New Tenant – Growing Me CIC

How would you describe your business?  

Packed with therapeutic games, bright animations and creative activities, Growing Me is a digital web app and physical toolkit that helps all children who have suffered early life trauma feel safe and secure 

 

What’s the story behind why you started your business to where you are today, what inspired you? 

As an adoptive mum, I’m endlessly inspired by the strength and creativity of my child.  We found paint and glue and stories much more effective ways of exploring feelings, than talking about actual events, and access to state support proved quite challenging.  Having spoken to many care-experienced families, and professionals, the seed of an idea started to form: Making Therapeutic Life Story Work became my mission…  Ellie, an incredible trauma and attachment therapist, was equally passionate about bringing therapy into everyday life. By the time families reached her therapy space, they had often filled out countless demoralising forms, endured years of waiting lists and being let down by many under-resourced systems. Ellie’s voice guides adult and child through 10 multi-sensory sessions, with a physical toolkit that brings together best trauma-informed practice. One parent told us ‘my kid HATES unfamiliar people trying to fix them… Growing Me gives me the confidence and resources to do the tricky stuff and we’re closer now’ Bev is our finance and strategy whizz, and has been instrumental in helping us get funding to research, design, run workshops, make and deliver! Feedback since we launched last summer has been awesome… Our latest, from a Pastoral Lead delivering Growing Me in a Derbyshire School said ‘Can’t think of any improvements… It is honestly the best resource I’ve come across!’ 

What University did you graduate from?  What course did you study? 

I studied Architecture at University of Sheffield.  I worked at an architect for many years though always did community art projects and my own collages (made out of discarded bits and bobs) alongside.  

How have the University of Derby services supported your business so far?

I’ve just found out that our application for the Digital Design Hub has been successful, so I’m super excited to meet their technicians and think about how we can bring as much of the production in-house and community focused.     

How will being based at Banks Mill help your business? 

I’m excited to be part of the Banks Mill community and meet other designers and makers. We’re also excited to start meeting people at UoD and make more connections.

What other work experience or training have you gained that’s relevant to what you’re doing now? 

Parenting has been the main one! Essentially we’ve designed the thing I wish was available earlier in our adoption journey.  My background in community art projects and illustration has been helpful in engaging others. We want to build understanding within the wider community about the needs of care-experienced people, and have making days every month where volunteers help fold, wrap and stick, all fuelled by homemade cake!  

Ellie, therapeutic director of Growing Me is an experienced therapist for care experienced children, trained in art therapy, Theraplay, DDP, EMDR. Elements from all these modalities have been woven in to Growing Me, meaning it really is a multi-sensory therapeutic experience. 

What are you working on in the studio now? 

We like to get the wider community involved in making days too, helping to build not just toolkits, but understanding and compassion for care-experienced families.  They’re always on the third Friday of the month, and there’s always cake. We want to build our Derby volunteer base, so please do get in touch if you’re interested!  

Some parts of our toolkit will work as stand alone products, so I’m quite excited to be working on designing and developing this too.  

Ellie is developing a research bid with Salford University to demonstrate Growing Me’s effectiveness. 

Tell us a bit about your business, when did you first get started?

Growing Me has been a labour of love… The idea has evolved over the last 6 years or so, with Growing Me jobs weaving their way around parenting and other work.  We launched in June 2024 so still getting out there!  

What are your plans for your business for the next 12 months? 

We have some National Lottery Funding to help us grow our organisation.  This will allow us to go to conferences, speak to different groups and develop our marketing and sales strategy.  It also gives us scope to evaluate the effectiveness of Growing Me on a larger scale.