The Labour Party Annual Conference 2025

SME4Labour, Amplius and Harry’s Pals: EVERY PARENT’S WORST NIGHTMARE

A discussion about what can be done to help parents cope after they’ve received a serious life-limiting diagnosis for their child. It represents every parent’s worst nightmare but there’s very little counselling and respite available. This can lead to family breakdowns, suicide and poor mental health. Parents all over the country need more support. So, how can we “hold the parents’ hand” and help them when they’re caring for a critically ill child

Speakers:

• Stephen Kinnock MP, Minister of State for Care
• Julie Doyle, CEO of Amplius
• Hayley Charlesworth, Founder/ CEO of Harry’s Pals
• Rachel Wright, Founder/Director of Born at the Right Time
• Florence Eshalomi MP, MP for Vauxhall and Camberwell Green
• Brn Coleman MP, MP for Chelsea and Fulham

Chair:Matt Bishop MP

Tickets are free, but booking is required via https://www.sme4labour.org/every_parent_s_worst_nightmare

This event is in the secure zone, so you will need a conference pass to access it.

Date: Tuesday, 30 September 2025

Time: 10:00

Location: SME4Labour POD (Arena Room - Thames), ACC Liverpool, Kings Dock Street, Liverpool, England, L3 4FP

Please note: This event will be recorded for distribution through SME4Labour and its partners’ social media channels. All audience members agree to the possibility of appearing on these recordings by virtue of attending the event or participating in the event.

Bios

Stephen Kinnock MP, Minister of State for Care

A Member of Parliament for Aberafan Maesteg since 2015, Stephen Kinnock was appointed Minister of State for Care in 2024. He has a background in international relations, having worked for the British Council in Brussels, Russia, and Sierra Leone, and at the World Economic Forum.

Julie Doyle 

Julie Doyle is the Chief Executive of Amplius, one of the largest housing providers across the Midlands, East and Southeast of England.  Amplius owns and manages 39,500 homes and delivers a range of quality services, including care and support, specialist housing and home ownership options. Amplius’ mission is to provide affordable homes that make a positive difference to people’s lives.

With over 30 years' experience in the housing sector, Julie remains committed to ensuring that Amplius continues to realise its ambition of being a leading developer that improves people’s lives by providing high-quality housing and care and support services.

Alongside her role as Chief Executive, Julie sits on the Board of Grosvenor Hart Homes, a new social enterprise on a mission to improve the life chances of vulnerable children, young people, and their families.

Julie is also a Trustee for a small charity called 'Harry’s Pals' which offers emotional support to parents of a severely ill or disabled child and is actively campaigning for change for more support for people with caring responsibilities. 

Rachel Wright

Rachel Wright is the Founder/Director of Born at the Right Time, an organisation aimed at improving the lives of those with disabilities and their families. 

She is a qualified nurse and the parent of a young man with complex neurodisability. She’s the author of two books including her memoir The Skies I’m Under, award winning blogger and host of the popular The Skies We’re Under podcast. 

Rachel is a compassionate and visionary leader whose work to transform services is rooted in lived experience, informed by research and achieved through actionable next steps. She was highly commended at the National Learning Disability & Autism Awards 2025 Outstanding Contribution Award and her course on “Communication and Co-production with Parents and Carers” was finalist in HSJ Best Educational Programme for the NHS 2023. 

Hayley Charlesworth

Hayley Charlesworth is the Founder/CEO of Harry’s Pals, a national charity offering emotional support to parents of seriously ill and disabled children. After her son Harry was diagnosed with significant brain damage following multiple strokes at birth, Hayley experienced first-hand the emotional toll such a diagnosis can bring and the lack of support available. In response, she launched Harry’s Pals in 2022 to offer counselling, therapy, peer support and respite breaks for families facing similar challenges.

Beyond her work with the charity, Hayley is a passionate campaigner for carers’ rights and disability inclusion. She helped establish Harry’s Pledge, which has seen over 100 housing organisations commit to improving support for carers and disabled people in their homes and workplaces.

Hayley regularly speaks to businesses and organisations about accessibility, mental health, and creating carer-friendly workplaces using her lived experiences to inspire change. She is also a member of the Patient Experience Group for the Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust, using her voice to drive meaningful change.

Her work has been recognised with the Rose of Northamptonshire Award and a Women in Social Housing Award.

Hayley continues to grow Harry’s Pals as both a support network and a national voice for families navigating life after a life-changing diagnosis.