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Matts Hideout

My name is Matt and I was born on 16th March 1990. Matts Hideout went live in September 2001 and began as a personal 'blog' to help me come to terms with the things that had happened to me. Since then, the site has evolved and it is my wish to keep the resource, that it has become, available. The site aims to offer support and hope for young people with dyspraxia and their families, while providing information about what it is really like for people living with hidden disabilities, for educational and health professionals and any one else interested in learning more about dyspraxia and its related conditions. During 2007 the site had a major overhaul to make it simple to navigate and to improve its overall look.

I have always had a happy home life but when I was at school I had some difficult times because I have Dyspraxia. I suffered too long from bullying not just by my peers but by some of the teachers too. I left school in 2001, aged 11 years and was home educated by my parents for 5 years until I started college in September 2006. To find out more read my story.

By browsing the pages of this website you will be able to learn more about Dyspraxia, how it affects those that have it and how I learnt to cope. Unlike most other websites on the Internet, this site records the thoughts and ideas of someone who has Dyspraxia rather than facts written by a health professional who has studied the condition, but actually doesn't understand what it's like to live with it.

Some of the pages on this site explore bullying at school, which is an increasing problem for many. I share my own experiences and give sufferers ideas of how to cope.

I hope you find what you are looking for within these pages and that in some way this site helps you too.

Latest News

Show your support for Matt's Hideout
There is currently an online vote on the CHANGEit blog. If you would like to support me and more importantly show your support for Matt's Hideout and what it stands for, please take a few seconds to vote. Thank you.

March 2008 - Deutsche Bank CHANGEit Performance Award
I recently recieved news that I have been selected as a finalist in the Performance category of the CHANGEit Awards. Nearly 1500 young people who have launched a campaign to try to make a difference were nominated and I am now amoung the nine finalists. My award is in recognition of Matt's Hideout and its success in raising awareness of dyspraxia and other hidden disabilities. The CHANGEit awards ceremony is to take place on 14th may 2008, at the Rich Mix Cultural Foundation, London. For more information please visit the CHANGEit website and if you would like to vote for Matt's Hideout,, please visit the CHANGEit blog.

January 2008 - Dyspraxia Awareness Leaflet
We have recently updated our dyspraxia leaflet and the new edition is now available to download in pdf format. The leaflet has been distributed to many schools across the UK and we are continuing our campaign to ensure one reaches every UK primary school in the UK, but if you have a young child with dyspraxia, who is struggling at nursery or school, please print a copy and give it to your child's class teacher.

September 2007 - Awareness Speech

On Thursday 27th September I was one of several guest speakers invited to talk at the Learning Alliance Annual Conference, this year dedicated to Dyspraxia and held at The Tower of London. To read my speech in full, please visit my Understanding Dyspraxia page. For more information about the day, please visit the Learning Alliance.

Quote from Learning Alliance Conference Review
Final guest speaker Matt Alden Farrow reached the summit of his mountain- and then kept on climbing. After being bullied at school because of the ignorance surrounding dyspraxia, Matt turned his attentions to a project aptly titled ‘Matt’s Hideout’. This website became a place for children with dyspraxia written by a child living with the condition every day- his struggles, his encouragement, his good times and his bad, all documented on one website which he later realised would go on to unite many children all over the world who wanted to share stories- and swap advice. The success of Matt’s Hideout later led Matt to develop a sister site ‘Dyspraxic Teens’ which has seen similar and unprecedented success.

Delegate feedback forms revealed that guests found Matt extremely inspirational, moving and encouraging. His message to young people coping with dyspraxia is sure to be delivered by guests to children and teens like Matt after this conference: ‘Dyspraxia makes the individual the person they are. It’s an intricate part of their personality, their aspirations, and dreams. Having dyspraxia clearly affects the way a person sees the world and themselves within it. I know that without dyspraxia, I wouldn’t be the person I am, and I wouldn’t have achieved the things I have. I wouldn’t have the drive and commitment that I have now – it’s not simply a matter of wanting to better myself, it’s a need to prove those who doubted me wrong.’