Elsie Rogers Official

05/09/2026

Day out with my Joshua 😂❤️

This grown man decided to rest his whole big body on his mummy—as if he has forgotten how little I am beside him! I had to remind him, “Joshua, have you seen your height and weight compared to mummy’s little body?” 😂

No matter how tall, big or grown he becomes, he will always be my baby. These playful moments, the laughter and the closeness mean everything to me. My gentle giant and forever mummy’s boy. 🥰❤️

31/08/2026

It’s the little moments that mean so much. ❤️

Joshua had been patiently waiting for his doughnuts to arrive over the Bank Holiday weekend — and anyone who knows him knows that sharing his favourite goodies doesn’t always come easily! 😂🍩

So watching him spontaneously offer one to his Uncle Eddy was such a lovely moment. No prompting, no big fuss — just Joshua choosing to share. 🥰

And, of course, I used the opportunity to keep the conversation going, asking questions and engaging with him about what he was doing.

I’ve learnt over the years that communication isn’t something we only practise in a therapy session. It happens in everyday life. At the table. In the kitchen. Over a box of doughnuts. In all those ordinary little moments that give us an opportunity to connect.

Consistency is key. Keep talking. Keep engaging. Keep creating opportunities for communication — and celebrate the little moments of progress when they come. ❤️

And yes… Uncle Eddy got his doughnut! 😂🍩

29/08/2026

22/08/2026

Christian the Chef was on duty! 👨🏾‍🍳🔥😂

Just a little family BBQ moment… Christian in the kitchen with one of his wild seasoning combinations that somehow ALWAYS tastes ridiculously good 😋🔥 before taking over the barbecue.

Then, of course, his mischievous side appeared — convincing Joshua to taste a “not-so-sugary” drink 🍷😂😂. Joshua’s face said everything!

Food eaten, drinks sampled… and naturally, the brothers had to give us a few moves at the end! 🕺🏾🕺🏾❤️

Meanwhile, listen carefully and you’ll hear me in the background demanding MORE FOOD! 😂😂 Because apparently the chef thought one serving was enough!

These two. The banter. The brotherhood. The food. The dancing. ❤️

Small BBQ. Big vibes. 🔥❤️

16/08/2026

Sometimes the biggest moments look so ordinary to everyone else. ❤️

Christian ordered Joshua a Sonic Generations game as a gift. Normally these two would have taken a trip to HMV together, but with so many of our local stores now gone, Chris ordered it instead.

And I just watched them. 🥹

A shared interest. Brothers talking. Joshua listening as Chris told him his game was on its way — and that face lighting up! 😁❤️

Then it arrived.

Joshua came to show me his game and, as I always do, I used the moment to encourage conversation:

What have you got?
What are you going to do with it?
Where are you going to play it?

And he told me. ❤️

He knew exactly what he had. He understood what it was for. He could tell me he was going to play it on his console.

Awareness. Communication. Expressing his own wants and intentions.

These are the moments I never take for granted.

And somewhere in between all of that… two brothers were simply being brothers.

Priceless. ❤️

12/08/2026

Joshua has his own way of making pasta… and apparently the recipe is “trust the process, Mum!” 😂🍝

Onions, peppers, seasoning , the works!!! all done in his own order, his own style. It may not always be the way I would make it, but somehow it always ends up tasting good! 😋

But these moments are about so much more than pasta.

Cooking time is bonding time for Joshua and me. ❤️ It’s where I encourage communication naturally, where we practise everyday life skills, sequencing, independence and confidence without it feeling like a lesson.

And I get to observe too. I see what he can now do without prompting, what he remembers, what he has adapted and the little ways his skills have quietly moved forward.

Sometimes I’m teaching him.
Sometimes he’s showing me.
And sometimes I just have to stay out of the chef’s way! 😂👨🏾‍🍳

Independence isn’t always built in big milestones. Sometimes it’s being built right there in the kitchen… one unconventional bowl of pasta at a time. ❤️

09/08/2026

Representation matters. But truthful representation matters more.

A lot of conversations about this is going on now, particularly in light of the questions now surrounding Jason Arday’s public story.

I understand why his story meant so much to many Black parents raising autistic children. When the world is often quick to tell us what our children may never do, seeing a Black autistic man reach extraordinary heights offered something powerful: hope.

I would never criticise a parent for holding onto that.

But I have always questioned the glamourisation of autism through exceptional achievement. I’ve written about it before. Celebrating autistic strengths and milestones is important — but autism does not need an extraordinary ending for an autistic life to have value.

There is another conversation we need to have too.

Across our communities, grassroots CICs, parent-led organisations and advocates quietly do the work every day, supporting families, fighting for services and creating opportunities yet many will never receive a fraction of the platform or spotlight given to one extraordinary individual.

Perhaps we need to widen our definition of representation.

Truthful representation has room for brilliance and disability. Progress and setbacks. Independence and support. The extraordinary and the beautifully ordinary.

Whatever ultimately emerges from the current controversy, Black autistic achievement does not begin or end with Jason Arday.

Our children never needed one superhero to carry their possibilities.

They need to know that their own story — however it unfolds — has value.

02/08/2026

What looks like an ordinary Friday is actually the result of years of intentional teaching. ❤️

From choosing his own weekend snacks, to making decisions with confidence, to safely crossing the road, to accepting gentle correction when he accidentally dropped a price tag and putting it back without hesitation—every moment tells a story.

Joshua was once non-verbal.

Today, he communicates, makes choices, follows instructions, takes responsibility for his actions, confidently pays for services, and is continuing to grow in independence.

These aren’t skills that appeared overnight. They have been nurtured through patience, consistency, real-life practice and believing that every small step matters.

As parents, carers and professionals, let’s never underestimate the power of everyday experiences. The supermarket, the barber, the pavement, the checkout—they can all become classrooms where confidence is built.

I’m so proud of the young man Joshua is becoming. Not because he is perfect, but because he keeps growing.

Every ordinary moment is another step towards independence, and every step is worth celebrating. ❤️

29/07/2026

Sometimes God is writing a story long before we see the connections. ❤️

These photos take me back to my very first Autism Champions Event.

It was incredibly special to have my mum speak. As a teacher, she taught hundreds of children throughout her career, but she also experienced autism from another perspective—as Joshua’s grandmother. She understood both the classroom and the family journey.

Christian also shared his perspective, and seeing my family stand alongside me made the day even more meaningful.

One of our guest speakers was the wonderful Dr Venessa Bobb-Swaby. At the time, neither of us realised that years earlier, my mum had taught her son, Nathaniel, when autism wasn’t widely understood and support looked very different.

While my mum was supporting Nathaniel in the classroom, she was also navigating autism with her own grandson at home.

What are the chances?

Two mothers.
Two families.
One shared purpose.

Looking back, it feels like a full-circle moment.

Since then, I’ve had the privilege of building a wonderful friendship with Dr Venessa, and I’ve been continually inspired by the incredible work she and A2ndVoice are doing to champion autistic children, young people and families. Seeing that work extend through partnerships, including with the Anna Freud Centre, gives me so much hope for the future.

Moments like these remind me that every conversation, every child, every parent and every advocate matters. We may not see it at the time, but our paths often cross for a reason.

Here’s to every autism champion who continues to make a difference—one family at a time. 💙