S.E.N.D. Parenting Podcast: Recent Episodes
Olivia Kessel
S.E.N.D. Parenting podcast is focused on empowering and supporting parents and their neurodiverse children.Dr Olivia Kessel, your neurodiverse host, will be interviewing experts and parents to understand how to navigate life with neurodiversity from diagnosis, to education, to overcoming legal barriers, to utilizing technology, socialization, acceptance and much, much, more.. There is no topic we won’t explore to ensure you as a parent are empowered with the right information, tools, and techniques to fight for your child’s rights so that they can reach their full potential and live their best life.
In February 2026, the UK government, under Prime Minister Keir Starmer, issued a white paper outlining recommendations and reforms to the schools and SEND system in England.
In this live masterclass, Olivia discusses the good, the bad, and the key points from this paper that impact you, and to do that she is joined by Kelly Jarvis, Head of Advocacy and Consultancy at Sunshine Support and Education Consultant Sara Donnelly.
Read the white paper and full report here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/every-child-achieving-and-thriving
Together, Dr. Olivia, Kelly and Sara discuss:
✨ the SEN legislation gaps
✨ problems in the tribunal process
✨ the problem with inclusion hubs
✨ the new OFSTED framework
✨ is the White Paper really delivering anything?
🤝Contact Kelly and find out more about Sunshine Support: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-j-100095225/
🤝Find out more about Sara’s work at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-donnelly-177300217/
💛 If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it.
📚 New Book — Out Now 👉 Order your copy
Beyond the Label: Empowering Parents of ADHD Girls
A powerful blend of science and lived experience to help you truly understand and support your daughter.
💬 Connect with Us
🌱 Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a free, safe, welcoming space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand the realities of neurodiverse family life.
⚡ Ready to go deeper?
Become part of the ADHD Warrior Mum’s Membership — a paid membership space with group coaching with Dr Olivia, access to masterclasses with neurodiverse experts, monthly self-care and real connection. You don't have to navigate this journey alone.
📩 Contact Me
If you wou...
How many times has your AuDHD child missed a deadline, or simply not done something really important?
Spoiler alert: they’re not lazy or naughty, because neurodivergent brains do not process things in the same way. Their reward system is entirely different. And their executive dysfunction can make even the most straightforward tasks feel impossible.
I am joined by Nicola McAllister, a specialist in child development and founder of The Regulated Child, to break down why our children can’t just do the thing.
Nicola explains her ‘brain house’ model that she uses to understand and support neurodiverse brains, and why simply telling a neurospicy brain to do something is not only unhelpful, but might actually make a frustrating situation even worse.
Together, Dr. Olivia and Nicole discuss:
✨ how to understand the neurodiverse brain
✨ the regulate, relate, reason framework
✨ why consequences don’t work with ADHD
✨ practical tools to help you work through the wobbles
🤝Contact Nicola and find out more about her work at https://www.regulatedchild.co.uk/
💛 If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it.
📚 New Book — Out Now 👉 Order your copy
Beyond the Label: Empowering Parents of ADHD Girls
A powerful blend of science and lived experience to help you truly understand and support your daughter.
💬 Connect with Us
🌱 Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a free, safe, welcoming space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand the realities of neurodiverse family life.
⚡ Ready to go deeper?
Become part of the ADHD Warrior Mum’s Membership — a paid membership space with group coaching with Dr Olivia, access to masterclasses with neurodiverse experts, monthly self-care and real connection. You don't have to navigate this journey alone.
📩 Contact Me
If you wou...
In today’s attention economy, parenting has never been more challenging. Our children are surrounded by gadgets, technology and screens actively trying to distract them from you.
And they’re really good at it!
So what do we do about screen time, how much is too much, why do our kids always prefer to look at their screens over the world around them - or us - and what can you do about it?
I am joined by Ekta Khera, illustrator and founder of Tiny Thinks, to discuss the big questions around screen time looming over every parent today.
Together, Dr. Olivia and Ekta discuss: ✨ Encouraging children to think deeper
✨ Creating realistic alternatives and harnessing the hyperfocus
✨ Supporting neurodiversity with non-screen based activities
✨ Why Cocomelon is evil
✨ How to build an offline world that helps kids thrive
✨ The importance of curiosity and progress
🤝Contact Ekta and find out more about her work at ourtinythinks.com
💛 If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it.
📚 New Book — Out Now 👉 Order your copy
Beyond the Label: Empowering Parents of ADHD Girls
A powerful blend of science and lived experience to help you truly understand and support your daughter.
💬 Connect with Us
🌱 Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a free, safe, welcoming space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand the realities of neurodiverse family life.
⚡ Ready to go deeper?
Become part of the ADHD Warrior Mum’s Membership — a paid membership space with group coaching with Dr Olivia, access to masterclasses with neurodiverse experts, monthly self-care and real connection. You don't have to navigate this journey alone.
📩 Contact Me
If you wou...
Parenting at the best of times is hard work, but having a neurodivergent child is like parenting on steroids. Nothing works, you never feel like you can catch a break, and worst of all, you often feel like you’re not good enough.
If this sounds like you, this episode is going to help you find your mojo again. Dr. Olivia is joined by Dr. Melita Ash, a clinical psychologist and the director of Percuro Psychology, a specialist practice in assessing and supporting anxiety, neurodivergence and school-related distress.
Together, Dr. Olivia and Melita discuss:
✨ The challenges of identifying ASD in children, especially girls
✨ Managing overwhelm and emptying the stress bucket
✨ Social anxiety and autism
✨ The demand-capacity gap
✨ Patterns to look for in your neurodivergent children
🤝Contact Melita and the Percuro Psychology team at https://percuropsychology.co.uk/
💛 If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it.
📚 New Book — Out Now 👉 Order your copy
Beyond the Label: Empowering Parents of ADHD Girls
A powerful blend of science and lived experience to help you truly understand and support your daughter.
💬 Connect with Us
🌱 Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a free, safe, welcoming space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand the realities of neurodiverse family life.
⚡ Ready to go deeper?
Become part of the ADHD Warrior Mum’s Membership — a paid membership space with group coaching with Dr Olivia, access to masterclasses with neurodiverse experts, monthly self-care and real connection. You don't have to navigate this journey alone.
📩 Contact Me
If you wou...
What happens when a child spends their entire life being told they are “too sensitive,” “not trying hard enough,” or that they “have so much potential”… while secretly struggling just to cope?
In this deeply moving and honest conversation, Dr. Olivia Kessel is joined by author and illustrator Eliza Fricker to explore the hidden reality of growing up as an undiagnosed autistic girl. Inspired by Eliza’s powerful new book, Could Try Harder, this episode unpacks the emotional cost of masking, people-pleasing, perfectionism, and constantly feeling “different” in a world that misunderstands neurodiverse girls.
Together, Dr. Olivia and Eliza discuss:
✨ The subtle signs of autism in girls that are so often missed
✨ The exhausting reality of masking and living behind a “coping” facade
✨ How phrases like “everyone else manages it” shape identity and self-worth
✨ Why neurodiverse girls are frequently overlooked in schools and families
✨ The grief, relief, and self-compassion that can come with late diagnosis
✨ How parents can better support children who are already trying their absolute best
This episode is a powerful reminder that what looks like “not trying” is often a child trying harder than anyone can see. It is a conversation filled with compassion, insight, humour, and hope for parents, educators, and late-diagnosed women alike.
📚 Could Try Harder by Eliza Fricker is available now.
💛 If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it.
📚 New Book — Out Now 👉 Order your copy
Beyond the Label: Empowering Parents of ADHD Girls
A powerful blend of science and lived experience to help you truly understand and support your daughter.
💬 Connect with Us
🌱 Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a free, safe, welcoming space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand the realities of neurodiverse family life.
⚡ Ready to go deeper?
Become part of the ADHD Warrior Mum’s Membership — a paid membership space with group coaching with Dr Olivia, access to masterclasses with neurodiverse experts, monthly self-care and real connection. You don't have to navigate this journey alone.
📩 Contact Me
If you wou...
Today is a special one. It is publication day for my debut book, Beyond the Label: Empowering Parents of ADHD Girls, and I wanted to mark it by recording something just for you.
In this episode I share the things I wish someone had told me the day we got Alexandra's diagnosis. Why ADHD is so consistently missed in girls, and what it actually looks like in the home rather than the classroom. The one symptom that causes more chaos in families than almost anything else, and that does not even appear on the diagnostic checklist. The piece of neuroscience that changed the way I parent completely. And the four things that have made the biggest, most tangible difference for our family.
This is not a clinical overview. It is what I know now, after years of living it, researching it, and supporting hundreds of families through it.
Beyond the Label is available everywhere books are sold from today. The link is below. And if you are looking for a community of parents who truly get it, details of the ADHD Warrior Mums membership are in the links too.
You are not alone in this. You never were.
📚 New Book — Out Now 👉 Order your copy
Beyond the Label: Empowering Parents of ADHD Girls
A powerful blend of science and lived experience to help you truly understand and support your daughter.
💬 Connect with Us
🌱 Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a free, safe, welcoming space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand the realities of neurodiverse family life.
⚡ Ready to go deeper?
Become part of the ADHD Warrior Mum’s Membership — a paid membership space with group coaching with Dr Olivia, access to masterclasses with neurodiverse experts, monthly self-care and real connection. You don't have to navigate this journey alone.
📩 Contact Me
If you wou...
Following her recent Daily Mail feature, Dr Olivia Kessel opens up about one of the most misunderstood and most common aspects of ADHD: emotional dysregulation and flash anger.
In this honest and practical episode, Olivia explores why emotional dysregulation isn't in the ADHD diagnostic criteria and why that matters. She unpacks the neuroscience behind flash anger and why reasoning in the moment makes things worse. She also goes into the hidden triggers behind explosions at home, including sleep deprivation, masking at school, hormonal cycles, hunger, transitions, and the "school angel, home devil" pattern so many parents recognise. And she shares the practical tools that transformed daily life in their household.
Plus, messages from the community, including parents who felt, for the first time, that their experience was finally being reflected back to them.
If you have ever felt trapped, ashamed, or utterly alone in what is happening behind your closed front door, this episode is for you.
📚 New Book — Out Now 👉 Order your copy
Beyond the Label: Empowering Parents of ADHD Girls
A powerful blend of science and lived experience to help you truly understand and support your daughter.
💬 Connect with Us
🌱 Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a free, safe, welcoming space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand the realities of neurodiverse family life.
⚡ Ready to go deeper?
Become part of the ADHD Warrior Mum’s Membership — a paid membership space with group coaching with Dr Olivia, access to masterclasses with neurodiverse experts, monthly self-care and real connection. You don't have to navigate this journey alone.
📩 Contact Me
If you wou...
Can I be honest with you for a moment?
For so many parents, the hardest part of the SEND journey is not the diagnosis…
It is the paperwork.
The forms. The reports. The endless documents.
The fear of getting it wrong.
And for many, that fear becomes so big that they never even make it to tribunal, despite the fact that 95% of cases that get there are decided in favour of families.
In this episode, I am joined by Stevie Hayes, founder of Bundle Creator—a tool designed to simplify one of the most overwhelming parts of the EHCP journey.
We talk about:
- Why the EHCP and tribunal process feels so complex (and why that is not your fault)
- The hidden “gatekeeping” role of paperwork that stops families in their tracks
- How to break the process down into manageable, bite-sized steps
- The shocking statistic that fewer than 10% of families reach tribunal
- Practical ways to organise evidence, meet deadlines, and feel more in control
- How technology can support neurodivergent parents to navigate a non-neuroaffirming system
This is not about pretending the system is easy.
It is about giving you the tools to face it with clarity, confidence, and support.
Because you are not failing the system.
The system has not been built for you.
And when we change how we approach it, everything begins to shift.
If you have ever felt overwhelmed, stuck, or unsure where to start, this episode is for you.
Stevie Hayes: stevie@bundlecreator.co
Click here for SEND Bundle
The NeuroDiverse toolbox - YouTube
**The local authority is responsible for submitting any bundle to a SEND Tribunal. Parents are best prepared when they understand the constraints and can submit their evidence as a partially completed bundle to the local authority.
📚 New Book — Out Now 👉 Order your copy
Beyond the Label: Empowering Parents of ADHD Girls
A powerful blend of science and lived experience to help you truly understand and support your daughter.
💬 Connect with Us
🌱 Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a free, safe, welcoming space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand the realities of neurodiverse family life.
⚡ Ready to go deeper?
Become part of the ADHD Warrior Mum’s Membership — a paid membership space with group coaching with Dr Olivia, access to masterclasses with neurodiverse experts, monthly self-care and real connection. You don't have to navigate this journey alone.
📩 Contact Me
If you wou...
Easter holidays can feel like a breaking point for many ADHD mums.
Less structure. More demands. And that quiet, heavy loneliness that no one else seems to understand.
In this deeply honest solo episode, Dr. Olivia shares what came up again and again in her group coaching this week:
👉 the invisible load
👉 the emotional exhaustion
👉 and the feeling of doing it all alone
If you are heading into the holidays feeling overwhelmed, stretched, or already running on empty… this episode is for you.
This is not about perfect routines or getting it “right.”
This is about something far more important:
Not losing yourself in the process.
Inside this episode, you will find:
- Why parenting a neurodiverse child can feel so relentless (and why it is not your fault)
- The hidden “invisible load” so many mums are carrying
- A powerful mindset shift to take the pressure off this holiday period
- One simple daily anchor to help you reconnect with yourself
- A short guided meditation to calm your nervous system and give you space to breathe
Because you are not just the organiser, the advocate, or the regulator.
You are a person within this, too.
And you matter.
If this episode resonates, please share it with another mum who might need to hear this today.
🧘♀️ Meditation Link
📚 New Book — Out Now 👉 Order your copy
Beyond the Label: Empowering Parents of ADHD Girls
A powerful blend of science and lived experience to help you truly understand and support your daughter.
💬 Connect with Us
🌱 Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a free, safe, welcoming space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand the realities of neurodiverse family life.
⚡ Ready to go deeper?
Become part of the ADHD Warrior Mum’s Membership — a paid membership space with group coaching with Dr Olivia, access to masterclasses with neurodiverse experts, monthly self-care and real connection. You don't have to navigate this journey alone.
📩 Contact Me
If you wou...
Have you ever watched your child fall apart over something that seems small — a correction at school, a cancelled plan, a simple “not now”… and wondered what is really going on?
In this powerful solo episode, Dr Olivia explores Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria (RSD) — a term you may have seen everywhere on social media, but one that is often misunderstood.
Blending medical insight, real-life parenting experience, and practical tools, this episode unpacks:
• What RSD actually is (and why it is not in the DSM)
• The science behind emotional dysregulation in ADHD
• Why some experts support the term — and others challenge it
• What RSD really looks like in children and teenagers (especially girls)
• Why your child is not “overreacting” — and what their brain is doing instead
• The link between ADHD, rejection, and lived experience over time
Most importantly, Dr Olivia shares practical, compassionate strategies to help you support your child:
• How to respond in the moment (what helps — and what makes it worse)
• How to build emotional awareness before meltdown
• Why validation matters more than logic
• How to gently reduce avoidance and build resilience
• The role of therapy and when to consider medication
If you have ever felt confused, exhausted, or alone trying to support a child who feels everything so deeply, this episode will help you understand what is really happening — and how to move forward with confidence.
You are not alone in this. And neither is your child.
📚 New Book — Out Now 👉 Order your copy
Beyond the Label: Empowering Parents of ADHD Girls
A powerful blend of science and lived experience to help you truly understand and support your daughter.
💬 Connect with Us
🌱 Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a free, safe, welcoming space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand the realities of neurodiverse family life.
⚡ Ready to go deeper?
Become part of the ADHD Warrior Mum’s Membership — a paid membership space with group coaching with Dr Olivia, access to masterclasses with neurodiverse experts, monthly self-care and real connection. You don't have to navigate this journey alone.
📩 Contact Me
If you wou...
The teenage years can feel particularly intense when you are parenting a child with ADHD.
Many parents expect things to get easier as children grow older — yet for many families, adolescence brings new challenges: emotional outbursts, school struggles, growing independence, and the feeling that your once-connected child is suddenly pushing you away.
In this episode of the SEND Parenting Podcast, I am joined by therapist and ADHD specialist Jheri South, who works closely with teenagers and their families. Together we explore what is really happening in the ADHD teenage brain and why this stage can be so complex — not just for teenagers, but for parents too.
Jerry shares both professional insight and personal experience as a neurodivergent parent raising seven neurodivergent children. Her work focuses on helping families understand behaviour through the lens of brain development, emotional regulation, and the unique wiring of the ADHD brain.
In this conversation, we explore:
• Why ADHD teenagers often seem three years behind in executive functioning
• The impact of constant criticism on self-esteem in ADHD children
• Why traditional parenting approaches based on punishment often backfire
• How rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD) drives emotional reactions and meltdowns
• Why connection matters more than control during the teenage years
• Practical strategies parents can use to support independence without losing connection
We also talk honestly about the emotional side of parenting ADHD teens — the fear that your child may struggle in life and the worry that you are somehow getting it wrong.
Jheri reminds us of something many parents need to hear:
ADHD teenagers are not broken. They are developing differently — and with the right understanding and support, they can thrive.
If you are navigating the teenage years with an ADHD child and wondering whether things will ever get easier, this episode offers reassurance, insight, and practical tools to help you support your child through this stage.
Learn more about Jheri South and her work
📚 New Book — Out Now 👉 Order your copy
Beyond the Label: Empowering Parents of ADHD Girls
A powerful blend of science and lived experience to help you truly understand and support your daughter.
💬 Connect with Us
🌱 Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a free, safe, welcoming space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand the realities of neurodiverse family life.
⚡ Ready to go deeper?
Become part of the ADHD Warrior Mum’s Membership — a paid membership space with group coaching with Dr Olivia, access to masterclasses with neurodiverse experts, monthly self-care and real connection. You don't have to navigate this journey alone.
📩 Contact Me
If you wou...
Deciding whether to try ADHD medication can feel overwhelming for many parents.
There is a huge amount of misinformation online, and the decision can feel heavy, emotional, and confusing.
In this episode, I sit down with Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Dr Giovanni Giaroli to break down what ADHD medication actually does in the brain — in clear, parent-friendly language.
We explore:
• How ADHD medication works in the prefrontal cortex and executive brain
• The difference between stimulant and non-stimulant medications
• Why finding the right medication is often a journey of careful titration
• Common side effects and what parents should realistically expect
• How medication interacts with autism, anxiety, OCD and PDA profiles
• Why medication alone is not the whole picture — and how sleep, exercise, nutrition and support work alongside it
Dr Giaroli also explains why ADHD medication has one of the strongest evidence bases in child psychiatry, while still requiring a personalised approach for every child.
