Why We Built AskEllie
We’re Oliver and Rebecca, parents of two incredible boys — Joshua and Brandon — both of whom have complex needs, including Autism, PDA, ADHD, and Dyslexia.
AskEllie wasn’t born from a business idea or a moment of inspiration. It was born from desperation.
For years, we were fighting — not just for diagnoses, but for the right education, the right support, and quite simply, a chance for our boys to be understood. We found ourselves navigating a SEND system that felt deliberately complicated, underfunded, and at times, completely indifferent to what our children truly needed.
Joshua’s journey started with speech delays at nursery. He was eventually diagnosed with verbal dyspraxia, but the NHS offered just three speech therapy sessions — and then we were on our own. As time passed, his needs became more apparent, but the help never seemed to follow.
We faced years of school anxiety, refusals, misdiagnoses, and an EHCP process that pushed us to our limit. The schools that promised support couldn’t cope. The local authority ignored our calls. Our emails went unanswered. We were even told that despite the lack of suitable provision, our son couldn’t access the right school.
And through it all, we were expected to carry on — as if this wasn’t breaking us.
There were moments we’ll never forget — seeing our son mentally and physically mistreated, pulling him out of school yet again, and fighting for months just to get the bare minimum. All while trying to care for Brandon, who was also beginning to struggle. Our marriage, our energy, our hope — all of it stretched to the edge.
It was in that chaos that Ellie was born.
We needed help — someone (or something) to guide us through the legal maze, help us write the right words, understand our rights, and push back against a system that too often says “no.” So we built it — first for ourselves. Then we realised how many other families needed the same support.
Now, AskEllie offers free, accessible, legal-based guidance for families navigating SEND, EHCPs, benefits, school issues, and more. Ellie doesn’t replace experts — she’s here to bridge the gap. To offer something that is instant, calm, and always on your side.
We built Ellie because we had to.
We’re sharing her now because no one should have to do this alone.
A Glimmer of Hope
The SEND system is in crisis. Families are exhausted. Children are being failed every day.
Ellie is just one part of the solution — but we hope she offers something many of us have gone too long without: clarity, confidence, and hope.
If you’re struggling, we see you.
If you’re burnt out, we’ve been there.
And if you feel like giving up, let Ellie help carry some of the load.
Let’s build a better future — together.
