Meet Tanya - Lifeways' first-ever Chairperson of new Family Advisory Panel

Tanya Farley, a determined mum-of-four with a passion for making a difference, has been appointed as the first-ever Chairperson of Lifeways’ newly formed Family Advisory Panel. 

The independent panel was set up on the back of the Family Checkers Initiative to help shape and strengthen the quality of care and support across Lifeways’ services, giving a stronger voice to families whose loved ones receive support. 

Tanya was chosen by fellow panel members to lead the group, bringing with her years of lived experience as the mother of James, who receives supported living care from Lifeways in Stockport. 

“I got involved after I reached out to the Chief Executive on LinkedIn!” Tanya said. “We had a really honest conversation about my son’s story and my hopes for improving supported living. I just felt it was time to step up.” 

Tanya added: “I’m passionate about sharing what I’ve learned, making sure families are heard, and keeping standards high across services. It’s about identifying best practice and sharing it.”

Bringing deep insight from lived experience 

Tanya, who has spent years navigating the health and care systems, brings deep insight into the challenges faced by families like hers.  

She has been running the Autism: A Hands-On Approach conference for more than 20 years and, more recently, offered online workshops designed to create a safe space to open up conversations around key topics: www.autismahandsonapproach.co.uk   

That understanding, along with her determination to make a difference, made her a natural choice to lead the panel. 

“The families of people we support hold a huge amount of knowledge,” Tanya said. “We’ve lived it. So it makes sense to use that experience to benefit not just our own loved ones, but other families and Lifeways team members too.” 

"I want to make things better for everyone"

A key focus for the Panel will be promoting open communication, peer-to-peer auditing, and encouraging continuous improvement in care. 

“I’d love to see families visit and give feedback on other services, not just their own,” Tanya said. “That shared perspective could really help us raise standards.” 

Although the title of Chair came as a surprise, Tanya is embracing the opportunity. “I wasn’t expecting it, but sometimes you just have to step up. If you’ve got something valuable to offer, why hold back?” 

She added: “Really, I just want to help. If something isn’t working, people need to feel safe enough to say so. That’s how we make things better for everyone.” 

Lifeways’ Chief Executive, Andrea Kinkade, said: “I’m thrilled to be working with Tanya and the Family Advisory Panel. Families know their loved ones better than anyone. Their insights and lived experiences are essential, not just for improving the quality of care, but for supporting our teams and shaping the future of Lifeways.” 

Andrea added: “The Panel is one way that families can help drive meaningful positive change and have a stronger voice at every level of our organisation.” 

The Panel will act as an independent group of quality checkers, providing honest feedback on what Lifeways is doing well, where it can improve, and how it can build stronger relationships with families. 

The long-term goal is to set up similar panels in every region of the UK, creating a national network of engaged families helping to drive quality, connection, and shared learning. 

Executive Team members, including the CEO, will attend each panel meeting to listen, learn, and be held accountable. 

Lifeways’ Board will hear the perspective of the Panel, truly linking the family experience to the governance of the organisation.