If you are navigating this decision for your child, this conversation will help bring clarity, reassurance, and science to the discussion.
Giaroli Clinic
📚 New Book — Out Now 👉 Order your copy
Beyond the Label: Empowering Parents of ADHD Girls
A powerful blend of science and lived experience to help you truly understand and support your daughter.
💬 Connect with Us
🌱 Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a free, safe, welcoming space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand the realities of neurodiverse family life.
⚡ Ready to go deeper?
Become part of the ADHD Warrior Mum’s Membership — a paid membership space with group coaching with Dr Olivia, access to masterclasses with neurodiverse experts, monthly self-care and real connection. You don't have to navigate this journey alone.
📩 Contact Me
If you wou...
Why does everything suddenly feel harder when puberty begins?
In this powerful and honest conversation, I am joined by Dr Jess Morgan — former NHS paediatrician and now educator — to unpack what is really happening in the brain and body when puberty meets neurodivergence.
We explore:
- Why emotional outbursts are developmental, not defiance
- How hormonal changes amplify ADHD and sensory sensitivities
- The brain science behind mood swings and impulsivity
- Why masking becomes more exhausting in adolescence
- The hidden mental health toll of “trying to fit in”
- Practical ways to support regulation without escalating conflict
- What happens when puberty collides with parental menopause
If you have felt blindsided by the intensity of adolescence — particularly with a neurodivergent child — this episode will help you understand the why behind the behaviour, and offer compassionate, practical ways to respond.
Because this is not about bad parenting.
It is about brain development, hormones, and learning to tread gently — with our children and ourselves.
The survive and thrive collective
Dr Jess Morgan TedX on reconnecting with your inner child
📚 New Book — Out Now 👉 Order your copy
Beyond the Label: Empowering Parents of ADHD Girls
A powerful blend of science and lived experience to help you truly understand and support your daughter.
💬 Connect with Us
🌱 Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a free, safe, welcoming space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand the realities of neurodiverse family life.
⚡ Ready to go deeper?
Become part of the ADHD Warrior Mum’s Membership — a paid membership space with group coaching with Dr Olivia, access to masterclasses with neurodiverse experts, monthly self-care and real connection. You don't have to navigate this journey alone.
📩 Contact Me
If you wou...
In this powerful and honest conversation, Dr Olivia Kessel is joined by parenting coach Alison Solomon to explore one uncomfortable truth: what if the biggest shift in our child’s behaviour has nothing to do with them and everything to do with us?
Alison shares the moment she calls the “arrow through the heart,” when she realised her child was not the problem, her reaction was. From that moment, everything changed.
In this episode, we explore:
• What actually happens in the brain when a child is dysregulated
• Why adding logic to an emotional brain makes things worse
• The power of silence and when to stop talking
• How to create emotional safety at home
• Why oppositional traits may be future strengths
• The “golden apology” and how modelling accountability builds resilience
This is not about blame. It is about empowerment.
Because when we regulate first, everything else begins to shift.
If you have ever found yourself talking more and getting nowhere, this episode will land.
📚 New Book — Out Now 👉 Order your copy
Beyond the Label: Empowering Parents of ADHD Girls
A powerful blend of science and lived experience to help you truly understand and support your daughter.
💬 Connect with Us
🌱 Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a free, safe, welcoming space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand the realities of neurodiverse family life.
⚡ Ready to go deeper?
Become part of the ADHD Warrior Mum’s Membership — a paid membership space with group coaching with Dr Olivia, access to masterclasses with neurodiverse experts, monthly self-care and real connection. You don't have to navigate this journey alone.
📩 Contact Me
If you wou...
This week is a short solo half-term check-in.
It is GCSE options time in our house, and I know many of you are feeling the same fear.
In this episode, I talk about:
• The 30% executive function delay in ADHD and what that really means
• Why GCSE choices can feel overwhelming for neurodivergent teens
• How to choose subjects based on interest, not pressure
• The bigger life picture beyond exams
• Successful neurodivergent entrepreneurs including Jo Malone, Richard Branson and Ingvar Kamprad
GCSEs matter — but they are not destiny.
If you are sitting at the kitchen table staring at options forms, this episode is for you.
A calm reset for half term. 💛
Register for the ADHD Medications Unmasked Masterclass with Dr Giovani on Tuesday, February 17th @ 8 PM
📚 New Book — Out Now 👉 Order your copy
Beyond the Label: Empowering Parents of ADHD Girls
A powerful blend of science and lived experience to help you truly understand and support your daughter.
💬 Connect with Us
🌱 Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a free, safe, welcoming space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand the realities of neurodiverse family life.
⚡ Ready to go deeper?
Become part of the ADHD Warrior Mum’s Membership — a paid membership space with group coaching with Dr Olivia, access to masterclasses with neurodiverse experts, monthly self-care and real connection. You don't have to navigate this journey alone.
📩 Contact Me
If you wou...
Choosing how to get an ADHD or autism diagnosis can feel overwhelming — and confusing. But the pathway you choose does not just affect how long you wait. It affects your child's support, medication access, and long-term outcomes.
In this episode, Dr Olivia Kessel is joined by Reemz — a member of the SEND Parenting community with direct experience working inside NHS CAMHS and supporting a family member through Right to Choose.
Together, they break down:
- The NHS CAMHS diagnostic pathway
- The Right to Choose pathway — what it really offers and where families get stuck
- Private assessments — benefits, risks, and hidden costs
- Why diagnosis is not a “label,” but a tool for understanding and support
- What parents need to know before starting any pathway
This episode is for parents who are:
- Unsure which route to take
- Already on a waiting list
- Worried about making the “wrong” decision
- Seeking clarity, not opinions
You are not failing.
You are navigating a complex system — and knowledge changes everything.
🔗 Helpful Resources & Guidelines
As mentioned on Podcast Reemz has kindly shared two worksheets that you can print and use at home:
ASD Diagnostic criteria worksheet
ADHD Diagnostic criteria worksheet
Right to Choose (England)
Clear explanations of the process, providers, and current waiting times:
👉 ADHD UK – Right to Choose Guide
📘 DSM Diagnostic Criteria
Understanding what clinicians are actually assessing can help you advocate more effectively.
- 👉ADHD Diagnostic Criteria (DSM-5-TR)
- 👉Autism Diagnostic Criteria (DSM-5-TR)
(These criteria explain why traits must be present across settings and over time.)
If this episode helped you, please share it with another parent who might be quietly stuck.
And stay tuned — next week’s episode, “Shut the Fluff Up,” dives into how parent regulation changes everything when our children are dysregulated.
You are not alone.
You are doing the hardest job ❤️ Dr Olivia
📚 New Book — Out Now 👉 Order your copy
Beyond the Label: Empowering Parents of ADHD Girls
A powerful blend of science and lived experience to help you truly understand and support your daughter.
💬 Connect with Us
🌱 Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a free, safe, welcoming space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand the realities of neurodiverse family life.
⚡ Ready to go deeper?
Become part of the ADHD Warrior Mum’s Membership — a paid membership space with group coaching with Dr Olivia, access to masterclasses with neurodiverse experts, monthly self-care and real connection. You don't have to navigate this journey alone.
📩 Contact Me
If you wou...
Sleep problems are one of the most overlooked — and misunderstood — parts of ADHD.
In this episode of the SEND Parenting Podcast, Dr Olivia Kessel breaks down the science behind ADHD and sleep, explaining why up to 70% of children with ADHD struggle with sleep, and why this is not behavioural, it is biological.
Drawing on research and lived experience, Dr Olivia explains how delayed melatonin release and circadian rhythm disruption affect the ADHD brain, and why many children are simply not biologically ready for sleep at conventional bedtimes.
This episode was created after a conversation inside the ADHD Warrior Mum community, where a mum shared that her child was still full of energy at bedtime — and that her doctor questioned the evidence behind melatonin. That question prompted a deep dive into what the research actually shows.
In this episode, you will learn:
- Why sleep difficulties are so common in ADHD
- How melatonin works (and what it does not do)
- What the research says about safety and effectiveness
- Why addressing sleep can transform emotional regulation, focus, and family life
Dr. Olivia also shares her personal journey navigating over a decade of severe sleep disruption with her daughter — and how understanding the biology changed everything.
🎧 Recommended resource:
Dr. Olivia references research and clinical insights from Dr Russell Barkley, including his YouTube talk on ADHD and sleep.
👉 Link to Dr Russell Barkley’s YouTube video on ADHD and sleep
📘 Free resource:
Download the free 30-Day Sleep Guide at
www.SENDParenting.com/Sleep
📚 New Book — Out Now 👉 Order your copy
Beyond the Label: Empowering Parents of ADHD Girls
A powerful blend of science and lived experience to help you truly understand and support your daughter.
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Why do children with ADHD seem exhausted by the end of the day?
Why do meltdowns often hit after school?
And why does it feel like they are constantly craving sugar?
In this episode, adapted from a live masterclass inside the ADHD Warrior Mum community, Dr. Olivia Kessel is joined by Lucinda Miller, founder of NatureDoc and author of Brain Brilliance, to explore how brain fuel affects energy, focus, emotional regulation, and behaviour in children with ADHD.
We discuss:
- Why the ADHD brain uses more energy than a neurotypical brain
- How blood sugar crashes drive dysregulation and meltdowns
- Why breakfast matters more than most parents realise
- How nutrition can support ADHD medication and sleep
- Practical, low-pressure strategies that work in real families
This is not about perfect diets or restriction.
It is about understanding your child’s brain and supporting steadier days.
📚 New Book — Out Now 👉 Order your copy
Beyond the Label: Empowering Parents of ADHD Girls
A powerful blend of science and lived experience to help you truly understand and support your daughter.
💬 Connect with Us
🌱 Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a free, safe, welcoming space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand the realities of neurodiverse family life.
⚡ Ready to go deeper?
Become part of the ADHD Warrior Mum’s Membership — a paid membership space with group coaching with Dr Olivia, access to masterclasses with neurodiverse experts, monthly self-care and real connection. You don't have to navigate this journey alone.
📩 Contact Me
If you wou...
Applying for an EHCP can feel overwhelming, intimidating, and emotionally draining — especially when your child is already struggling.
In this episode, Dr. Olivia Kessel is joined by Dr Abigail Fisher and Eliza Fricker, co-authors of The Essential EHCP Guide for Parents and Carers, to gently demystify the EHCP process and remind parents of one crucial truth:
You are not failing. The system is hard.
Together, we break down what an EHCP really is, when to apply, and the common myths that delay support — including the belief that you need a diagnosis before starting. We explore how to advocate for your child without burning out, what makes an EHCP meaningful (and what makes it ineffective), and how parents can protect their own mental health while navigating a deeply flawed system.
This is not just a conversation about paperwork and plans.
It is about trust, instinct, advocacy, and hope.
If EHCPs are part of your life — or you are wondering if they should be — this episode will help you feel less alone, more informed, and more empowered.
📚 New Book — Out Now 👉 Order your copy
Beyond the Label: Empowering Parents of ADHD Girls
A powerful blend of science and lived experience to help you truly understand and support your daughter.
💬 Connect with Us
🌱 Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a free, safe, welcoming space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand the realities of neurodiverse family life.
⚡ Ready to go deeper?
Become part of the ADHD Warrior Mum’s Membership — a paid membership space with group coaching with Dr Olivia, access to masterclasses with neurodiverse experts, monthly self-care and real connection. You don't have to navigate this journey alone.
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In this powerful and honest conversation, I am joined by Michael McLeod, internationally recognised ADHD and executive function specialist and founder of GrowNOW ADHD, to unpack what ADHD really is and why so many children and families are being failed by outdated models of support.
We explore why ADHD is best understood as a developmental executive function disorder, with emotional regulation at its core — not laziness, defiance, or lack of willpower. Michael explains why traditional approaches like talk therapy, worksheets, and constant verbal prompting often make things worse, and what actually helps children build the skills they need for life.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Why emotional dysregulation is one of the most overlooked signs of ADHD
- The four pillars of executive function and how delays show up at home, school, and socially
- Why screens are so dysregulating for the ADHD brain — and why “balance” is often unrealistic
- How parenting language, structure, and boundaries can either escalate or reduce meltdowns
- Why executive function predicts long-term success more than grades or academic performance
- Practical strategies parents can use immediately, including reducing verbal prompts and creating more structure at home
This is a deeply validating episode for parents who are exhausted, overwhelmed, and questioning whether they are doing something wrong. It reframes ADHD with clarity, compassion, and evidence — and offers a way forward that feels realistic rather than punitive.
📘 Michael’s book The Executive Function Playbook
🌍 Grow Now ADHD Website
▶️ Russell Barkley YouTube
📚 New Book — Out Now 👉 Order your copy
Beyond the Label: Empowering Parents of ADHD Girls
A powerful blend of science and lived experience to help you truly understand and support your daughter.
💬 Connect with Us
🌱 Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a free, safe, welcoming space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand the realities of neurodiverse family life.
⚡ Ready to go deeper?
Become part of the ADHD Warrior Mum’s Membership — a paid membership space with group coaching with Dr Olivia, access to masterclasses with neurodiverse experts, monthly self-care and real connection. You don't have to navigate this journey alone.
📩 Contact Me
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Christmas is often sold as magical and restorative. For many mums of neurodiverse children, it is exhausting.
In this honest, deeply personal episode, Dr Olivia Kessel shares a raw Christmas Eve moment that reveals the hidden burnout so many mothers carry. This is a conversation about emotional regulation, guilt, shame, and the invisible labour of neurodiverse parenting.
If you made it through the holidays feeling drained, snappy, or empty, this episode is for you. Burnout is not a failure. It is a sign you have been giving more than you have.
You are not alone.
📚 New Book — Out Now 👉 Order your copy
Beyond the Label: Empowering Parents of ADHD Girls
A powerful blend of science and lived experience to help you truly understand and support your daughter.
💬 Connect with Us
🌱 Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a free, safe, welcoming space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand the realities of neurodiverse family life.
⚡ Ready to go deeper?
Become part of the ADHD Warrior Mum’s Membership — a paid membership space with group coaching with Dr Olivia, access to masterclasses with neurodiverse experts, monthly self-care and real connection. You don't have to navigate this journey alone.
📩 Contact Me
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The holidays can be magical… and completely exhausting when your child has ADHD.
Late nights, travel, sugar, screens, unfamiliar beds, and heightened emotions can quickly undo even the most carefully built sleep routine. If your child’s sleep falls apart during the holidays, you are not failing. This is genuinely harder for ADHD brains.
In this episode, Dr. Olivia Kessel shares practical, realistic strategies to help you protect your child’s sleep during the festive season and gently reset routines when January arrives.
In this episode, you will learn:
- Why holidays are especially disruptive to ADHD sleep
- How overstimulation, routine changes, and emotional intensity affect regulation
- What to pack in a holiday sleep toolkit
- How to protect wind-down time without becoming the “fun police”
- When and how to manage sugar and screen time
- What to do if sleep completely falls apart
- How to reset sleep routines calmly in the New Year
This episode is for parents who are juggling family expectations, disrupted routines, and a child who struggles to switch off. You will leave feeling reassured, supported, and better prepared.
👉 Download the free Holiday Sleep Survival Guide
Thank you for being part of the SEND Parenting Tribe. You are not alone in this.
📚 New Book — Out Now 👉 Order your copy
Beyond the Label: Empowering Parents of ADHD Girls
A powerful blend of science and lived experience to help you truly understand and support your daughter.
💬 Connect with Us
🌱 Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a free, safe, welcoming space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand the realities of neurodiverse family life.
⚡ Ready to go deeper?
Become part of the ADHD Warrior Mum’s Membership — a paid membership space with group coaching with Dr Olivia, access to masterclasses with neurodiverse experts, monthly self-care and real connection. You don't have to navigate this journey alone.
📩 Contact Me
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December promises twinkly lights and cosy moments, yet many parents feel like they’re sprinting through a minefield. I open up about the invisible load that spikes stress during the holidays—noise, judgment, lost routines, sensory overload—and explain why your nervous system interprets it all as danger. When the body tips into fight, flight, or freeze, calm isn’t a choice you’re failing to make; it’s a state you can learn to access with fast, reliable tools.
We unpack the zones of regulation for parents—blue, yellow, red, and green—and walk through a relatable holiday scenario to show how we slide from steady to overwhelmed in small steps. Then I share a three-step reset you can use anywhere: notice, name, navigate. You’ll learn a one-minute breath pattern to switch off threat mode and a 5-4-3-2-1 grounding sequence to anchor back in the present. From there, we get practical about hotspots: setting boundaries for family gatherings, using code words and pre-planned exits, lowering the bar to get out the door, and choosing “good enough” bedtime routines after big days.
The heart of this conversation is a reframe: you’re not a bad mum; you’re a tired human carrying a load most people can’t see. Perfection is brittle, but presence is resilient. Trade the Instagram script for small, humane choices that protect your energy and your child’s regulation—leave early, say no, order takeaway, let the outfit go, and pick connection over performance.
If you’re craving steady ground, join the Seven-Day Calm Parent Challenge. For £10 you’ll get daily guidance, audio support, a private community, and a live Q&A to help you map triggers, practise resets, set boundaries, and release guilt. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs it, and leave a review to help more parents find these tools. Let’s choose present over perfect together.
👉 Join the 7-Day Keeping Calm Challenge (£10)
📚 New Book — Out Now 👉 Order your copy
Beyond the Label: Empowering Parents of ADHD Girls
A powerful blend of science and lived experience to help you truly understand and support your daughter.
💬 Connect with Us
🌱 Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a free, safe, welcoming space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand the realities of neurodiverse family life.
⚡ Ready to go deeper?
Become part of the ADHD Warrior Mum’s Membership — a paid membership space with group coaching with Dr Olivia, access to masterclasses with neurodiverse experts, monthly self-care and real connection. You don't have to navigate this journey alone.
📩 Contact Me
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If parenting your child feels like a constant battle—and every strategy you have been told to use only makes things worse—you are not alone. Many families live this struggle daily without realising there is a name for what they are seeing: Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA).
In this episode, we speak with Rachel Crutcher and Sarah Stewart from the PDA Society, two experts who have walked this path both personally and professionally. Together, we uncover why everyday demands trigger such intense anxiety, why rewards and consequences backfire, and how a calm-first, collaborative approach can finally bring relief.
You will hear the early signs many parents miss—demand avoidance even for things a child usually loves, the need for control, and the familiar pattern of fine at school, meltdown at home. Once you understand PDA through a can’t-not-won’t lens, everything begins to make sense.
