Heather Hale
Project Lead
I’ve worked in education for over ten years, starting as an English teacher and Pupil Premium leader, and now as a practicing SENDCo. I’ve also been a Designated Teacher for children who are looked after and those on special guardianship orders. Over the years, I’ve worked in a wide range of settings, from highly disadvantaged communities to more affluent areas, in both faith and non-faith schools. I’ve seen a lot in a relatively short career.
What stayed with me throughout all of that is this: families matter just as much as the children we’re supporting.
I’ve spent a lot of my professional life navigating red tape and systems that aren’t always designed with families in mind. Policies can become louder than people. Processes can take over. And somewhere in the middle of all of that, it can be easy to forget the parents and carers who are holding everything together behind the scenes.
We talk a lot about children, which is right and important. But we don’t always talk about the people who are up at night when their child is dysregulated. The ones who attend the meetings. The ones who carry the emotional load long after professionals have moved on to the next case.
That’s why FamilyKind matters to me.
I wanted to be part of something that supports the whole unit, not just the child in isolation. Because although children are seen within systems, parents and carers often are not. And that never sat comfortably with me.
I have my own blended family. I’m a mum and a stepmum. I understand that families don’t all look the same, and that non-nuclear families can face their own unique challenges. Life is layered and complex. Support should recognise that.
I’m an open and honest person. I believe in transparency. I believe in clear communication. And I believe no one should feel small or unimportant within their own family.
At the heart of my work is a simple principle: people deserve to feel heard.
Lee Whalley
Director
I often joke that my job is to “make things look pretty”, and in many ways that’s true. I run my own business, The Hook Design, and work as Communications Manager at Wigan Borough Community First, so a lot of what I do professionally is about clarity, messaging and helping organisations present themselves well.
But for me, FamilyKind is about much more than that.
Throughout my career, I’ve worked across different organisations, met a huge range of families and seen firsthand the different challenges people face. No two situations are ever the same. What I’ve learned is that most people aren’t looking for perfection, they’re looking for understanding.
I tend to be the lighter presence in the room. I believe humour can diffuse tension and make complex or uncomfortable conversations feel safer. Sometimes people need someone steady and grounded. Sometimes they just need someone who can make it feel less heavy for a moment.
I also come to this work through lived experience. I know what it feels like to be the dad in a playgroup mostly filled with women, slightly unsure where you fit. I know how difficult it can be for men to talk openly about mental health or family struggles. And within our own blended family, Heather and I have navigated complex and emotionally challenging court proceedings ourselves.
That experience changed me. It gave me a deeper understanding of how overwhelming systems can feel when you’re inside them, not observing them professionally.
FamilyKind matters to me because I believe community should feel inclusive. Dads should feel welcome. Men should feel able to speak up. Families going through difficult situations should not feel isolated.
If I can bring clarity, calm and a bit of lightness into spaces that feel heavy, then I’m doing what I’m meant to be doing.
Tracy Sheppard
Director
Hi, I’m Tracy, founder of TalkFIRST and director of FamilyKind.
I’m passionate about supporting families through better communication and helping people understand each other more clearly, especially when things feel tense or complicated.
I work as a family mediator, supporting individuals and families to navigate conflict in a constructive way. I’m accredited with The Family Mediation Council and a member of The College of Mediators. My role is to create safe, balanced spaces where people feel able to speak honestly and work towards practical solutions.
Throughout my career, I’ve worked with families at some of their most vulnerable moments. Separation, misunderstanding and breakdown in communication can feel overwhelming. I believe that when people are given the right space and guidance, conflict can be handled with dignity and clarity rather than escalation.
FamilyKind aligns closely with my values. Supporting families early, strengthening communication and reducing conflict before it deepens is work, I care deeply about.
At the heart of what I do is this: when communication improves, everything else becomes more possible.