You can find Hayley on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

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Special Needs Round-up: School, Bullies and Heroes

The children are back in school and we’ve hit the ground running. And school has been a hot topic across your SEN blogs for just that very reason. I was …

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Special Needs Round-up: Summer holiday survival

The school holidays are here and blogging takes a back seat for most of us, or at least changes tack, pace and content. But how DO you feel about the …

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Special Needs Round-up: no substitute for meeting face to face

The online community we are all a part of as bloggers is incredible. We share, support, advise, pull together, collaborate. We motivate each other, pull each other up and drive …

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Special needs Round-up: Sibs, Brits & LD firsts

The Brits (as I affectionately call them) Whether you are able to attend BritMums Live in London or not this weekend, there’s no escaping the fact that it forms one …

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Special Needs Round-up: A shortlist of brilliant bloggers!

In just over a month many of the UK’s parent bloggers will be meeting in London, at the swanky Brewery venue, to swap tips, inspire one another, share knowledge and …

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Special needs round-up: We’re in full Spring

Welcome back to the Special Needs round-up this month, again packed with inspiring and heart-warming stories from the SEN and disability community. Do link your posts below with any campaign, charity, …

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Special needs Round-up: News and views for March

Spring has finally sprung and this month I have been feeling particularly thankful for the close-knit special needs community online. More than ever the support we offer one another is …

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Special Needs Round-up: Disability labels and ante-natal choices

This month two topics have shouted out from my computer screen over and over again as I have browsed your Special Needs and Disability blogs, websites and online magazines. They …

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Special needs round-up: Looking back, forward and now

I know, I know, it’s January! Christmas was wonderful yet challenging and exhausting, we’re all paying for it all in more ways than one. It’s tricky to get our children …