Your guides walk you through the practical steps that transform family life:
• How to lower demands without lowering expectations
• How to spot the hidden “micro-demands” that drain your child before the day has even begun
• How humour, choices, and written prompts make requests feel safe
• Why treating a PDA child like a “mini adult” (explaining the why, asking permission, collaborating) reduces anxiety instantly
We also tackle one of the biggest pain points for PDA families: school. You will learn how masking works, which adjustments truly help, and what flexible, trauma-aware practice looks like in real life. If your school’s ethos is rigid, we help you recognise when it is not the right fit—and where to turn for support and SEND-law guidance.
For families with siblings, we share a simple principle that reduces resentment and restores harmony: use collaborative, low-demand strategies with everyone. It is fair. It is kind. And it works.
Finally, we show you where real, ongoing help exists—through the PDA Society’s free guidance service, moderated parent communities, self-paced learning hub, professional training, and bespoke school consultations.
If you are exhausted, overwhelmed, or unsure what to try next, this episode will give you both clarity and hope.
You can understand your child. You can reconnect. And things can get better.
If this conversation supports you, follow the show, share it with your community, and leave a review—your story may be the encouragement another parent needs.
PDA Society
PDA Society Link Tree
📚 New Book — Out Now 👉 Order your copy
Beyond the Label: Empowering Parents of ADHD Girls
A powerful blend of science and lived experience to help you truly understand and support your daughter.
💬 Connect with Us
🌱 Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a free, safe, welcoming space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand the realities of neurodiverse family life.
⚡ Ready to go deeper?
Become part of the ADHD Warrior Mum’s Membership — a paid membership space with group coaching with Dr Olivia, access to masterclasses with neurodiverse experts, monthly self-care and real connection. You don't have to navigate this journey alone.
📩 Contact Me
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So many parents of neurodivergent children lie awake at night wondering the same thing:
“What will happen when my child enters the workplace?”
In this episode, Dr. Olivia sits down with Jenefer Livings, HR consultant, workplace needs assessor, and mother to a neurodivergent child, to demystify what neurodiversity at work really looks like. Together they explore how shifts in workplace culture, flexible working, and better understanding of executive functioning are transforming what is possible for neurodiverse adults.
You will learn:
- Why traditional school subjects do not predict your child’s future career success
- How to identify strengths—not just struggles—in your teenager
- What reasonable adjustments and Access to Work actually mean
- How parents can support teens to self-advocate with confidence
- Why the right workplace can unlock your child’s brilliance (and how to spot the wrong one)
- The rising opportunities in self-employment and entrepreneurship for differently wired minds
This is a hopeful, practical conversation for any parent wanting to help their child step into adulthood with confidence, clarity, and a sense of possibility.
Click here for Silk Helix
💬 Connect with Us
Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a safe space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand.
And if you are ready to go deeper, join our ADHD Warrior Mum’s Recharge Station — your space for group coaching, access to experts, support, connection, and calm.
You are not imagining it.
Pregnancy, birth, and early parenting are more overwhelming for many neurodivergent mums — and no one tells you why.
In this eye-opening episode, doula and neurodiversity advocate Alix Myers joins Dr Olivia to unpack the hidden challenges that make the perinatal journey feel so intense. If you ever wondered why you struggled more than other mums, this episode finally gives you the answers, validation, and tools you deserve.
✨ What You Will Learn
🧠 Sensory Overload in Pregnancy
Why hormonal shifts amplify sensory sensitivities — and how to make your body feel safer and calmer.
🏥 Creating a Neuro-Safe Birth Plan
How lighting, sound, communication style, and advocacy can completely change your birth experience.
🤐 The Hidden Danger of “Masking” in Labour
Why so many neurodivergent women go quiet under stress, and how this leads to medical teams missing signs of distress.
🍼 Feeding Without Overwhelm
Practical guidance for breastfeeding, chest feeding, or bottle feeding — without sacrificing your mental health.
🧩 Executive Function in Postpartum
Why everything feels 100 times harder, and how simple systems can reduce chaos and protect your wellbeing.
🤝 How Partners Can Truly Support You
From non-verbal cues to boundary-bouncing — what your partner really needs to know.
💛 Why This Episode Matters
If pregnancy or early motherhood felt harder than it “should,” this conversation offers compassion, clarity, and solutions. You will walk away feeling understood, supported, and far less alone.
Contact Alix Myers Virtual Doula
💬 Connect with Us
Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a safe space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand.
And if you are ready to go deeper, join our ADHD Warrior Mum’s Recharge Station — your space for group coaching, access to experts, support, connection, and calm.
Many neurodivergent children struggle to make and keep friends — not because they do not care, but because they experience the world differently. In this episode, Dr Olivia speaks with Kirsten, founder of Uncommon, a unique online community that helps neurodiverse children build friendships and confidence through shared interests like gaming, art, and creativity.
Kirsten shares her personal journey to an autism diagnosis, why traditional social spaces often fail neurodivergent kids, and how Uncommon’s mentoring model is transforming lives. Together, they explore what true belonging means — and how finding your tribe can change everything.
Whether your child is shy, anxious, or struggling to connect, this episode will give you hope, practical insights, and a new perspective on social growth for neurodiverse children.
🌐 Learn more about Uncommon
💬 Connect with Us
Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a safe space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand.
And if you are ready to go deeper, join our ADHD Warrior Mum’s Recharge Station — your space for group coaching, access to experts, support, connection, and calm.
What if the problem isn't your child—it's the system?
If school mornings feel like a battlefield and your child is shrinking under constant pressure, this episode offers hope. Dr. Olivia sits down with Cassie Olguin—homeschooling mother of three (including neurodivergent twins) and Outschool education lead—to explore what learning looks like when you step outside the traditional classroom.
Cassie's Journey: From early motor delays and night terrors to navigating autism, ADHD, OCD, and anxiety, Cassie shares the messy, real path many families walk. You'll discover how labels became tools for changing the environment—not verdicts on her daughter's potential.
What You'll Learn: ✨ Charter homeschooling demystified – How oversight works without rigid timetables
✨ Personal pace over grade levels – Why your child doesn't need to "keep up"
✨ Practical strategies that worked – Delaying reading until readiness, reframing maths as everyday numeracy, using interest-led classes
✨ Outschool's magic – Live sessions with expert tutors (think: veterinary science with a practicing vet, maths through Minecraft, virtual history escape rooms)
✨ Redefining success – Why standardised tests don't measure intelligence, creativity, or resilience
The Twin Perspective: Perhaps most moving: Cassie's twins are taking completely different educational paths through adolescence. One thrives with college-level work; the other flourishes at a gentler pace. Different tracks, equal worth.
Key Takeaways for Parents:
- Start without decision paralysis—you don't need to figure it all out at once
- Find your support network and share resources
- Outsource subjects you don't love (yes, really!)
- Mastery-based learning vs. arbitrary grade levels
- Small online classes that respect sensory needs and attention spans
If your child is struggling, this conversation offers relief, clarity, and a roadmap forward.
💡 Subscribe to never miss an episode
💬 Share this with a parent who needs hope
⭐ Leave a review to help more families find practical, compassionate support
Click here for Outschool
Coupon Code: SEND40
Terms: Offer expires 12/31/25 at 11:59 pm PDT. Registered Outschool account required. Enter code at checkout for $40 USD off a new membership. $40 off membership only valid for first-time memberships. Limited to the first 500 users. Cannot be combined with another offer. Subject to Outschool's Terms of Service
💬 Connect with Us
Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a safe space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand.
And if you are ready to go deeper, join our ADHD Warrior Mum’s Recharge Station — your space for group coaching, access to experts, support, connection, and calm.
Half-term chaos, slammed doors, sharp words—if that sounds familiar, you are not alone. In this episode, Dr Olivia Kessel sits down with teen expert Kim McCabe to unpack why your once-snuggly child suddenly bristles at “How was your day?” and how to respond without losing your cool or your connection. From the teenage brain’s rebuild to the unique load neurodiverse teens carry, we explore what is really happening under the surface—and the simple shifts that can change everything at home.
Kim explains why after-school meltdowns often land on parents, how masking drains emotional capacity, and what co-regulation looks like in real life. Together, we cover how to use short validating phrases instead of lectures, hold boundaries that reflect your core values, and create safe outlets for big feelings that do not harm anyone. You will hear why permissiveness can feel like indifference to teens, how to choose a few non-negotiables, and when to step back so your young person can save face and recover their balance.
We also share low-pressure ways to rebuild closeness: monthly parent–teen “dates,” visiting their world first—whether that is gaming, football, memes, or TikTok—without judgment, and narrating your own self-regulation to model coping. Whether you are parenting girls or boys, mums or dads, neurotypical or neurodiverse, the principles hold true: be the parent, team up with other adults, and protect your own capacity. Calm and loving is your superpower—but it needs fuel.
If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a parent who needs a boost, and leave a quick review so more families can find these tools. And if you are ready for deeper support, check the show notes for details on the Recharge and Connect SEND Summit—join us in person or via live stream.
💬 Resources Mentioned in This Episode
If today’s conversation with Kim McCabe resonated with you, you can find out more about her work at Rites for Girls
, where she supports parents and teens through the transitions of adolescence.
Explore her brilliant book, From Daughter to Woman: Parenting Girls Safely Through Their Teens
, and discover her Weekend Retreat for Mothers of Daughters
— a beautiful space to reconnect, reflect, and parent with greater awareness and ease.
And if you are ready to recharge yourself, not just your parenting, join me in person at the Recharge & Connect SEND Parenting Summit on Tuesday, November 11th, 10:00–2:30 PM in Henley-on-Thames — or via livestream from the comfort of your home. It is a day designed to restore your energy, expand your support network, and empower your next steps.
You can also join our growing community of Warrior Mums inside the ADHD Warrior Mum’s Recharge Station
— your space for support, connection, and calm.
Burnout has a way of making even the smallest task feel impossible. We open with a lifeline for parents raising neurodivergent children, then sit down with campaigner and founder Agnes Agyepong to trace how postnatal depression and isolation became the spark for two powerful vehicles of change: the Glow Mama Awards and a research-led movement tackling maternal and SEND inequalities.
Agnes shares the surprising role social media played in her recovery—authentic posts, wry humour, and micro-moments of solidarity that made her feel seen. That insight grows into Glow Mama, a people’s choice awards platform celebrating the creators who keep mothers going at 3 a.m. From there, Agnes dives into the Black maternal health crisis and the environmental factors that stack the odds against families long before labour begins, culminating in the Black Child Clean Air Report and cross-sector partnerships. The throughline is clear: these are public health problems that show up in clinics, classrooms, and on our streets.
We dig into SEND inequity with lived experience. Agnes talks about being treated with suspicion when her son was self-harming, becoming a school governor to be heard, and the way adultification bias and rigid behaviour policies fast-track exclusions before support arrives. We challenge the outdated, industrial model of schooling and argue for personalised education that works for every brain. Practical guidance runs throughout: why a Year 3 screening won’t secure legal protections, how an Educational Psychologist’s report unlocks exam access and durable support, and how to build an evidence trail that proves whether a school can meet need.
If you want clear next steps, we’ve got them: back petitions so policymakers see the data, write your MP so SEND rises in local triage, connect with specialist groups for Education Other Than At School pathways, and join community networks that share tactics without gatekeeping. Neurodivergent thinkers are not problems to be fixed; they are the innovators we need. Subscribe, share with a caregiver who needs hope, and leave a review to help more families find real tools and real change.
And if you are ready to recharge yourself, not just your parenting, join me in person at the Recharge & Connect SEND Parenting Summit on Tuesday, November 11th, 10:00–2:30 PM in Henley-on-Thames — or via livestream from the comfort of your home. It is a day designed to restore your energy, expand your support network, and empower your next steps.
You can also join our growing community of Warrior Mums inside the ADHD Warrior Mum’s Recharge Station
— your space for support, connection, and calm.
What if the problem was never your child—but the system itself?
In this powerful conversation, Dr. Olivia sits down with Esther Jones, mindfulness teacher, mother of three, and author of The Parent’s Handbook to Unschooling Yourself, to explore what happens when we let go of the ‘shoulds’ that weigh parents down. From daily battles over school refusal to the pressure of academic milestones, Esther shares her family’s journey into unschooling—a path that focuses on curiosity, connection, and trust rather than control.
Together, they unpack how mindfulness and self-compassion can transform not just how our children learn, but how we parent. Whether you are curious about alternatives to traditional education or simply looking for a way to bring more calm and joy into your home, this episode will help you see that the first step to helping your child thrive might just be learning to “unschool” yourself.
Author & mindful parenting coach
Book: The Parent's Handbook to Unschooling Yourself
Podcast: The Unschool Space
Website: www.esther-jones.com
👉 Join ADHD Warrior Mum: The Recharge Station
Join Dr. Olivia Kessel and leading SEND experts at the Recharge and Connect Summit on 11 November 2025 at Phyllis Court, Henley-on-Thames (also livestreamed).
A day to recharge, connect, and gain practical tools for raising neurodiverse children. 💛
👉 sendparenting.com/event
www.sendparenting.com
✨ Click here for SENsory Mother - Laura Ellis
✨ Click here for 30-day Guide to Better Sleep
👉 Join ADHD Warrior Mum: The Recharge Station
What if the meltdown in your hallway isn’t defiance at all, but a terrified nervous system asking for help? We go straight to the heart of “challenging behaviour” with Laura, a teacher and mum of neurodivergent twins, who moved from daily crisis to a calmer, kinder home by changing how she understood panic, overload, and connection. Her story spans premature birth, early diagnoses, masking at school, and the moment everything fell apart—then slowly came back together.
We break down the physiology of fight or flight in plain English—what rising heart rate, redirected blood flow, and sensory overwhelm do to a child’s thinking brain—and why sticker charts and lectures backfire mid-meltdown. You’ll hear the hidden social demands most of us miss: the chirpy morning greeting, the barrage of car-ride questions, the insistence on eye contact. We swap over-talking for visuals and scripts, and share a deceptively simple morning playlist that turned dread into momentum. Curiosity replaces blame through a great example of literal thinking (yes, he handed over the red and blue food colouring—because that’s what was asked).
We also map the sensory layer—why kicking and slamming can signal a need for proprioception—and how a realistic sensory routine lowers baseline stress. A striking moment at a cricket match shows how the right environment can flip chaos to clarity in seconds. Boundaries still matter, but timing is everything: teach after calm, not during crisis, and make consequences predictable, visual, and discussed in advance. If you’ve felt hopeless, ashamed, or judged, this conversation will hand you language, tools, and the relief of being understood.
Want more support and live coaching with neurodiversity experts? Join the ADHD Warrior Mom Recharge Station for weekly group coaching, monthly masterclasses, self-care sessions, and a community that gets it. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs hope today, and leave a review to help more families find us.
www.sendparenting.com
Dr Olivia Kessel welcomes back co-authors Georgina Benger and Karen Price to discuss restorative justice as a compassionate, relationship-based approach that helps children understand the impact of their actions and repair harm.
• Georgina's research at Cambridge University revealed schools still use the same punishment methods from 1846 despite their ineffectiveness
• Traditional punishments fail to teach accountability and create patterns where children accept consequences without understanding impact
• Restorative justice shifts focus from punishment to repairing relationships through a seven-step process
• Creating a safe space, active listening, and acknowledging emotions are foundational steps in restorative practice
• The approach encourages children to explore the impact of their actions and take accountability without forced apologies
• Particularly beneficial for neurodivergent children who often experience disproportionate punishment in traditional systems
• Implementing restorative practices in schools requires time initially but becomes embedded in culture and ultimately saves time
• Children learn to resolve conflicts independently when these practices are consistently modeled
• The core principles include prioritizing relationships, focusing on learning rather than labeling, and recognizing that healing should involve everyone
If getting your child to sleep feels like a battle, download our free 30-day Better Sleep Starter Guide at sendparenting.com/sleep – designed with ADHD in mind but effective for all neurodiverse children.
📘 Click here for Willow's Day
✨ Click here for 30-day Guide to Better Sleep
👉 Join ADHD Warrior Mum: The Recharge Station
www.sendparenting.com
If you're exhausted from daily battles with a child who seems to resist everything – even things they used to enjoy – this episode will change how you see their behaviour forever.
Karen Price and Georgina Benger, leading PDA experts who've supported thousands of families, reveal why Pathological Demand Avoidance isn't defiance or manipulation – it's anxiety. Using the heartwarming children's book "Olive's Day" as their guide, they brilliantly illustrate how your child literally "can't, not won't," making this complex concept suddenly crystal clear.
Discover why your child appears "perfect" at school but falls apart the moment they get home, and learn practical strategies that honour their neurological needs without creating chaos. Through the relatable story of Olive and her challenging day, Karen and Georgina demonstrate how visual choices, environmental modifications, and the power of co-regulation – literally "lending your nervous system" to help your child manage overwhelming emotions – can transform your family dynamics.
You'll walk away understanding how to support your child's drive for autonomy through collaboration and flexibility, create classroom cultures that build empathy rather than entitlement, and transform daily conflicts into genuine connection. Plus, discover how "Olive's Day" can become a powerful tool for helping others understand your child's unique needs.
Stop walking on eggshells. Stop questioning every parenting decision. Your child isn't broken, and neither are you – you just need different strategies for a different neurotype, beautifully illustrated through one little girl's very relatable day.
This 45-minute conversation, brought to life through Olive's relatable journey, could save your family years of struggle.
📘 Click here for Olive's Day
✨ Click here for 30-day Guide to Better Sleep
👉 Join the waitlist for ADHD Warrior Mum: The Recharge Station
www.sendparenting.com
The postcode lottery in UK's SEND system isn't just frustrating—it's devastating families. This raw, eye-opening conversation with Rebecca Harrison reveals the shocking truth about educational inequality across neighboring boroughs.
Rebecca brings a uniquely powerful perspective as both a former SENCO and mother to two neurodivergent children. Despite her professional background and intimate understanding of the educational system, she's been unable to secure appropriate schooling for her autistic son—all because of where they live. While her local authority offers minimal provision through converted village halls and makeshift attachments to mainstream schools, just a mile away in neighboring boroughs, dedicated autism schools and comprehensive support services exist.
The conversation exposes the painful reality many families face: diagnosis delays stretching years, mainstream schools excluding children after mere weeks, and the agonizing choice between relocating or accepting inadequate support. Rebecca shares her discovery of hidden NHS diagnostic quotas that arbitrarily limit autism diagnoses per financial year and reveals how government "Safety Valve Agreements" incentivize local authorities to keep children in-borough at any cost—even when appropriate educational settings don't exist.
Yet this isn't just a story of systemic failure. Rebecca has transformed her frustration into action by creating the SEND Home Ed Circle, an online community providing resources, lessons and support for families educating neurodivergent children at home. Her three powerful tips—never give up, recognize that neither you nor your child are broken, and "don't let the bastards get you down"—offer a rallying cry for parents fighting similar battles.
