Spotlight on Carrie Grant

Parenting

Spotlight On...

Carrie Grant

Carrie Grant and her husband, David, first came to the attention of the nation as Fame Academy judges. Since then, Carrie has become a familiar face on our TV screens. What you may not know it that she is also a formidable supporter of charities. Claire Winter caught up with her to talk about family life and her charity work.

What initially inspired you to become a singer and then a coach?

Like many creative children, singing and dancing was all I ever wanted to do from the youngest age. I actually think it got me through my childhood. Back in 1993, David (my husband) and I were regularly booking vocal sections and choirs for bands. One day when we were working with Take That on Pray, they asked us if we could coach them. We had never coached before, and we were more keen on singing, but once we began, we realised we loved it. It gave us access into people’s lives that meant we were mentoring as much as coaching and that is something we still love to do.

You are a supporter of The Diana Award’s Anti-Bullying Ambassadors Programme. Why did you decide to support it?

I have spent most of my life feeling like I’m somehow on the outside. I think it was growing up being the child of a single parent during a time when that was really rare. I was made to feel ashamed, and that shame is something I would never want any child to feel. The Diana Award has the best strategies; they empower the children and young people to work with one another, they create a real coolness around being kind, and of course, they have the support of the Princes behind them. Who wouldn’t want to support that!

It’s Anti-Bullying Week in November, what do you think parents and kids can do to prevent bullying?

We have to stop “othering” people. Difference is not to be despised; it is a beautiful thing. The problem we have right now is that adult society is in a perpetual state of “othering,” so the wrong messages gets put onto our children. Learn about difference in others and speak well of people in front of your children.

You and your husband have talked openly about having children with complex needs. What is your advice to parents whose children may have autism, ADHD or who are adopted and face challenges?

Once you’ve got through the first period of adjustment, a parental mindset change has to happen. We can keep despairing that our children have challenges or we can learn to look at them through a new lens, one which doesn’t define them by their challenges or issues, but finds beauty and magic and a whole host of other advantages and qualities to love and cherish.

How do you and your husband work around the demands of family life?

We try to job-share our time as much as possible so that one of us is always at home. We have had to become super-parents and work out what is necessary for each child, and we have learned to parent in four different ways. It’s exhausting but also unbelievably rewarding. We are also working hard to change the world’s perception of autism, ADHD, and adoption so that the world might be a better place when they grow up. This is another way in which I feel The Diana Award is a perfect fit for the vision we have.

Are you working on any new projects?

I have just received an Honorary Doctorate of Arts for my services to charity from the University of Bedfordshire and I am hoping this will open up even more doors for the campaigning work I do within the NHS for patients and within the SEND arena. Workwise, I am a regular reporter for The One Show, and I also present for Radio London, Nurture TV, and Vintage TV.

If you could give our readers one bit of advice, what would it be?

For all SEN parents - you are more powerful than you realise. If you feel isolated and as if your voice isn’t heard, join with others….because there will be a tipping point and change will come. And for all families, the biggest message I could give is, “YOU ARE ENOUGH.”

The Diana Award is a charity legacy to Diana, Princess of Wales’ belief that young people have the power to change the world.

The charity runs the leading Anti-Bullying Programme in the UK and Ireland, giving young people the skills, confidence, and training to tackle all forms of bullying as Anti-Bullying Ambassadors. Their Royal Highnesses, The Duke of Cambridge and The Duke of Sussex, support the organisation.

Find out more about the charity and its anti-bullying events in November at www.antibullyingpro.com

Odd Socks Day for Anti-Bullying Week

Anti-Bullying Week runs from 12 to 16 November and the theme this year is choosing respect over bullying.

The aim of the week is to support schools to help children understand:

• The definition of respect

• That bullying is a behavioural choice

• That we can respectfully disagree with each other i.e.

we don’t have to be best friends or always agree with each other but we do have to show each other respect

• That we all need to choose to respect each other, both face-to-face and online

Students are being encouraged to wear odd socks to school on Monday 12 November to show their support and raise money for a good cause. To get involved, visit www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk

6 Families Dorset familiesonline.co.uk