Paul is running for Ted and TSH!

TSH Dad, Paul, is running for his son Ted and TSH in the 2026 HBF Run for a Reason on Sunday, 24 May 2026.

Ted is a current student in our Talkabout Kindergarten specialist language school program, after first joining TSH in 2025 through our Talkabout Playgroup.

We recently asked Paul a few questions about his experience as a parent at TSH. His responses clearly show why he’s chosen to run and fundraise – not only for his little boy, but also to support TSH and the children and families we work with – as part of this year’s HBF Run for a Reason.

Q: What sort of speech challenges was your son having?

A: “Ted showed clear delays in his speech from quite early on. With an older sister, we had a natural benchmark of how things can progress, and it was obvious he wasn’t following the same path. He didn’t really pick up those early words like “hi” or “bye”, and by around 2.5 years old he only had a small handful of words.

In the early stages, we held onto the hope that he might suddenly catch up, and that one day it would just click and he’d be off and running at a more typical level. But as time went on, it became clear that this wasn’t just a short delay. 

His understanding and comprehension were always quite good. He knew what was going on and what was being said but he just couldn’t express it verbally. You could see the gap between what he wanted to say and what he was able to say. 

We’ve been very fortunate that Ted has such a calm and patient nature. Not being able to say what you want would be frustrating for any child, but Ted never really let it overwhelm him and just kept going in his own steady way.”

Q: How do you find the support from TSH? 

A: “TSH has been a really positive environment for us. The school and facilities are great, and every member of the team we’ve come across has been genuinely supportive and caring. As a parent, it can be quite stressful and worrying when your child is experiencing any kind of delay, so having that reassurance and clear direction made a big difference.  

Beyond the structured support Ted receives, we also found it really valuable to be guided on what we could do at home. The regular updates and weekly “homework” gave us practical ways to stay involved and support his progress day to day. 

It was also really nice to connect with other parents. There’s something comforting about speaking with people going through similar experiences it brings a level of understanding that you don’t always get elsewhere.”

Q: What feels like the biggest milestone Ted has reached with TSH’s help? 

A: “It’s still quite early in Ted’s journey and as a parent, it can be hard to notice the day-to-day changes, especially when you’re seeing them gradually, while others might pick up on the improvements more quickly. 

That said, over the past six months even we’ve seen a real step change. Ted is now regularly joining sentences together, and on certain topics (usually dinosaurs 🦕🦖) you can have a proper back-and-forth conversation with him. 

It’s been genuinely heartwarming to see that progress. And realistically, without the support from TSH and the wider team, it’s unlikely we would have seen this level of improvement.” 

Q: What advice would you give to another parent on a similar journey? 

A: “The biggest advice would be not to rely too heavily on hope alone. It’s natural to think things might just click, but it’s better to prepare and act early while still hoping for the best. With a second child, it’s easy to be a bit less focused on milestones, and with Ted we probably waited a little longer than we should have before seeking support. 

Don’t hesitate to get things assessed or checked. Early intervention and support really does make a difference. “

 Paul and his wife Kate have found TSH a great place for Ted’s speech and language development.

“It’s been great to see how TSH offers a range of different programs tailored to each child’s needs and learning pace, which has really helped Ted settle in and progress in a way that suits him.“

We would like to sincerely thank Paul and his family for sharing their story and for their continued support of TSH. Stories like Ted’s remind us why this work matters and the difference our programs make for children and families every day.

If you’d like to support Paul as he runs for TSH in the 2026 HBF Run for a Reason, you can donate via his fundraising page. Every contribution, big or small, helps us continue supporting children and families in our community. We wish Paul all the best with his preparations and the big run on Sunday, 24 May 2026!

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