Join our WhatsApp community to connect with parents who understand these struggles. Together, we can support each other through the challenges of raising neurodivergent children in a system that wasn't built for them.
SEN Home Ed Website
Link to Subscription
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Education systems often fail neurodivergent children, but the right support can transform their learning journey. Julia Silver, founder of Qualified Tutors and mother to five neurodivergent children, shares how tutoring can rebuild confidence and love of learning for children struggling in traditional education.
• Understanding that schools can't meet every child's needs – even with the most dedicated teachers
• How tutoring offers personalized support that goes to where the student is
• The importance of rehabilitation periods when children are excluded from school
• Finding tutors who build relationships with both parents and children
• Seeing neurodivergent children as teaching us to rethink our assumptions about education
• Recognizing that academic success doesn't equal life success
• The value of offering children autonomy rather than demanding compliance
• Teaching executive functioning skills to help children feel in control
• Statistics showing 25% of UK children now use tutors, yet the profession remains unregulated
• Research evidence that tutoring creates five months of academic progress
• Building a child's ability to connect effort with attainment
• How AI might complement human teaching for truly personalised learning
• The importance of parents accepting they can't do it all
Click here
- Julia Silver
- Qualified Tutor
- 'Love Tutoring, Be the Tutor Your Student Needs'
Click here to download our free 30-Day Better Sleep Starter Guide
Helping you to support your neurodiverse child's sleep challenges. Though designed with ADHD in mind, the strategies benefit all neurodiverse children.
Click to Join our private SEND Parenting WhatsApp Community.
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Download your free Guide by clicking here: The Zones of Regulation: A Parent's Guide to Understanding Big Emotions
Ever felt like your child's emotions are too big for their body? In this tender final episode of our Alexandra ADHD En Masse series, my 13-year-old daughter Alexandra opens her heart about one of the most challenging aspects of living with ADHD – emotional regulation and friendship struggles.
With remarkable self-awareness, Alexandra shares how overwhelming emotions can suddenly explode, leaving her feeling misunderstood and sometimes excluded from friendship groups. "They might judge you... and then you're excluded because they think you lose it too often or cry too much," she explains, capturing what so many neurodivergent children experience but struggle to articulate.
The breakthrough came through learning the Zones of Regulation – a colour-coded emotional framework that Alexandra describes in detail. This simple but powerful tool transformed her ability to communicate feelings before reaching crisis point. Where once she would hide behind trees at school, unable to express her distress, she can now identify which "zone" she's in and get appropriate support.
We explore practical de-escalation strategies that work at home, from creating calming spaces to keeping a family list of regulation techniques. Alexandra also shares her experience with medication adjustments, school friendship groups, and the anxiety-excitement mix of transitioning to a new school environment. Her insights reveal how interconnected emotional regulation, social acceptance, and academic success truly are for children with ADHD.
Whether you're a parent seeking understanding, an educator looking for classroom strategies, or someone navigating neurodiversity yourself, Alexandra's voice offers both validation and hope. Download our free Zones of Regulation guide through the link in our show notes and join our community where neurodiversity is embraced, not merely accommodated.
Click here to join our private free SEND Parenting WhatsApp community
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Click here for the ADHD Sleep Guide - 30 days to better sleep
Sleep deprivation became our unwelcome companion for eleven long years. My daughter Alexandra would lie awake for hours, plagued by anxious thoughts that seemed to intensify as darkness fell. When sleep finally came, it was fragmented – she'd wake repeatedly, finding her way to my bed most nights seeking reassurance. For families navigating ADHD, this scenario might sound painfully familiar.
In this deeply personal conversation, Alexandra courageously shares what those nights felt like from her perspective: "Sleep was like a nightmare." She describes overwhelming anxiety that made sleepovers impossible, prevented me from having evenings out, and left us both perpetually exhausted. We candidly discuss how sleep deprivation amplified our challenges, leading to what Alexandra perfectly describes as "explosion time" – when our emotional regulation skills would crumble under the weight of fatigue.
The turning point in our journey came unexpectedly. After trying countless strategies, from elaborate bedtime routines to consultations with sleep specialists, we finally found our answer in prescription melatonin. Alexandra describes the transformation as nothing short of miraculous – from hours of bedtime struggles to falling asleep within minutes. We explore the complementary approaches that support her sleep hygiene now, including technology boundaries, weighted blankets, meditation, and Emotional Freedom Technique for anxiety. Most touchingly, Alexandra shares how quality sleep has expanded her world, enabling her to manage overnight stays and wake feeling "recharged and ready for the day."
Whether you're a parent, educator, or healthcare provider supporting a child with ADHD, this conversation offers both practical strategies and genuine hope. Download our free sleep resource sheet at sendparenting.com/sleep to begin implementing these life-changing techniques today. Because when sleep improves, everything else follows.
Click here for the ADHD Sleep Guide - 30 days to better sleep
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FREE GUIDE: ADHD Medication Made Simple 💊
Understand how ADHD medication works, the different options available, and how to talk to your child about it with confidence.
👉 Download your free guide here
What's it really like to take ADHD medication as a teenager? Forget the clinical explanations—today my daughter Alexandra bravely takes us behind the curtain of her medication journey with refreshing honesty that only a young person living the experience can provide.
The journey begins with Alexandra's genuine fear: "I can't take a pill. What if it gets stuck in my throat?" Using Tic Tacs as practice pills, we found our way through that first obstacle together. But the real challenges emerged during those initial ten days—a period of emotional turbulence that nearly led me to discontinue the medication altogether. This rarely-discussed "worse before better" phase is something every parent should know about before starting this journey.
Alexandra's description of life before and after medication is striking in its clarity. Homework sessions transformed from battles requiring constant supervision to independent work. Morning routines shifted from chaotic to manageable. Even navigating school medication schedules created unexpected social connections with other students taking similar treatments. When we accidentally missed a dose one morning and attempted homework, the stark contrast reminded us exactly why this intervention mattered so much.
As Alexandra enters her teenage years, our medication journey continues to evolve. We recently transitioned from a stimulant to a non-stimulant medication to address emerging anxiety symptoms—a change bringing its own set of challenges and adjustments. Through it all, Alexandra's perspective remains clear: "It wouldn't help me at all," she says when asked about stopping medication, recognizing how treatment enables her to function at her best despite the adjustments required.
Download our free comprehensive guide "ADHD Medication: The Top Things to Know When You're Considering It" at sendparenting.com/medication. Next week Alexandra returns to discuss another challenge affecting many with ADHD—sleep difficulties and how we've navigated that aspect of her neurodivergent journey.
www.sendparenting.com
FREE GUIDE for Parents of ADHD Girls 🎁
Discover the often-missed signs of ADHD in girls — so you can spot them early and get the right support.
👉 Download your free guide here
Ever wondered what ADHD actually feels like from the inside? In this intimate first episode of our special summer series, I'm joined by my daughter Alexandra who courageously opens up about her experience living with ADHD before and after diagnosis.
The morning battlefields we once faced will sound painfully familiar to many parents – shouted instructions, missed cues, and escalating frustration on both sides. Alexandra brilliantly articulates why seemingly simple tasks like "get ready for school" became impossible mountains to climb for her ADHD brain. "I would get distracted by my Alexa, my dog toys, even the slightest thing that made me out of place," she explains, painting a vivid picture of how environmental stimuli hijack attention.
Her description of entering the "red zone" – those moments when emotions become uncontrollable storms – provides rare insight into emotional dysregulation that often accompanies ADHD. We explore how strategic supports from understanding teachers and breaking down instructions into manageable steps created turning points in Alexandra's journey. The transformation from our pre-diagnosis struggles to her current independence is nothing short of remarkable.
Whether you're a parent suspecting your child might have ADHD, already navigating a diagnosis, or simply want to understand neurodivergent experiences better, this conversation offers both practical strategies and emotional resonance. Join us next week as we delve into Alexandra's experience with medication – the fears, questions and life-changing results that followed. And don't forget to download my free guide "The Five Most Misunderstood Signs of ADHD in Girls" through the link in the show notes!
www.sendparenting.com
What if your child's meltdowns or shutdowns aren't actually about behavior, but biology?
Nicola McAllister, education consultant with 30+ years of experience and mother to an autistic son, reveals the science behind self-regulation that transforms how we support our neurodivergent children. Through her compassionate lens, we discover that what looks like "difficult behavior" is actually a stress response—our children's bodies responding to perceived threats with the only tools they currently have available.
The conversation unveils Nicola's brilliant "brain house" model, explaining how our children's brains develop from the bottom up, and how stress can trap them in the "basement" of survival responses. When traditional parenting approaches fail, it's because we're trying to reason with a child who physiologically cannot access their reasoning brain in that moment.
Instead, Nicola guides us through her self-regulation framework: Goal, Predict, Plan, Do, Review—a collaborative approach that builds executive function skills through practice rather than punishment. Through vivid real-world examples, including her son's struggle with a Mario t-shirt at a social club, she demonstrates how validating our children's concerns and building plans together creates pathways to success.
Perhaps most powerfully, she introduces the "Regulate, Relate, Reason" approach—understanding that our children need to feel calm before they can connect, and only then can they reason. This shifts our parenting from reactive to intentional, what Nicola calls "premiership parenting"—requiring us to be several steps ahead, carefully considering our words and approaches.
Whether you're struggling with morning routines, hygiene battles, or emotional outbursts, this episode provides both the understanding and practical tools to build meaningful connections with your child. Listen now and transform your approach to supporting your child's developing nervous system.
Nicole Mcallister Website: The Regulated Child
Click here to join our Private SEND Parenting WhatsApp Community
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Sara Donnelly, a head teacher of 14 years, shares why she's leaving education leadership after witnessing the system repeatedly fail neurodivergent children, in particular, girls. We also delve into why:
• Girls with neurodiversity are often missed because they present differently than the stereotypical profile
• Signs to watch for in autistic girls include subtle stimming, hypervigilance, and struggling to maintain (not make) friendships
• Many professionals still believe myths like "she can't be autistic because she makes eye contact" or "she has friends"
• Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA) should be addressed by fixing the environment, not the child
• Creative solutions like normalising ear defenders for everyone can help neurodivergent children without singling them out
• The education system needs radical reform: smaller class sizes, less testing, and personalized learning
Join our private WhatsApp community to connect with other parents navigating their neurodiverse journey.
www.sendparenting.com
The digital world offers a unique sanctuary for neurodiverse children—a place where they can connect, explore, and engage in ways that might feel challenging in person. But this digital refuge comes with hidden costs as platforms silently harvest our children's personal data, using it in ways most parents don't fully understand.
Deputy Commissioner Emily Keaney from the Information Commissioner's Office pulls back the curtain on what's really happening when your child scrolls through social media or plays online games. From recommender systems that create detailed profiles of your child's interests to geolocation settings that can expose their physical whereabouts, the conversation reveals the mechanics of data collection that operate just beneath the surface of your child's favourite apps.
What makes this discussion particularly valuable is its practical approach. Rather than inducing panic, Keaney shares concrete successes where regulatory pressure has forced major platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) to implement stronger privacy protections specifically for young users. She explains how sophisticated age verification technologies are becoming increasingly common, ensuring children receive appropriate safeguards even when they've managed to circumvent parental controls.
For parents of neurodiverse children who may be especially vulnerable online, the episode offers a perfect balance of technical insight and practical guidance. Learn why simply checking privacy settings isn't enough and how ongoing conversations about digital safety can be naturally integrated into family life. Discover the power of showing genuine curiosity about your child's online experiences rather than approaching them with suspicion.
What emerges is a heartening message: parents aren't alone in this fight. Through significant fines and regulatory action, the ICO is steadily shifting the burden of protection away from overwhelmed parents and onto the powerful platforms profiting from our children's attention. Join us to understand how you can better protect your child while still allowing them to benefit from the connection and community the digital world provides.
Got questions about protecting your child online? Join our private WhatsApp community where parents share experiences and support each other through the challenges of raising neurodiverse children in a digital age.
ICO Website
Children's Code
Emily Keaney’s Blog – Protecting Children’s Data
Press Release on TikTok and Investigations
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The gap between what neurodiverse children need and what traditional education provides continues to widen, leaving parents desperate for answers while waiting years for diagnoses and appropriate support. In this eye-opening conversation, Lizzie Shearing and Liz Britton share how Learning DNA's revolutionary approach is transforming outcomes for children with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and other neurodevelopmental differences.
At the heart of their methodology is the recognition that most children don't fit neatly into diagnostic boxes. "I think what really struck me in my role as a SENCO was that there isn't really one child I've ever met that only has one difficulty," explains Lizzie, highlighting why the traditional siloed pathways to support often fail our most vulnerable learners. Their 360-degree assessment evaluates fourteen distinct learning skills, creating a comprehensive picture that prioritizes interventions based on individual needs rather than diagnostic labels.
One of the most fascinating revelations is how frequently visual processing difficulties are misdiagnosed as dyslexia. Lizzie shares how proper screening and intervention improved her own daughter's reading speed by 25% overnight through specialized glasses and vision therapy. This exemplifies Learning DNA's evidence-based approach, which looks beyond labels to identify and address the root causes of learning barriers.
The conversation explores their innovative therapeutic programs, including movement therapy using AI tracking technology, personalized learning programs, vision therapy, and auditory integration training. What makes their approach particularly powerful is how they bring together families, schools and specialists to create holistic support systems with practical strategies for both home and classroom environments.
For parents navigating the overwhelming journey of supporting a neurodiverse child, this episode offers both hope and practical guidance. Discover how understanding your child's complete learning profile – rather than chasing diagnoses – could be the key to unlocking their potential and transforming their educational experience. Could your child's learning challenges be different than you think?
Click here for Learning DNA enter SEND30 for a 30% discount
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We dive into a powerful conversation about parenting neurodivergent children from the inside out with guest Diane Dempster, coach, speaker, and co-founder of Impact Parents. Diane shares her personal journey as a "recovering yelling mom" and how she discovered that the way we show up as parents matters more than what we do.
• How the "Super Mom trap" catches neurodivergent parents who try to do everything for their children
• Why parents are "the missing link" in helping neurodivergent children thrive
• Recognising when you're having a "wobbly" day and what to do about it
• Practical tools like the "3-5 challenge" for setting realistic expectations
• Questioning whether difficult behaviours are "naughty or neurological"
• Reframing self-care as "bringing your needs into the equation"
• The importance of asking for help and modelling this skill for your children
• Setting an intention to do something for yourself every day, no matter how small
• Breaking free from internal critical voices that may not even be your own
If you're looking for a safe space to connect with other parents navigating their neurodiverse journey, our private WhatsApp community offers support, insights and real conversations with like-minded parents who truly understand. Join the conversation today. You can find the link in the show notes.
Click here for Impact Parents
Click here for the SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community
www.sendparenting.com
What if your journey to help your child with ADHD actually begins with healing yourself? Randy Free, founder of Aspire Coaching, offers a refreshing perspective that might just transform your family dynamics.
When traditional parenting approaches fail with neurodivergent children, parents often feel trapped in cycles of conflict, meltdowns, and mutual frustration. Randy's personal story of raising two children with ADHD resonates deeply—the hours spent on homework, the struggles within an inflexible education system, and the constant worry about how their story would end. Through this journey, he discovered a profound truth: healing the family system creates space for the child to thrive.
The heart of our conversation explores Randy's PEACE framework (Perspective, Ease tension, Attune, Connect, and Empower), offering a structured path toward calmer, more connected parenting. We unpack how children's emotional outbursts aren't manipulative or defiant but distress signals from a brain where logic becomes inaccessible during emotional moments. Randy introduces practical tools like the STOP method for identifying emotional warning signs and creating personalised calming strategies before reaching full meltdown.
Perhaps most importantly, we challenge the misconception that gentle parenting means permissiveness. Randy articulates the crucial balance between empathetic connection and maintaining clear boundaries, showing how fewer, more focused expectations actually create space for children to thrive. The conversation takes a beautiful turn as we recognize how neurodivergent children flourish when their education aligns with their passions—like Randy's son who struggled to get out of bed for school but achieved perfect attendance at motorcycle mechanics school.
Whether you're in the trenches of daily ADHD challenges or simply seeking to better understand neurodivergent minds, this episode offers compassionate insight alongside practical strategies. Join us to discover how one breath, one conscious choice at a time, you can transform both your parenting approach and your relationship with your wonderfully unique child.
Click here for Randy Free
Click here for access to private SEND Parenting WhatsAPP Community
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Financial planning for neurodivergent children is not just about money but about love, responsibility, and the legacy we leave when we're no longer here.
• Cara explains how her journey with her autistic son during COVID lockdown led to creating SendProtect after noticing financial advisors weren't addressing SEND-specific needs
• SendProtect offers free educational events, webinars and consultations to help SEND parents understand long-term financial planning
• Life insurance policies should be written in trust to prevent inheritance tax and provide immediate access to funds
• Children's ISAs can become problematic at age 18 if your child lacks financial capacity, requiring court applications
• Vulnerable person's trusts provide a government-approved way to save money for SEND children without affecting benefits
• Even £5 per week can provide meaningful financial protection through properly structured life insurance
• Having a will with children's guardianship specified is essential to prevent SEND children entering temporary care
• Workplace support for SEND parents is crucial—employers need to understand the additional caring responsibilities
Join the conversation in our private WhatsApp community where SEND parents connect for support, insights and understanding. Find the link in the show notes.
Click here for SEND Protect
www.sendparenting.com
What happens when the child you thought you knew begins to slip away? For Guy Shahar, watching his one-year-old son Daniel lose words, self-feeding abilities, and connection was heartbreaking. "It's like you're losing your child," Guy shares, describing the helplessness that washed over him and his wife as traditional medical pathways offered little beyond frustration and dismissal.
Their story takes an unexpected turn when they follow their intuition to a small therapy center in Israel, emptying their savings on what Guy calls "stronger than a whim, but without any rational basis." What follows is nothing short of remarkable - a transformation that begins on the very first day when Daniel, who hadn't touched solid food in over a year, sits calmly at a table feeding himself. The magic, Guy explains, isn't in mysterious techniques but in learning profound attunement and containment - creating safety while truly seeing and responding to what his son actually needed rather than what conventional parenting expected.
Guy's journey doesn't end with Daniel's progress. While establishing the charity Transforming Autism, he discovers his own neurodivergence, adding layers of insight to his understanding: "Autistic children are often particularly sensitive and empathic - turbocharged even. It's overwhelming, that's why they shut down." This revelation reshapes his advocacy work, focusing on helping parents understand their children's extraordinary potential from the earliest moments. Through intensive home-based therapies and accessible online parent groups, his charity now guides families toward the confidence to parent neurodivergent children on their own terms.
For parents just beginning this journey, Guy offers compassionate wisdom: allow yourself to grieve the future you imagined, seek community with those who understand, and remember that while the path may not resemble what you expected, the connection waiting on the other side can be more profound than you ever thought possible. Connect with the Send Parenting WhatsApp community through the link in our show notes, where you'll find others walking similar paths with open hearts and shared understanding.
Click here for Transforming Autsim
Click here for Guy's book Transforming Autism
Click here to join the private SEND Parenting WhatsApp Community
www.sendparenting.com
Dr. Olivia Kessel speaks with Lisa Danahy, Founder & Director of Create Calm, yoga therapist and author of Create Calm in the Classroom, a book about understanding and supporting children's nervous systems through breath and movement techniques. She talks about why playful approaches work better than verbal instructions for neurodivergent children and:
• Why we need to understand behaviours as nervous system communications rather than problems to fix
• How to use the "volcano" movement exercise to release tension and anxiety
• The importance of validating emotions rather than labelling them as good or bad
• Practical ways to help children navigate emotional storms through body awareness
Click here for Lisa's book Creating Calm in the Classroom
Join our private WhatsApp community for support, insights and real conversations with like-minded parents who truly understand.
www.sendparenting.com
The SEND Parenting Podcast joins forces with the SEND Network Podcast to explore the transformative power that emerges when parents and educators collaborate effectively for neurodiverse children, featuring Lynn Howe who brings unique insight as both a SENCO and parent of a neurodivergent child. We delve into how:
• Children frequently mask difficulties at school, causing disconnect between home and school experiences
• The EHCP process remains challenging, even for those with insider knowledge
• Regular check-ins and addressing concerns early prevent escalation to crisis points
• The magic formula of letting go
• Support networks provide validation and practical strategies for both parents and professionals
SEND Network
Positive Young Minds
Join us in the private SEND Parenting WhatsApp community by clicking the link in the show notes. It's been wonderful to communicate with everyone in the community and join together to help each other navigate challenges and celebrate successes.
www.sendparenting.com
Should you consider medication for your child with ADHD? As both a doctor and the mother of a neurodivergent teenager, I've navigated this question from multiple perspectives—and discovered that much of what we believe about ADHD medication simply isn't supported by science.
The hesitation many parents feel about medication stems from understandable concerns, but often these worries are based on myths rather than medical evidence. What surprised me most in my own journey was learning about the significant developmental gap children with ADHD experience. Their executive functioning skills—abilities like emotional regulation, working memory, and self-motivation—typically develop at approximately 30% behind their peers. This means a 12-year-old might functionally have the capabilities of a 9-year-old, with this gap widening as they grow older.
This crucial insight helps explain why ADHD medication works so effectively. Rather than changing who your child is, medication bridges this developmental gap. For 55% of children, stimulant medication completely eliminates the executive function delay while active in their system, while another 35% see significant improvement. The research is compelling—with an effect size of 1.2 (compared to 0.5 for antidepressants), ADHD medication ranks among the most effective psychiatric treatments available.
Throughout this episode with Jane Trowbridge from Sensational Tutors, we explore the difference between stimulant and non-stimulant medications, address common misconceptions, and examine the serious long-term consequences of leaving ADHD untreated. Particularly striking is research showing untreated ADHD can reduce lifespan by 11 years—a sobering statistic that underscores why effective treatment matters.
Whether you're currently weighing medication options or simply want to understand the science behind ADHD treatment better, this episode provides clear, evidence-based information to help you make informed decisions that could profoundly impact your child's development, confidence, and future success.
www.sendparenting.com
Richard Orr, CEO of SOS SEN charity, shares how they empower families navigating the special educational needs system through legal support, advice centres, and their national helpline. Their pre-action protocol letters achieve a remarkable 97-98% success rate in resolving cases without going to tribunal, saving families from lengthy legal battles while securing proper educational provisions.
• SOS SEN started 20 years ago when concerned individuals helped parents fight a special needs school closure
• The charity offers both emotional support and practical legal guidance to families struggling with local authorities
• Their pre-action protocol letters remind local authorities of their legal obligations, often resolving cases immediately
• Local authorities spent £100 million fighting tribunals with only 2% success rate – wasting money that could support children
• The charity has expanded to offer advice centres across England and doubled their helpline hours
• All services are designed to be accessible regardless of financial circumstances
• Top tips include: keep everything in writing, find your supportive "tribe" of other SEND parents, and use first names with professionals to level the playing field
Click here to get more information on SOS!SEN
Click here to join our private WhatsApp SEND Parenting community for a safe space to connect with other parents navigating their neurodiverse journey. You'll find support, insights and real conversations with like-minded parents who truly understand.
www.sendparenting.com
Two mothers, both podcast hosts, both raising neurodivergent children in the UK, come together for an honest conversation about the realities that many parents never see coming. Dr. Olivia Kessel (SEND Parenting Podcast) and Greer Jones (The Unfinished Idea) share their raw, unfiltered experiences navigating a system that often feels designed to exclude rather than support.
From the moment Greer's son started school and was immediately restricted to two-hour days, to Olivia's shocking discovery of local authority deception through a subject access request during her daughter's EHCP process, these stories highlight the extraordinary lengths parents must go to secure appropriate education for their children. Both women speak candidly about the emotional toll – the isolation, the constant advocacy, and the financial strain that comes with fighting for services most families take for granted.
But this conversation offers more than commiseration. Drawing from her medical background, Olivia explains how understanding neurodevelopmental differences transforms parenting approaches. Together, they share practical strategies that actually work: using sticky notes to externalize executive functioning, setting up visual timetables, and even programming Alexa to provide reminders that don't trigger the resistance that parental instructions might.
Most powerfully, they discuss finding community amidst the struggle. "We are normal," Olivia emphasizes, noting that 20% of the world is neurodiverse. "Our differences are what make us special." They remind listeners that traditional parenting methods often fail neurodivergent children not because the children are broken, but because those methods weren't designed for their beautifully different brains.
Whether you're raising a neurodivergent child or simply want to better understand and support the families around you, this episode offers valuable insights into turning challenges into opportunities for growth, connection, and yes – even joy. Ready to rewrite the parenting rulebook on terms that actually work for your family?
www.sendparenting.com
Dr. Olivia Kessel explores the essential yet often overlooked topic of caregiver self-care with behavior analyst Eleanor Magri, revealing how nurturing ourselves is not selfish but necessary for effectively supporting our neurodivergent children.
• Neurodiversity family specialist Eleanor Magri introduces the concept of holistic support that includes caring for the caregiver
• Parents often feel guilty prioritizing their needs, viewing self-care as selfish rather than necessary
• Simple sensory self-care strategies like spending time in a darkened room or using calming sounds can regulate the nervous system
• Building sustainable self-care habits by "stacking" them with existing routines (like adding a breathing exercise before brushing teeth)
• A case study demonstrating how parental self-regulation led to improved communication and fewer crises with a neurodivergent adult daughter
• The importance of creating awareness about burnout symptoms and recognizing when intervention is needed
• Understanding that between two hard paths, consistent self-care offers better long-term outcomes
• A free "Caregiver Balance Sheet" resource to help visualize time invested in children versus oneself
Join our private SEND Parenting WhatsApp community for support, insights and connections with like-minded parents who truly understand. The link is available in the show notes.
Click here for Free Caregiver Balance Sheet
www.inclusi.org/caregiverbalancesheet
www.sendparenting.com
Ross Jones shares his profound journey of discovering his ADHD at age 36 and how this diagnosis transformed his understanding of himself, his relationships, and his approach to parenting his neurodivergent children.
• Learning to recognize the difference between tasks you don't like versus tasks that are genuinely challenging for your neurodivergent brain
• Navigating the complex emotions that come with receiving an adult ADHD diagnosis
• Understanding how ADHD affects relationships and finding better ways to communicate needs
• Creating systems to manage household conflicts around different needs for order and organization
• Supporting neurodivergent children by validating their experiences while helping them develop self-compassion
• How Ross's personal journey inspired him to create Schoolio, an AI-powered educational platform designed specifically for neurodivergent learners
• Using technology to cultivate curiosity and eliminate judgment from the learning process
• The importance of helping children recognize that challenges don't define their worth
• Developing self-awareness as a parent to avoid triggering emotional dysregulation in your children
• Finding your authentic self after years of masking and people-pleasing
If you're looking for a safe space to connect with other parents navigating their neurodiverse journey, our private WhatsApp community offers support, insights and real conversations with like-minded parents who truly understand. Join the conversation today. You can find the link in the show notes.
The link to Skoolio.xyz - the sign up for the beta test is right in the header of the site
www.sendparenting.com
We dive deep into sensory processing difficulties in neurodivergent children with Julie Davis, an occupational therapy expert with over 35 years' experience and founder of Future Steps. This conversation explores how sensory processing shapes development, influences behavior, and impacts daily functioning in ways many parents might not recognize.
• Understanding the difference between sensory processing issues and behavioral problems
• How sensory processing affects everyday activities like getting dressed, eating, and learning
• Red flags parents should watch for that might indicate sensory processing challenges
• Environmental factors that can overwhelm children with sensory sensitivities
• Why repetition and targeting the root causes create lasting improvement
• Practical approaches for parents to support their child's sensory development
• Different types of sensory challenges including tactile, proprioceptive, vestibular, and auditory processing
• The importance of building neural pathways through appropriate sensory input
• Why shame and punishment are counterproductive for sensory processing issues
• Success stories of children overcoming significant sensory challenges
Join the conversation in our private WhatsApp community. You can find the link in the show notes.
www.sendparenting.com
This episode provides a deep dive into the raw and insightful journey of Jessica Whalley as a neurodivergent parent navigating the complexities of raising her nonverbal autistic son. Jessica's personal revelations about her own diagnoses of autism and ADHD offer a profound perspective into the world of neurodiversity while providing support for other parents facing similar challenges.
- Jessica's journey began with her son Jude's autism diagnosis
- The emotional and practical challenges of securing support within the education system
- Importance of parenting self-care and maintaining personal well-being
- Embracing individuality and redefining success for neurodivergent children
- The role of community support in shared parenting experiences
- Insights into the unique challenges faced by neurodivergent women
Join our community today and share your journey with like-minded parents!
Click here for The Autistic Mom by Jessica Whalley
www.sendparenting.com
We offer a deep dive into the innovative EOTAS framework, highlighting its vital role in reshaping education for neurodiverse children. The episode sheds light on practical insights gathering from real success stories shared by Joanna Gibbs of Sensational Tutors, equipping parents with actionable strategies.
• Exploring the significance of the EHCP in tailoring educational needs
• Insights into real-life success stories transforming educational experiences
• Understanding the diverse needs of neurodiverse children
• The role of personalized education in fostering engagement and confidence
• Connecting with community support to navigate educational challenges
Join our community for additional support and insights. We share experiences and advice to help each other along this journey.
www.sendparenting.com
In this episode, we explore the complexities of EOTAS (Education Otherwise Than At School) and its significance for neurodiverse families navigating alternative educational routes. We unpack critical questions about the legal framework, EHCP requirements, and strategies to empower parents in advocating for their children's needs.
• Definition of EOTAS and its importance within SEND
• Rising interest in EOTAS post-COVID and its implications
• Understanding the legal challenges and securing funding
• The role of EHCPs in obtaining IATAS support
• Emotional well-being considerations for children
• Best practices for advocacy and community engagement
SEN Talks
EOTIS
Douglas Hammer's Story
Click to join our Send Parenting Private WhatsApp Community today for support and connection with other parents navigating these challenges.
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The episode features an engaging discussion on how parenting a neurodivergent child can lead to insights about one's neurodiversity. Amy White shares her experiences with her son Jack's autism diagnosis and how that journey prompted her own self-exploration.
• Exploration of intergenerational neurodiversity in families
• Amy's journey from her son’s diagnosis to discovering her own neurodivergent traits
• The profound impact of educational environments on neurodivergent children
• Importance of community support in navigating parenting challenges
• Reflections on the journey to diagnoses for both children and parents
• Empowerment through knowledge and advocating for children's needs
Join the private Send Parenting WhatsApp community for support and shared experiences in navigating the complexities of neurodivergent parenting.
Click to join our Send Parenting Private WhatsApp Community today for support and connection with other parents navigating these challenges.
www.sendparenting.com
This episode addresses the critical transition girls face when moving from primary to secondary school, especially concerning the challenges of puberty and neurodiversity. Experts share insights on the importance of community support and the role of mothers in empowering their daughters as they navigate these pivotal years.
• Discussion of the transition to secondary school
• Insights on neurodiversity and adolescent challenges
• Importance of creating supportive communities for girls
• Overview of the Girls Journeying Together programme
• Role of facilitators in guiding and empowering girls
• Strategies for mothers to connect with their daughters
• Exploration of mental health statistics among young girls
• Emphasis on self-acceptance and resilience in adolescence
• Future vision for empowering girls through rites of passage
Click to join our Send Parenting Private WhatsApp Community today for support and connection with other parents navigating these challenges.
Click here for more information on Rites for Girls
Click here for Kim's book, From Daughter to Woman: Parenting girls safely through their teens
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This episode focuses on the underdiagnosis of ADHD in women and girls, exploring the emotional impact this has on their mental health. Rosie Turner shares her journey from misdiagnosis to understanding her ADHD, highlighting the unique challenges faced by women's evolving symptoms and the importance of exercise and self-acceptance.
• Examining how ADHD presents differently in girls compared to boys
• The emotional toll of misdiagnoses and societal expectations on women
• The role of hormonal changes in exacerbating ADHD symptoms
• Validating the uniqueness of ADHD as potentially beneficial
• The critical importance of movement and lifestyle changes in managing ADHD
• Practical strategies to engage with the ADHD experience constructively
Click to join our Send Parenting Private WhatsApp Community today for support and connection with other parents navigating these challenges.
Reach out to Rosie @ ADHD Untangled
www.sendparenting.com
This episode focuses on the alarming rise in anxiety and other mental health issues among teenagers, especially neurodiverse youth and how parents can provide support. Alicia Drummond shares insights from her Wellbeing Hub initiative, discussing practical strategies for fostering emotional resilience and maintaining open communication.
• Discussion on increasing mental health referrals among children and teens
• Addressing anxiety in neurodivergent children
• Importance of recognizing anxiety as communication
• Fostering emotional resilience through competence and responsibility
• Strategies for maintaining open lines of communication with teenagers
• Tips for parents to model positivity and awareness
Join our Send Parenting community to share experiences and support one another on this journey. Visit the show notes for details!
Click here for the Wellbeing Hub from Teen Tips
Click here to join the SEND Parenting WhatsApp Community
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Imagine preparing for a family gathering while navigating the intricate world of parenting a neurodiverse child. The noise, the chaos, and the unsolicited advice often threaten to overwhelm. Through this heartfelt episode, we promise to equip you with strategies to create a compassionate and supportive environment for your family. We are thrilled to welcome Lisa Chan, a dedicated pediatric occupational therapist from Canada, who shares her expertise in helping children with autism, ADHD, and sensory processing challenges. Lisa illuminates the importance of early intervention and emphasizes the need for an integrated approach, where parents are active participants in their child's journey.
Parenting neurodiverse children isn't just about managing behaviors; it's about understanding the underlying causes and decoding them effectively. Our discussion touches on the delicate balance of responsibilities, the stress of perceived unfairness among siblings, and the dynamics of communication within partnerships. Discover how to set boundaries with well-meaning but misinformed relatives, maintain confidence in your parenting choices, and foster resilience and independence in your children. We delve into transforming family dynamics by building consistency, setting realistic expectations, and embracing community support.
Join us as we unravel the challenges neurodiverse families face and explore practical tips and personal anecdotes to improve family harmony. Learn how to navigate the emotional journey from isolation and guilt to building confidence and understanding. Our conversation with Lisa provides invaluable insights into the "five whys" technique, empowering you to uncover the root causes of behaviors and transform daily routines into cooperative environments. Don't miss the opportunity to become part of our Send Parenting Tribe, a community where we celebrate both challenges and successes in a judgment-free space.
Click here for Lisa Chan's website
Click here to join the SEND Parenting Community on WhatsApp
neurodiversitypodcast #parentingpodcast #familypodcast #teacherpodcast
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Unlock the secrets to helping teenagers overcome burnout with insights from Dr. Naomi Fisher and Eliza Fricker, authors of "The Teenager's Guide to Burnout." Our conversation dives deep into the pressures faced by today's teens, examining how academic demands and societal expectations contribute to chronic stress. We question the traditional education system's role in this growing issue, advocating for a shift towards more personalized and compassionate learning environments. Through engaging illustrations and straightforward advice, this episode promises to equip parents and teens with the tools to navigate these challenges effectively.
Discover the powerful impact parents can have on their children's stress levels, intentionally or not, and learn strategies to foster a nurturing environment that prioritizes mental well-being over mere academic success. By drawing parallels between toxic work environments and school settings, we challenge you to reconsider the conventional paths to success often touted as the norm. This episode also highlights the importance of understanding teenagers by meeting them where they are and supporting them in finding balance amidst the chaos of modern life.
As we explore pathways to recovery from burnout, you'll be introduced to a compassionate four-step process designed to guide teenagers toward a more balanced and fulfilling future. Real-life stories illustrate how alternative routes to success can be both rewarding and enriching, emphasizing personal fulfillment over traditional achievements. Whether you're a parent seeking to support your child or a teenager grappling with the pressures of adolescence, this episode offers invaluable perspectives on redefining success and nurturing happiness. Join us for this enlightening conversation that champions the well-being of young people and empowers them to forge their own paths.
The Teenager's Guide to Burnout: Finding the Road to Recovery by Dr Naomi Fisher and Eliza Fricker
Please click here if you would like to join the SEND Parenting Community on WhatsApp
www.sendparenting.com
This episode highlights the transformative power of Chicken Shed Theatre, a leader in inclusive theatre arts for 50 years. Susan shares her heartfelt journey as a mother of a neurodiverse child, while Charlotte delves into Chicken Shed's core mission to foster acceptance, understanding, and growth through artistic expression.
• The origins and history of Chicken Shed Theatre
• Personal stories of transformation through art and community
• The importance of peer learning in inclusive settings
• Insights for parents on embracing their child's uniqueness
• The call for kindness and understanding in diverse environments
Prepare to be inspired by stories of empowerment, advocacy, and the transformative power of inclusion. From Emma’s evolution into a confident performer and educator to the unwavering determination of her family, each tale underscores how perseverance and community support can break down barriers. As Charlotte and Susan reflect on the past and future of Chicken Shed, listeners are invited to join a movement that champions understanding and compassion through the universal language of the arts.
www.sendparenting.com
What if you could transform the education system for neurodiverse children? Kelly Jarvis and Chrissa Wadlow from Sunshine Support are revolutionizing how we support neurodivergent children in schools. Kelly’s journey as an educator breathing new life into special educational needs and Chrissa’s relentless advocacy for her daughter form a compelling narrative of collaboration against systemic challenges. Together, they reveal their pioneering approaches that empower both families and educators in a landscape often fraught with obstacles.
Listeners will gain invaluable insights into navigating the complexities of Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCPs) and the Individual Development Plan (IDP) system in Wales. These documents hold the key to ensuring the well-being of children with special educational needs, yet they come with their own set of challenges. Our new Welsh division is here to demystify these processes, providing parents with tools to assert their rights and advocate effectively for their children. We discuss the urgent need for transparency and accountability in local authorities, shining a light on the critical role of informed advocacy.
This episode also addresses the pressing issue of underfunding in special education and its impact on neurodivergent children, particularly those with autism and ADHD. From the financial strain of seeking appropriate educational environments to the systemic inefficiencies that misplace resources, we underscore the importance of collaboration and modernization in educational approaches.
Discover how building supportive communities, like our private Send Parenting WhatsApp group, can foster positive change and offer much-needed solidarity for families navigating these challenges. Join the conversation as we advocate for a reimagined education system that truly supports every child's learning journey.
Join SEND Parenting Community
Click here for Sunshine Support
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Dr Maryhan, a clinical psychologist and esteemed fellow podcaster, joins us to celebrate the 100th episode of the SEND Parenting Podcast. Have you ever wondered how to raise neurodiverse children within the UK education system without losing your mind? This milestone episode offers a treasure trove of insights as Dr. Maryhan shares wisdom from her upcoming book, "How Not to Screw Up Your Kids." We tackle the intricate dance of parenting in a world where children are moulded by influences beyond our control, aiming to bolster resilience through the power of community support.
Traditional discipline methods often fail to equip children for real-world challenges. We promise a fresh perspective on parenting, focusing on replacing punitive measures with natural consequences. Learn how this approach fosters independent decision-making while nurturing a cooperative family environment. Dr Maryhan and I delve into practical examples, like making a bed, to illustrate how meaningful, value-aligned consequences can help cultivate responsibility in our children, turning their natural curiosity into a powerful tool for growth.
Parenting is undoubtedly a tough journey, but it's easier with self-care and a strong community. We explore personal strategies for managing stress, from the cathartic power of journaling to the refreshing benefits of outdoor activities. The "bucket" metaphor emerges as a shared language to gauge emotional capacity, emphasising the beauty in messy, imperfect parenting. This episode is a heartfelt nod to our collective journey with our supportive tribe, reminding us that every small victory is a stepping stone toward raising resilient, confident individuals. Tune in to discover how these insights can transform your parenting journey.
Click here to contact Dr Maryhan
www.sendparenting.com
Ever wondered how to transform your parenting approach to better support neurodivergent children? Sarah Fisher, an adoptive mom and author of "Connective Parenting," joins us for our milestone 100th episode to share her insightful experiences. Sarah opens up about her journey with her son, revealing the remarkable impact of Non-Violent Resistance (NVR) techniques in managing challenging behaviors. Together, we unpack the importance of shifting our focus as parents from correcting our children's behaviors to understanding our own reactions, paving the way for more harmonious family dynamics.
Experience the power of parenting through connection and understanding as we explore how emotional regulation can lead to a calmer home environment. From personal stories of managing stress during menopause to handling holiday-induced challenges with neurodiverse children, this episode is packed with strategies for both parents and children to thrive. We emphasize the significance of reconnecting with our kids after conflicts, teaching them resilience and emotional management through lived experiences rather than mere words.
Our conversation touches on the evolving landscape of modern parenting, where emotional awareness takes center stage. Insights from our recent Connective Parenting conference underscore the benefits of a child-paced approach, allowing us to meet our children where they are and support their unique needs. We also delve into the challenges of gaining support from family and friends unfamiliar with this approach, sharing success stories that prove change is possible. Celebrate with us as we reflect on this journey and look forward to future discussions that promise continued growth and shared understanding within our Send Parenting community.
www.sendparenting.com
What if our education system could truly embrace individuality and foster genuine growth for every child? Join us for our 100th episode of the Send Parenting Podcast, featuring the astute Dr. Chris Bagley, who argues for revolutionary changes in how we perceive and implement education. Dr. Bagley, a educational psychologist and advocate for neurodiverse children, sheds light on the limitations of traditional schooling methods and the rise of home education as a viable alternative. Together, we unravel ways to tap into each child's unique potential, offering a fresh perspective on educational reform that champions inclusivity and the joy of learning.
In this landmark episode, we tackle the pressing issues faced by young learners navigating an education system that often shifts focus from intrinsic motivation to extrinsic pressures. Dr. Bagley dives deep into the consequences of this shift, such as marginalization and exclusion, urging for a reevaluation of what belonging and competence should look like in schools. We explore the empowering potential of alternative learning communities and democratic approaches, which prioritize student agency and redefine success beyond conventional metrics. It's a conversation that promises to challenge your views on what education should achieve.
With Dr. Bagley's insights, we explore the crucial role of consent and self-determination in education, advocating for systems that engage students on their terms. The pioneering work of States of Mind is highlighted as a beacon of hope, demonstrating the transformative impact of co-constructed learning experiences. This episode makes a compelling case for education systems that nurture a child’s autonomy and prepare them for the world they will inherit, sparking a necessary conversation about reimagining what it means to educate and empower the next generation.
Click here for Dr Chris Bagley
Join the SEND Parenting Community on Whatsapp. Either click here or send a message to +447856915105 , and I will personally add you to the private group, where we can connect and support each other.
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Unlock the secrets to nurturing neurodivergent minds with the wisdom of Lucinda Miller, founder and clinical lead of NatureDoc, as we celebrate our monumental 100th episode. Lucinda returns to discuss her groundbreaking book, "Brain Brilliance," a nutritional guide tailored for neurodivergent individuals. From her beloved Cherry Sleepy Smoothie to ingenious recipes like margarita pizza waffles, Lucinda shares how nutritious meals can transform emotional regulation, anxiety, and sleep for children with conditions like ADHD, autism, and more.
Discover the profound link between gut health and brain function, and the role of the gut microbiome in shaping mood, memory, and behavior. Lucinda offers practical strategies for enhancing gut health without invasive tests, emphasizing the importance of dietary diversity, fermented foods, and probiotics. By fostering openness to new foods, these approaches aim to alleviate stress and anxiety in neurodivergent children, nurturing a curious palate and a resilient mind.
Lastly, we tackle the critical oversight in medical education regarding nutrition, shining a light on how this gap affects patient care. Lucinda and I discuss the pivotal role nutritionists play in bridging this divide, offering insights and support to families navigating neurodiversity. Join our SEND Parenting Tribe's private WhatsApp community for support, shared experiences, and celebrating each other's journey through the complex world of neurodiversity.
Click here for Lucinda Miller
Join the SEND Parenting Community on Whatsapp. Either click here or send a message to +447856915105 , and I will personally add you to the private group, where we can connect and support each other.
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Episode 100 week long free event
RSVP now to be part of this transformative event.
What if there were ways to make the complex journey of parenting neurodiverse children a bit smoother? Join us for a week-long celebration of our 100th episode milestone on the Send Parenting Podcast, where we're offering just that. Dr Olivia Kessel, inspired by her own journey as a parent to a neurodivergent daughter, welcomes a stellar lineup of experts ready to share insights and strategies tailored for the SEND community. Dr. Lucinda Miller kicks things off with her invaluable expertise on the intersection of nutrition and neurodiversity, gleaned from her latest book, "Brain Brilliance." Dr. Chris Bagley follows with his fresh perspectives on re-engaging with education, promising to reignite your passion for learning alongside your children.
As the week progresses, Sarah Fisher will guide us through the art of handling home conflicts using nonviolent resistance techniques. At the same time, Dr. Marianne reveals top parenting tips from her popular podcast, "How Not to Screw Up Your Kids." Finally, Chrissa Wadlow and Kelly Jarvis from the Sunshine Support Group wrap up the celebration by equipping you with essential strategies for navigating SEND in education.
Although pre-recorded, each session includes live chats, offering a unique opportunity to interact with me and our esteemed guests and connect with fellow parents. Don’t miss this chance to celebrate, learn, and empower yourself with practical tools and communal support.
RSVP now to be part of this transformative event.Join the SEND Parenting Community on Whatsapp. Either click here or send a message to +447856915105 , and I will personally add you to the private group, where we can connect and support each other.
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 99
Amanda Ashy's inspiring journey from television producer to a champion for neurodiverse children offers a unique perspective on parenting. Join us as Amanda, a clinical nutritionist, mindfulness expert, and yoga teacher, shares how she transformed her life and career to focus on family regulation, connection, and resilience. Get ready to uncover the profound impact of mindfulness and somatics in nurturing behaviour patterns and resilience, as Amanda highlights the importance of understanding the whole body, including emotions and nutrition, for achieving well-being.
This episode navigates the emotional complexities faced by neurodivergent children and the phenomenon of masking in school settings. Amanda provides insights into how these challenges often manifest at home, offering practical tools to decode children's behaviour and map out their unique experiences. Through personal anecdotes and professional insights, we explore the evolution of parenting styles and how connecting with oneself can foster a loving environment for children. Amanda introduces the Parent Reset Program, a transformative initiative guiding parents from fear-based to love-based discipline to nurture deep connections and harmonious relationships.
As we journey through the multifaceted world of parenting, discover empowering strategies for self-care and boundary-setting. Learn how to maintain calm during challenging conversations and the art of co-regulation. Amanda emphasises the significance of fostering an environment where neurodiverse children can thrive, offering tips on sensory management, dietary adjustments, and soothing routines. We conclude with a heartfelt call to choose love over fear, celebrate the power of community and invite listeners to join our private Send Parenting WhatsApp community for support and shared wisdom.
Amanda Ashy Instagram Link
Join the SEND Parenting Community on Whatsapp. Either click here or send a message to +447856915105 , and I will personally add you to the private group, where we can connect and support each other.
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Click here for a link to sign up for the event.
Hello, Neuro Nurturers,
I am beyond excited to share this incredible milestone with you—the 100th episode of the SEND Parenting Podcast!🎙 This journey has been one of connection, learning, and empowerment, and I could not have done it without you. Your stories, your resilience, and your love for your children have been the heart of everything we do here.
To celebrate, we have planned something truly special—a week-long event series featuring some of the podcast's most beloved guests. These amazing experts and advocates are returning to share what they have been working on since we last spoke, all with the goal of supporting and uplifting neurodiverse families like yours.
Signing up is quick and easy. Just click the link below to secure your spot for one, two, or all of the sessions. These events are pre-recorded but include a live chat, so you can ask questions, share insights, and connect with me, our guests, and other parents throughout.
Based on feedback from our SEND Parenting Community, we have included a mix of evening and lunchtime sessions to suit your schedules. Whether you prefer to join us after the kids are in bed or during your lunch break, we have got you covered.
🗓 Event Schedule:
- Monday, 2nd December, 8 PM: Nutrition and Neurodiversity with Dr. Lucinda Miller
- Tuesday, 3rd December, 12 PM: Disengaged with Education with Dr. Chris Bagley
- Wednesday, 4th December, 8 PM: Dealing with Conflict at Home with Sarah Fischer
- Thursday, 5th December, 8 PM: How Not to Screw Up Your Kids with Dr. Maryhan
- Friday, 6th December, 12 PM: Navigate SEND in Education with Chrissa Wadlow and Kelly Jarvis
Here is what makes this celebration so special:
- Real-Time Connection: During each event, you can join the live chat to ask questions, share your thoughts, or simply connect with other parents who truly understand.
- Actionable Insights: Every guest will bring fresh perspectives and practical tips that you can use to make life easier and more meaningful for you and your family.
- Community Celebration: This is not just a celebration of the podcast but a celebration of you—our incredible community of warriors who advocate fiercely for your children and their unique needs.
This week is about honouring how far we have come together while looking ahead to all the possibilities that await. I cannot wait to celebrate this special moment with all of you. So, please mark your calendars, RSVP for the events, and get ready to connect, learn, and celebrate with us.
RSVP HereThank you for being part of this journey. You have made the SEND Parenting Podcast what it is today—a safe, empowering space for parents navigating the neurodiverse parenting journey.
See you there!
Warmly,
Dr. Olivia
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 98
Unlock the secrets of gestalt language processing as we sit down with Kathy Schilling, a leading speech and language therapist and the visionary behind the Speech Den. Cathy unravels the intricacies of this unique form of communication, especially prevalent among neurodiverse children, and how it contrasts with traditional language development. Dive into the world of echolalia, where children’s repeated phrases hold profound meaning, serving as more than just mimicry. We explore the pioneering works of Anne Peters and Dr. Barry Prizant, along with Marge Blanc's influential study, which laid the groundwork for the natural language acquisition framework.
Discover how to become an astute detective in recognising and supporting gestalt language processors (GLPs). Cathy and I shed light on identifying early signs like echolalia, where children's echoed phrases from media and interactions are meaningful communicative attempts. We emphasise the role of parents in interpreting these signals, which sometimes include non-verbal cues like replaying media clips. Learn strategies to nurture these unique communication styles, enhancing understanding neurodiverse children’s distinct language paths.
This episode is a guide to fostering a supportive learning environment tailored to the individual needs of GLPs. Cathy shares stories and practical insights on the significance of intrinsic motivation, challenging traditional literacy methods, and embracing child-led learning. Hear compelling narratives that illustrate how understanding gestalt thinking can transform educational approaches, especially in the face of cognitive disruptions. We wrap up with actionable advice for parents who suspect their child might be a GLP, stressing the importance of observation, patience, and professional consultation in supporting their unique communicative journey.
Key Recommendations and Resources
- Books
- Natural Language Acquisition on the Autism Spectrum: The Journey from Echolalia to Self-Generated Language by Marge Blanc (available soon at the Speech Den).
- Additional handouts and resources on GLP at Natural Communication Center.
- Webinars and Courses
- Free one-hour webinar by Alexandria Zakos on GLP through Meaningful Speech.
- Parent and professional training programs offered by Cathy’s team at the Speech Den.
- Social Media and Blogs
- Follow these experts for strategies, insights, and affirming practices:
- Alexandria Zakos (@MeaningfulSpeech)
- Rachel Dorsey, SLP (@RachelDorseySLP)
- Crescendo Communication (@CrescendoComm)
- Happy Chatters (Autism-specific after-school support in London)
- Follow these experts for strategies, insights, and affirming practices:
- Additional Insights
- Cathy recommends checking out Learn Play Thrive’s podcast episode featuring Alexandria Zakos on GLPs.
- Occupational Therapy by Kelsey Olds focuses on regulation and sensory-based play.
- Activities like music therapy and sensory engagement can help children regulate and communicate effectively.
For Further Exploration
- Visit The Speech Den for Cathy’s courses and resources.
- Explore Instagram for practical daily tips from experts like @HappyChatters and @MeaningfulSpeech.
- Investigate your child’s unique sensory preferences and play preferences to better support their communication.
Join the SEND Parenting Community on Whatsapp. Either click here or send a message to +447856915105 , and I will personally add you to the private group, where we can c
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 97
Unlock the secrets of effective communication in neurodiverse families with invaluable insights from Dr. Kahn, a clinical psychologist and ADHD advocate. Discover how emotional regulation plays a pivotal role in shaping interactions between parents and children, and even between partners themselves. Dr. Kahn shares her personal journey with ADHD, diagnosed at the age of 33, and provides practical strategies for navigating familial tensions, particularly when one parent is hesitant about seeking an ADHD evaluation for their child.
Navigate the complex world of parenting within neurodiverse families and learn how to tackle the unique challenges that come with it. From understanding the dynamics when both or just one parent is neurodivergent, to the hurdles faced by single parents, particularly mothers, in advocating for their children, our conversation offers a deep dive into these intricacies. We also explore how neurodivergent individuals often find a more forgiving and supportive environment among each other, fostering stronger family bonds.
Gain insights into managing emotional dysregulation with effective strategies, such as the use of visual aids and rewards in therapy, and uncover the misunderstood power of extrinsic motivation. Dr. Kahn discusses the unique challenges of emotional regulation for children and adolescents with ADHD and autism, advocating for a compassionate approach that understands the root causes of emotional outbursts. Finally, we explore the profound impact of hormonal changes on neurodiversity, particularly in women experiencing menopause or perimenopause, emphasising the importance of compassion and understanding within family dynamics.
Join the SEND Parenting Community on Whatsapp. Either click here or send a message to +447856915105 , and I will personally add you to the private group, where we can connect and support each other.
Click here for more Dr Gilly Kahn
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 96
Award-winning neurodiverse director and producer Stephen Bailey joins us to share his compelling journey from history and law to the vibrant world of theater. Diagnosed with neurodivergence in his mid-20s, Stephen found his true calling in directing, creating powerful productions like "The Real Imagined History of the Elephant Man." As the artistic lead at Vital Exposure, a disabled-led theater company, he is committed to pushing the boundaries of accessibility and inclusivity in the arts, offering a fresh perspective on how neurodivergent individuals can thrive creatively.
Navigating the complexities of professional environments, especially in the arts, Stephen candidly discusses the challenges of advocating for access accommodations and the emotional labor of self-advocacy. He shares insightful strategies for adapting communication in job applications and interviews, highlighting the importance of access riders and reasonable adjustments. By addressing the evolving nature of recruitment processes and emphasizing the transformative power of access support, Stephen sheds light on fostering empowering environments for neurodivergent individuals in the arts sector.
Immerse yourself in a conversation that celebrates the richness of neurodiversity and explores innovative approaches like dual language captioning and the use of tech to enhance accessible theater. Stephen's insights offer hope and inspiration, drawing attention to the growing recognition of neurodiversity and disabilities and the vital role that art plays in societal change. From empowering young audiences with accessible performances to championing inclusive narratives, this episode promises to broaden your understanding of inclusivity in the arts and beyond.
Join the SEND Parenting Community on Whatsapp either click here or send a message to +447856915105 and I will personally add you to the private group where we can connect and support each other.
Click here for Vital Xposure
Click here for the upcoming production Blackbird Hour by Babirye Bukilwa
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 95
What if you could unlock the secrets of your DNA to enhance the well-being of your neurodiverse child? Join us for an enlightening conversation with Dr. Jill Crowfoot a seasoned GP and founder of Renude Health, as she shares her groundbreaking insights on personalized nutrition and genetic testing. She explains how understanding your genetic makeup can guide you in making tailored nutritional and lifestyle choices, particularly for neurodiverse children. We discuss the limitations of traditional medicine that often focus on symptoms rather than root causes, and how this innovative approach can shift the focus from treating illness to fostering proactive wellness.
Explore with us the complex relationship between hormones, genetics, and personalized nutrition. Dr. Crowfoot unravels the intricate interplay between sex hormones and nervous system hormones, and the impact of hormonal imbalances on neurodiverse individuals. Through fascinating analogies and expert insights, she emphasizes the necessity of personalized nutrition and genetic analysis in meeting unique biochemical needs. Our discussion delves into the context-dependent nature of certain genes and the importance of professional guidance to navigate this complex landscape, revealing how genetics can inform more effective health interventions.
Dr. Crowfoot's passion for women's health and personal experiences as a mother illuminate the benefits of integrating genetics with lifestyle changes for conditions like ADHD and perimenopause. By examining the influence of lifestyle on gene expression, we underscore the importance of a holistic approach that incorporates nutrition, lifestyle, and hormonal balance. This episode challenges the traditional medical model and advocates for a more comprehensive understanding of health, moving beyond prescriptions to embrace a more informed and personalized approach to wellness.
Join the SEND Parenting Community on Whatsapp either click here or send a message to +447856915105 and I will personally add you to the private group where we can connect and support each other.
Click here for RENUDE Health
www.sendparenting.com
Join the SEND Parenting Community on Whatsapp either Click Here or send a message to 07856 915 105 and I will personally add you to the private group where we can connect and support each other.
What if traditional parenting methods are doing more harm than good? Join us as we welcome Dr. Naomi Fisher and Eliza Fricker, co-authors of the enlightening new book "When the Naughty Step Makes Things Worse," to challenge popular parenting wisdom. This episode promises a fresh perspective on raising neurodivergent children and the liberation that comes from understanding each child's unique needs. Naomi and Eliza share their personal journeys, illustrating how low demand parenting can transform pressure-filled homes into nurturing environments.
We unravel the concept of low demand parenting, emphasizing the importance of respecting a child's stress limits and sensitivities. Naomi and Eliza argue that good parenting cannot be judged solely by a child's behavior, especially when dealing with neurodivergence. By embracing empathy over control, parents can foster deeper connections and encourage true growth. We also delve into the science behind the genetic and environmental factors that shape our children, urging parents to let go of societal expectations and focus on their child's individual path.
Screen time often gets a bad rap, but this episode reimagines it as a tool for connection rather than isolation. Learn how to engage with your children's digital lives constructively, turning screen time into meaningful moments. We tackle the pervasive fears parents have about their children's futures, discussing the importance of being present and supportive through their unique journeys. Finally, Naomi and Eliza highlight the necessity of authenticity and self-care in parenting, ensuring that we're not only meeting our kids' needs but also nurturing our well-being.
Click here to order When the Naughty Step Makes Things Worse before October 9th to get a free ticket for a live webinar based on their book scheduled for October 9th @7:30-9:30. You can also buy tickets for this webinar as usual.
Click here for link to sign up for Live Webinar
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 93
Discover how assistive technology is revolutionizing education for neurodiverse children with our special guest, Brian Friedlander. From his dual expertise as a school psychologist and assistive technology consultant, Brian shares his incredible journey and the transformative tools he's encountered along the way. Learn about the progression from rudimentary assistive devices to the cutting-edge technologies now available, and hear real-life stories of how these innovations are changing the educational landscape for students with dyslexia, dysgraphia, and other learning differences.
Immerse yourself in the fascinating world of voice technology and its impact on education. We discuss the game-changing capabilities of tools like Google Docs, Google Classroom, and Microsoft’s immersive reader, which are helping neurodiverse students express their creativity despite fine motor challenges. Gain practical tips on how to effectively incorporate voice technology in the classroom, and understand the pivotal role teachers play in guiding students through the cognitive demands of voice-assisted writing. The future of learning is here, and it's more accessible than ever.
Lastly, we navigate the complex landscape of educational support systems in the US and UK, with a particular focus on the revolutionary potential of AI. Brian highlights essential testing accommodations and shares invaluable insights on digital tools that assist high school and college students in organizing their materials. Discover how AI-powered resources like Magic School AI and Diffit AI can tailor learning experiences to meet individual needs, making education more inclusive and effective. Don't miss this enlightening conversation that underscores the importance of parental advocacy in securing the best possible educational outcomes for their children.
Click here for a list of all the AI and Technology that Brian talked about in this episode.
Brians Blof Assistivetek
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 92
Can hormonal changes during puberty and menopause amplify neurodivergent traits? Join us as we explore this compelling question with Dinah Siman, founder of Menopause Pilates. With over 26 years of experience in teaching pilates and other movement methods, Dinah shares her profound insights on how movement and proprioception can be game-changers for neurodivergent individuals.
We dive into the intricate connections between neurodiversity, hypermobility, inflammatory bowel disease, migraines, and asthma, providing a holistic understanding of health beyond traditional medicine’s segmented approach. We discuss how pilates benefits core stability and back pain and highlight the evolving perspective of menopause specialists advocating for comprehensive health approaches.
Sharing personal experiences, we shed light on the intersection of hormones and neurodiversity, discussing the rising diagnoses of ADHD during menopause and the need for innovative solutions like family package deals for neurodiversity testing. Our conversation challenges the stigmas surrounding menopause, encouraging women to seek help and consider hormone replacement therapy (HRT) based on modern research.
Finding joyful movement from pilates to biking and even pigeon shooting, we talk about the importance of enjoyment in maintaining consistency in physical activities. Lastly, we emphasize the importance of maintaining bone health through load-bearing exercises and celebrate the vital role of movement and hormonal health for overall well-being. Tune in to gain valuable insights and practical advice for navigating the complexities of neurodiversity and hormonal health.
Menopause Pilates
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Episode 91
Ever wondered how to successfully navigate the challenging world of SEND education? Join me, Dr. Olivia Kessel, alongside Alex Stafford from IPSEA, the leading charity for SEND law in England, as we unpack essential strategies and legal know-how to empower parents. Alex shares her personal journey as a SEND parent, shedding light on the common hurdles and misinformation even professionals face. Learn how understanding your rights and leveraging IPSEA's robust resources and helplines can make a significant difference in securing the education your child deserves.
Together, we tackle systemic issues such as inadequate staffing and financial pressures that often leave parents and carers feeling overwhelmed. Discover how parents can hold educational bodies accountable and the importance of complaint mechanisms like the ombudsman. Alex emphasizes the transformative power of volunteering and spreading accurate, law-based information, with inspiring success stories from IPSEA's website illustrating the positive impact of informed advocacy.
Moreover, this episode is packed with practical advice—from navigating school transport rights and securing appropriate school placements to understanding recent changes in school attendance guidance. We highlight the importance of addressing the root causes of non-attendance and advocating for comprehensive support that enhances student well-being. Plus, get actionable parenting tips for effective advocacy, including how tools like ChatGPT can help you craft constructive communication. Don't miss this insightful and empowering conversation that aims to equip you with the knowledge and confidence to advocate effectively for your child's educational needs.
Click here for link to IPSEA
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Join me as I celebrate the 90th episode of the SEND Parenting Podcast with a heartfelt and insightful conversation with my daughter, Alexandra. She opens up about her anxieties and excitements as she faces a new school year, sharing her personal experiences with transitioning from year seven to year eight and participating in activities like Lambda.
Alexandra’s candid reflections offer a unique perspective on the challenges of meeting new students and teachers, and the hope for smoother transitions in the future. Packed with practical advice, this episode is a treasure trove for parents looking to support their neurodiverse children through the back-to-school period.
Learn about the benefits of creating a visual schedule, preparing the night before, and incorporating sensory tools to help your child self-regulate. We also touch on the importance of good sleep, nutrition, and having open lines of communication with both your child and their school.
Whether you’re dealing with school refusal or just looking to make the transition smoother, our strategies aim to create a positive and supportive school experience for your family. Don’t miss out on these invaluable tips and insights that could make a world of difference for your child!
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Episode 89
Unlock the tools to revolutionize neurodiverse education with our special guest, Davy Jones from OpenGenius. This episode unpacks how Ayoa, an AI-powered mind mapping, planning, and time management app, transforms the way neurodiverse individuals visualize projects, manage tasks, and collaborate. Listen as Davy reveals how Ayoa's features can break the barriers of linear thinking and boost dynamic problem-solving and decision-making.
Discover the real-life impact of assistive technology in education, especially for neurodiverse learners. We discuss the importance of proper training for both students and educators to fully leverage these tools. From personal anecdotes to expert insights, we highlight how AI and mind mapping can offer vital support to students with learning difficulties like dyslexia. Learn why schools need to adopt these innovations to enable all students to unlock their full creative potential.
Lastly, we explore the crucial transition to university life and how early access to assistive technology can make this shift smoother for students with disabilities. Davy shares essential tips for parents and educators, focusing on how Ayoa can enhance memory and productivity through creative mind mapping techniques. We also cover practical pathways for obtaining assistive technology support, whether through university assessments or workplace accommodations, ensuring a seamless academic journey for neurodiverse students. Don't miss out on understanding the powerful role of AI in unlocking educational success for all.
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Episode 88
Meet the secret weapon that will transform your parenting journey, especially if you're raising neurodiverse children. Join Dr. Olivia Kessel as she shares invaluable insights on the absolute necessity of self-care, particularly during the high-stress holiday season. Drawing from personal anecdotes, Dr. Kessel explains how neglecting your own well-being can diminish your ability to effectively meet your child's needs. You'll walk away with practical tips for seamlessly integrating self-care into your daily routine, from prioritizing sleep to finding those precious small moments to recharge.
But that's not all—this episode also tackles the insidious impact of alcohol on stress and sleep, offering healthier alternatives like tapping, breathing exercises, and nature walks. As we gear up for a new school year, Dr. Kessel introduces innovative AI tools, like those from OpenGenius, which are designed to help neurodiverse children organize their thoughts and conquer academic challenges. Don't miss next week's deep dive into these AI solutions with a representative from OpenGenius. Tune in to ensure you and your family have a calm and successful start to the school year.
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Episode 87
Ever wondered why your neurodiverse child struggles with sleep, especially during the holidays? Join Dr. Olivia Kessel on this week's SEND Parenting Podcast as she unpacks the complexities behind sleep issues in children with ADHD and autism. Learn how regular exercise benefits focus into your child's daily routine and mental health by boosting neurotransmitter levels, and get tips on reducing screen time before bed.
She shares personal stories about her daughter's challenges and also delves into the reasons behind active brains, sensory sensitivities and delayed sleep phase syndrome. You'll gain valuable insights into how physical activity—or the lack thereof during holiday breaks—can disrupt sleep patterns even further.
Stay tuned for a sneak peek into our upcoming discussion on the importance of self-care for parents, because taking care of yourself is just as crucial as caring for your neurodiverse child.
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How can the holiday season turn a joyous time into a period of heightened stress for neurodiverse children? Join me, Dr. Olivia Kessel, as I share my personal journey with my daughter Alexandra, who has ADHD, and uncover some of the reasons behind increased emotional and violent outbursts during the summer holidays. We will dive deep into the science behind these behaviors, focusing on understanding these developmental challenges with practical strategies to identify triggers, maintain safety and emphasising the necessity of staying calm to prevent escalation.
Discover effective self-regulation techniques tailored specifically for neurodiverse children. From creating a designated calm space with soothing elements to exploring alternative methods like acupuncture and tapping, I'll share what has worked for Alexandra and countless others. You'll learn the importance of recognizing early warning signs of agitation and strategies to maintain your own calmness as a parent. Plus, I offer three practical tips for navigating the summer holidays: maintaining a consistent routine, incorporating physical activity, and ensuring clear communication and preparation. This episode is a heartfelt reminder that patience, self-care, and understanding are key to supporting a neurodiverse child’s growth and development.
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Imagine planning a dream vacation only to face the unexpected challenge of your child melting down due to the overwhelming changes. Join me, Dr. Olivia Kessel, on the SEND Parenting Podcast as I share my personal experiences with my wonderfully neurodivergent daughter, Alexandra, and break down why seemingly simple changes can feel so monumental for kids with ADHD, autism, and dyslexia.
In the first episode of our summer holidays series, I unpack the medical reasons behind these struggles, discussing everything from heightened sensitivity to sensory input to the strong preference for routine. Learn practical strategies to help your child navigate these transitions more smoothly, starting with the critical step of preparation. This episode is a quick lifesaver for making your holiday break as relaxing and enjoyable as possible for you and your children.
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Episode 84
Tamsyn and Olivia are back this week with a bitesize recap of one of our most unexpected topics from episode 42 - sheep therapy?!
This week we cover the surprisingly profound and transformative power of sheep therapy from our episode with Emma Redman and Pippa Ashton of Ewe Talks. This episode also explores how unexpected breakthroughs in therapy can occur outside traditional settings and the importance of creative thinking and open-mindedness in addressing the unique needs of neurodiverse children or those who have experienced trauma.
We talk the power of nature, and how integrating sheep therapy into activities like gardening or nature walks increases dopamine, leaving children more emotionally regulated and comfortable without even realizing the therapeutic benefits. Plus, we highlight the practical and cost-effective advantages of incorporating these therapeutic tools within schools, fostering a more engaged and supported student community. Listen in to understand how something as simple as interacting with sheep can make a profound difference in mental and emotional well-being.
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Episode 83
We are back this week with another (not so) bitesize episode, which means that we are joined once more by our fantastic bitesize co-host Tamsyn. This week we are throwing all the way back to episode 8 with Sally Greenhalgh, academic and digital lead of the Unicorn School, with whom we discussed how schools can better embrace technology to empower neurodiverse children in education.
Tamsyn and Olivia cover all the incredible information from that episode, like the tech that is out there to support our neurodiverse children like Microsoft Word's dictation and Immersive Reader features, and how they can unlock creativity and story writing in dyslexic and dyspraxic children. We also discuss how these technologies can help children with ADHD and autism as well.
We also discuss why schools are reticent to adopt such transformative technology when it empowers neurodiverse students to showcase their abilities and achieve independence in their learning, meaning for lower-cost SEND support long term. The necessity for schools to embrace technology in the same way society does is emphasized, including the potential of using pupil premium funds to make technology accessible.
Tune in to discover how technology can revolutionize education and make a lasting impact on neurodiverse children's lives.
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Episode 82
Have you ever wondered how dyspraxia affects day-to-day life from childhood into adulthood? Join us on this enlightening episode of the SEND Parenting Podcast, where we're excited to have Rosemary Richings, a talented writer and advocate, share her personal journey with dyspraxia, offering unique insights drawn from her book, "Stumbling Through Time." Together, we unpack the complexities of living with dyspraxia, its impact on daily activities, and how it intertwines with conditions like ADHD and autism.
Rosemary candidly shares personal anecdotes and discusses the ongoing challenges , from time management to misconceptions about "growing out" of dyspraxia to workplace self-advocacy, stressing the importance of educating others about the condition. With practical strategies for breaking down tasks and improving executive functioning, this episode is a valuable resource for anyone seeking to better understand and support those with dyspraxia, particularly for parents recognizing dyspraxia in children
This episode ends on a hopeful note, highlighting that with the right support, children with dyspraxia can achieve great things. Tune in for an episode filled with knowledge, compassion, and a message of perseverance.
Rosemary's Linktree
Link to Rosemary's book "Stumbling Through Time."
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Episode 81
So, you have an EHCP - now what? Join us this week as we continue our enlightening two-part conversation with Jenny Hooper, CEO of the Evolving Mind Clinic. Jenny uses her 39+ years of experience working in SEND education (both from a teaching and local authority perspective) to provide a comprehensive break down of anything and everything we may need to know about our EHCPs.
Tune in as we breakdown what each section of the EHCP document is for and how best to use it, red flags in EHCP language, negotiating school choices with your local authority, and legal requirements you might not know you are afforded.
This episode is truly a one-stop shop for empowering parents with the tools and knowledge they need to successfully navigate and use their EHCPs. We are so grateful to Jenny for lending her expertise and hope you find it as useful as we do!
Independent provider of special education advice IPSEA
The Evolving Mind Clinic
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Episode 80
Are you feeling lost, confused or unsure about getting getting support or an EHCP for your child? Join us this week on the Send Parenting Podcast as we welcome Jenny Hooper, CEO of the Evolving Mind Clinic, to share her 39 years of expertise in teaching and special education needs. Together, we cover the initial steps of identifying when your child requires additional assistance, the ins and outs of SEN support pre-EHCP, and strategies for obtaining an Educational Healthcare Plan (EHCP).
The system for obtaining EHCP's can be incredibly confusing and hard to navigate. In this episode, we deconstruct the whole system, explaining notional budgets for SEN needs and the complexities that schools are dealing with when it comes to student support funding. We demystify the role of local authorities, the significance of Individual Education Plans (IEPs), and the journey from SEND support to statutory assessments, with an emphasis on early intervention and parent-school collaboration.
Finally, we guide you through the EHCP assessment process from start to finish. Learn how to request an assessment, what to expect within the 20-week timeline, and tactics for overcoming challenges if your initial request is denied. This episode is packed with practical advice, empowering you to advocate effectively for your neurodivergent child. Tune in and prepare to navigate the UK education system with confidence.
Independent provider of special education advice IPSEA
The Evolving Mind Clinic
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Episode 79
This week we are joined by the ADHD coach and advocate, Leanne Maskell to talk all about her journey to late diagnosis and thriving within ADHD.
Through hearing about Leanne's struggles and journey to a late diagnosis at 25, we illuminate a lot of fascinating, lesser-discussed elements of ADHD like rejection-sensitive dysphoria, ADHD in girls, and the genuine mortal danger of late diagnosis.
Through her work in researching, writing, and educating about ADHD, Leanne shares with us how she has learnt to love and appreciate the true strengths of ADHD, and how it can lead to an authentic and individual life. She also shares practical advice in how to support and coach our ADHD children, and dealing with ADHD when combined with screens and the internet.
This episode promises a wealth of knowledge, empathy, and actionable steps for anyone affected by ADHD and is a must-listen for anyone with a child with ADHD.
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 78
Teaching our children to swim is a vital part of preparing our children for the wider world, but for neurodivergent children it can be an uphill struggle. How can we make the world of water can be friendly and safe for children who don't fit the typical mould?
This week we are joined Nicole Martin from Core Aquatics who has dedicated her career to create and teach inclusive swimming programs that cater to neurodiverse children. We talk about how such initiatives can drastically reduce the worrying statistics of drowning in children with autism, what an autism-friendly swimming pool looks like, candid advice on easing kids into the water, overcoming fears, building confidence, and discovering joy.
Nicole's story is one of adaptation and innovation, providing a beacon of hope for parents seeking the right swimming lessons for their unique little ones. We underscore the value of teaching about different water bodies, the creation of muscle memory for safety maneuvers, and how these skills go beyond the pool to oceans and lakes.
Nicole Martin is fundraising for Alex's Wish (justgiving.com) – Charity Wing Walk
Core Aquatics
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Episode 77
This week I am joined by Olly Stewart, a wonderful speech and language therapist from the Evolving Mind Clinic. This week we are diving into everything about speech and language therapy, what it is, how it works, how you can access it, and parenting tips and tricks from a speech and language perspective.
We dispel the notion that speech and language therapists (SALTs) are only concerned with stammers and lisps, and reveal the transformative role they can have in fostering communication skills vital for children's social development. Olly also shares some practical strategies to enhance children's verbal and non-verbal communication skills, setting the stage for their future success.
Olly's expertise shines a light on the current shortage of SALT professionals and the growing need for their services across diverse contexts, underscoring the collective responsibility to support the communication needs of future generations.
Click here for link to The Evolving Mind Clinic
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Episode 76
Anxiety in general, but especially in young people and children, is on the rise. That's why I'm thrilled to bring you a conversation with the remarkable Nixon sisters, Emma and Laura, who are pioneering the way we support children grappling with anxiety in the classroom. Our dialogue sheds light on the complex factors contributing to this epidemic, highlighting the residual effects of the pandemic, the digital age, and lifestyle changes. But beyond diagnosing the problem, we're here to offer teachers and parents the tools they need, like the Emotional Freedom Technique, to not only manage but to transform the emotional wellbeing of our children.
We talk about teaching emotional awareness and regulation in our children when we are still learning it in ourselves, the importance of addressing anxiety and stress physically, not just mentally, and look at the toolkit they have created for addressing anxiety in schools like Flexit and the Connection Cone.
This is a vital conversation for anyone looking to equip the next generation with the emotional toolkit they need to thrive in an ever-changing world. Join us in this enlightening journey toward a future where our children's mental health is not just preserved but flourished.
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Episode 75
This week we are back with another bitesize recap episode, meaning that we are also joined by our fantastic co-host Tamsyn Hendry once more! This week we are having a summary discussion of Episode 35 with Emma Wildgoose on Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), also known as "tapping".
This is honestly such a groundbreaking approach to helping our children emotionally regulate and I hope our discussion helps spread the word to more families! We talk how EFT blends Eastern acupressure and Western psychology to help us and our children label our feelings and handle stress and anxiety. We discuss how impactful parent emotions are on our children, talk about the applicability in our schools, and (as with every bitesize episode) share some stories from home.
Tune in, tap into emotional freedom, and watch the transformation unfold in your family's life!
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Episode 74
This week we are joined by Amber Jayne, whose story of resilience from an abusive relationship and breast cancer to establishing a successful preschool unfolds in our latest episode.
We talk all about Amber's journey and the pivotal role of early childhood education and the empowerment it brings, not just to the children, but to mothers crafting their own entrepreneurial endeavors. We chart the course of nurturing from infancy to the brink of school age, and the transformative impact it holds. We also talk navigating screen time with young ones and how to choose the childcare that works for you, and top tips for starting childcare yourself.
We close the episode on a note of simplicity, reminding us all that amidst the cacophony of parenting advice, the simplest acts of love form the cornerstone of our children's well-being.
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Episode 73
When my daughter Alexandra was diagnosed with ADHD, it challenged everything I thought I knew, both about the condition itself but also, and more importantly, parenting my child. Having dispelled and debunked all the myths and misinformation there is about ADHD online last week, this episode is a deep dive into the symptoms, issues, and solutions. I approach this subject from the lived experience as a mother to a daughter with ADHD and from a clinical perspective as a doctor.
I deep dive into some of the lesser known ADHD symptoms (like emotional dysregulation), how they have presented and caused issues in our home life, and the accommodations we have made. I cover all kinds of changes we've made like medication, diet, visual aids, sleep hygiene, and school accommodation. I'm here to offer a roadmap of actionable strategies to bring a sense of hope to your family.
Join me for an honest, informative session filled with the tools you need to support your neurodiverse child in a world that's just beginning to understand them.
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Episode 72
The myriad of myths swirling surrounding ADHD create needless barriers to help and support for neurodivergent children and their families. As a medical doctor, mother to a child with ADHD, and devoted advocate for neurodiversity, this week I am wading in to bust these harmful misinformed ideas. But unraveling these misconceptions is more than just myth-busting; it's a vital part of understanding and accepting the complexities of this condition.
I am covering statements like:
- ADHD is caused by bad parenting
- ADHD is caused by too much sugar
- ADHD medication is dangerous
- ADHD is being over diagnosed
- ADHD doesn't exist
- ADHD is just kids being fidgety
- People with ADHD are dumber than neurotypical people
But I don't just leave it there, I also go into the science behind ADHD, how it functions, what causes it, and share my own family's experience with it. Understanding ADHD fullt is crucial for crafting strategies that support our children's successful transition to adulthood, and this episode is your guide to doing just that. Join me as we champion the journey of neurodivergent children towards a thriving future, armed with knowledge and empathy.
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Episode 71
Navigating the complex maze of health assessments for neurodevelopmental disorders can be daunting for any parent so our guests this week are here to guide us through it.
Jenny Hooper is CEO of The Evolving Mind with 39 years of experience working in SEND education and Dr Dolly is a consultant paediatrician with 25+ years working in the NHS and specialism in neurodevelopmental diagnosis.
We talk about the difficulties of diagnosing neurodiversity (particularly in girls), why it is crucial, and why so many families are seeking private assessments. Across autism, ADHD and dyselxia, our guests take us through what to expect when your child is being assessed and how to spot red flags in private assessors.
The journey through the referral process can be fraught with frustration—but armed with our insights, you can anticipate potential roadblocks and ensure your child remains the centerpiece of any assessment. Dr. Dolly and Jenny impart invaluable advice for post-diagnosis support and navigating the educational system. If you're looking for actionable insights and empowerment, this conversation is tailored to light your path through the special education needs landscape.
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Episode 70
This week we have the fantastic Rebecca Avern to talk all about acupuncture and how it can help our neurodiverse children! As a doctor trained in the UK, we start our conversation on the discussion on the benefits of using Eastern and Western medicine in conjunction with one another. We discuss how acupuncture offers solace and support, tackling emotional dysregulation, sleep disturbances, and an array of challenges that often accompany neurodiversity.
Rebecca shares a number of anonymised stories of neurodivergent clients she has helped using acupuncture and how we can tailor acupuncture to young people and children. This includes gentle, needle-free options and allowing the children to lead their healing experiences, moving at their pace.
This episode exemplifies the benefits of nurturing a multi-practitioner environment, and the power of a collective effort to create a healing space where children and families feel supported and understood on their journeys toward well-being.
Link to Panda Accupuncture Clinic
Link to The Little Accupuncture Room
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Episode 69
When the road ahead seems shrouded in uncertainty, it's the stories of those who've walked it before us that shed the most light. This week we are joined by Esther Freeman, the visionary behind the SEND Parent Survival Guide, as we traverse the terrain of raising children with SEND. Esther's candid account of her own trials and victories offers a map for parents in the thick of similar struggles – a guide to finding balance between caring for their child and themselves. Through the guide's three pillars, we illuminate tools and strategies that can transform the chaos into a journey of growth and empowerment, underlining the profound importance of self-care and mental health in creating a nurturing family environment.
Join us as we uncover the strength in community, the necessity for boundaries, and the collective knowledge that lights the path for parents guiding their children with SEND.
Click here for link to The SEND Parents Survival Guide
Click here for auto generated Transcript
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Episode 67
This week Dr Olivia is joined by Tamsyn Hendry, back for another bitesize recap! This episode they are revisiting Ep 18 with Rachel Horner, and are discussing our favourite takeaways and most important tips from that episode. For so many families, occupation therapy is truly a kind of magic. While so many may be telling us that there is something "wrong" with our children, occupational therapists meet them where they are at and tailor changes so small and simple, yet with life changing results.
Tamsyn and Olivia pour over a lot of their favourite take-aways from the episode like the "Just Right" challenge, molded cultery, why autistic children may prefer super hot or cold food, and as always share how these lessons have changed their parenting in real life.
This episode is a reminder that when we really meet our children where they are at, the smallest changes and accommodations have profound impacts on our lives.
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Episode 67
This week we are joined once more by the esteemed Dr Maryhan, in an episode that promises to equip you with the tools to nurture the skill of bouncing back from life's hurdles. The skill of resilience is both crucial to a neurodivergent child's life and simultaneously one that can be more difficult to cultivate due to the extra support our children need.
We talk Ginsburg's 7 C's of Resilience (with a focus on 'confidence' and 'competence'),
Embark on a journey to understand the heart of parenting neurodiverse children—resilience. With Dr. Olivia Kessel and the esteemed Dr. Maryhanas your guides, this episode promises to equip you with the tools to nurture the skill of bouncing back from life's hurdles. We dissect Ginsburg's seven C's, with a focus on 'competence' and 'confidence', the importance of experiential learning, and balancing empathy and support with allowing the room for trials, failures and learning. We also discuss the importance of connections beyond the family unit, how to cultivate healthy coping mechanisms, and the empowerment that comes from control and agency.
Finally, we share the palpable excitement for Dr Maryhan's upcoming "Raising Resilient Adults" Conference (for which I, Dr Olivia Kessel, am a guest speaker). Parents, educators, and all invested in the future of neurodiverse children, join us in this pivotal conversation and walk away with a renewed commitment to the resilience-building journey.
It Takes A Village Conference will be held on 18th April 2024 at Farnborough-Hill school. It is for parents and professionals who want to hear from experts on how best to raise resilient adults.
To buy tickets click on this link https://drmaryhan.com/ittakesavillage/
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Episode 66
This week we have the fantastic Kate Steer @nurturedneurokids, a former teacher turned neurodivergent family coach, on the podcast to unravel the complexities of neurodiversity in education.
Together, we talk about the changes in the education system that led to Kate's exit from teaching, the stifling pressures on creativity within classrooms, and journey that many families undertake as they step away from mainstream education. We talk about the importance of advocating for and honour parental instincts and transformative power of self-directed learning at home.
Kate's expertise shines as she provides practical advice on preparing for pivotal meetings with school officials, and navigating the labyrinth of state education. If you're looking to empower your child to flourish on their unique educational journey, let our stories and strategies guide you toward a brighter, more accommodating learning environment.
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 65
This week we are joined by Tina MacGillivray, known as @thepdaparent on instagram and a beacon of resilience and knowledge in parenting. This week we talk to her about the journey of parenting her son with 48 XXYY syndrome, autism, Tourette's, and PDA.
This is a heartbreaking yet inspiring episode which tells the story of a parent who has realised that the support she needs just isn't there, and has taken matters into her own hand - an experience help with so many others in this community. We talk PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance), about being on the receiving end of an underfunded system, and the choice to disengage. We also discuss how Tina brought herself and her son back from the brink, low demand parenting, educating oneself about the nervous system, and the key role humour has in parenting.
The episode concludes with an empowering message to parents: your journey, though daunting, is laced with opportunities for transformation, growth, and the discovery of unexpected joy in the face of adversity. Join us as we share a story not just of struggle, but of profound hope and the indelible strength of the human spirit.
Click here for Tina's The PDA Parent Newsletter
PDA Books:
Understanding PDA in Children – Phil Christie
The Educators Guide to PDA – Laura Kerbey
Collaborative Approaches to Learning for Children with PDA – Ruth Fidler
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Episode 64
This week I sit down with Matt Gupwell, founder of Think Neurodiversity and co-host of ADHD Talks, to discuss finding your passions and thriving within neurodiversity.
Diagnosed with ADHD and autism later in life, Matt unveils how this revelation reshaped his understanding of success and spurred his passion to help to make this journey easier for others than it was for him. We talk about medication, the profound effect a diagnosis can have, and learning to re-centre yourself after a diagnosis. As two people with a mutual passion for sharing reliable SEND information and resources, we discuss navigating misinformation online and highlight the necessity for individuals to proactively seek evidence-based resources. We also critique the deficit-laden narratives surrounding ADHD on social media and encourage neurodivergents to embrace their innate talents. And finally, we discuss the beautiful gift of relearning and redefining success for ourselves, and how to help our children find their own versions.
This is an uplifting and open minded conversation and I can't wait for you to hear it.
Click here for Think Neurodiversity
Click here for Talk ADHD
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Episode 63
Join us this week as I am once more talking with the fantastic Chrissa Wadlow from Sunshine Support as we unravel the complexities of school attendance for neurodivergent children.
From personal trauma to sensory overload, we analyse the reasons behind school avoidance and the essential trust between parents and children that must be preserved to prevent long-term psychological harm. We delve deep into the education system's outdated punitive measures surrounding attendance and the harsh interpersonal and societal impact on families they penalise.
We also remind parents of key legal protections for their children in school that they may not know about, like the fact that you do not need to provide medical proof of poor child mental health and the 15 day rule. By encouraging early recognition of individual needs and equipping parents with the knowledge to challenge systemic barriers, we aim to prevent disengagement and its far-reaching consequences for future generations.
Link to Sunshine Support
Mental health guidance - DfE
PDA Books:
Understanding PDA in Children – Phil Christie
The Educators Guide to PDA – Laura Kerbey
Collaborative Approaches to Learning for Children with PDA – Ruth Fidler
PDA in the Family – Steph Curtis
PDA by PDA’ers – Sally Cat
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Episode 62
CONTENT WARNING This episode mentions suicidal ideation, gaslighting from social services, and child protective services.
This week I sat down with the indefatigable Chrissa Wadlow, founder of Sunshine Support, to talk to her about the journey that brought Chrissa to creating Sunshine. Chrissa's battle against the UK education system to get the support her autistic daughter needed will be both shocking and heartbreakingly familiar for fellow parents of SEND children. We talk about the infuriating and fraudulent bureaucracy that has been created by a deeply underfunded system, and how it very nearly cost her and her daughter's lives.
But this is not a sob story - Chrissa used her experience to go on and create Sunshine Support, a centre which works to empower and advocate for parents, carers, and professionals who support children and young people with SEND. They have free information resources, expert educational and legal advice, and community building for families at their wits end. This episode is a testament to power of never giving up, community, and how much easier the world is when we approach with curiosity, not judgement.
If you are struggling in your quest to get your child support, please click on link to Sunshine Support
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Episode 61
This week we are talking to the wonderful Lynn Greenberg who, along with her dyslexic son Jonathan, wrote the children's book "Robby the Dyslexic Taxi and the Airport Adventure". We talk today all about how the book came to be, its reception, and her journey with her son's dyslexia.
As her son is now an adult man, we reflect on how far neurodivergency advocacy has come in the past 15 years, and how much further there still is to go with early screening and intervention. We reaffirm the importance of educating yourself as a parent, and listening to your gut. And finally, we talk about empowering dyslexic children via the medium that often makes them feel excluded, and the importance of representation of neurodivergent people in books and stories.
Find Lynn and Johnathan at the Creative Cab Company
Purchase on Amazon Robby the Dyslexic Taxi
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 60
It's time for another bitesize summary episode! Ever witnessed the sheer joy and transformation a child experiences through the simple act of play? This week, Olivia and co-host Tamsyn Hendry review episode 25 with Anna Hodgson and Becky Hill from ClearSky charity. From the huge increases play therapy has in emotional growth and easing peer conflicts, to bridging communication gaps, to guarding child mental health, they recap the magical effects of play therapy. They also look inwards and reflect how they have been able to introduce play more in their own parenting, and talk about the importance of making time (even if it's just 15 minutes).
Whether you're a parent in the throes of child-rearing or a caregiver looking for fresh perspectives, this is a lovely digestible episode geared with insights and resources to guide you through the intricacies of nurturing our future generations.
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 59
As a parent, I've found myself navigating the stormy seas of emotional outbursts and fraught silences, frustrated at my child and disappointed in myself. Enter Sarah Fisher, the mind behind "Connective Parenting," who joins me this week to talk about the Nonviolent Resistance (NVR) approach.
Together we discuss how this methodology, inspired by leaders of peace like Gandhi and Mandela, can revolutionise parenting for those with children prone to extreme or even violent emotional outbursts. Our discussion is wide ranging: we talk about the importance of parental presence and self-care, triaging challenges, and the delicate balance of acknowledging children's emotions and setting the boundaries needed to guide them gently towards better self-regulation. We share some of our parenting missteps along the way and discuss the need to forgive ourselves to move on to better parenting.
This episode is a breath of fresh air for any parents who are struggling with this at the moment - just know you are not alone!
Link to Sarah Fischer's book Connective Parenting
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 58
When the education system doesn't quite fit the mould of your children's needs, where do you turn and how do you change? Caro Giles, author of "12 Moons" and single mother to four girls joins me this week to uncover the heart of this question. Together, we discuss the complexities of raising children who defy traditional expectations, from the isolating trenches of securing appropriate education to the balancing act of preserving one's identity. We also talk about Carol's memoir, in which her candid reflections provide solace to those feeling unseen in their caregiving roles.
The conversation takes a lot of turns into the depths of advocacy, where we share war stories from the front lines of educational tribunals, the often invisible economic and emotional toll that comes with them, and the joyful moments in unconventional families. It's a cathartic conversation, full of personal anecdotes and an unvarnished look at the reality many families face, teeming with the grit and grace required to champion our children's right to a fitting education. This episode is a tribute to those parents championing neurodiversity, and a beacon for those finding their way in a world that's learning to embrace difference.
Link for Caro's book Twelve Moons A Year Under a Shared Sky
Support Caro on Substack (Unschooled by Caro Giles) here: https://carogiles.substack.com
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 57
Have you ever considered the hidden strengths within a dyslexic mind? This week we sit down with Russell Van Brocklen, a pioneer in dyslexia education. Russell, once challenged by his own dyslexia, now champions a technique that capitalizes on the dyslexic students' unique abilities, turning hurdles into triumphs and helping dyslexic people thrive in academia.
This is a fascinating episode in which we are afforded an inside scoop on the inner workings of this pioneering course. We discuss all sorts in this episode: both Russell and Olivia's traumatising school experiences with dyslexia, the future of AI in education with dyslexic students, and the powerful tool writing can be in helping organise our thoughts. This is a fascinating, technical episode perfect for those looking to tackle dyslexia in a new way!
Russell has also been kind enough to offer a discount on his course to listeners of the SEND Parenting podcast!
Find them on this link: https://dyslexiaclasses.com/podcast-offer/
Or by using the offer code Parenting2024 at checkout: dyslexiaclasses.com
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 56
In this podcast, we talk a lot about the hardships those with ADHD undergo - but what about those who have managed to harness the electric energy of hyperfocus and creativity? This week we have the privilege of hosting the incomparable British impressionist Rory Bremner, who provided an intimate view into his life post-ADHD diagnosis.
We talk every angle of his journey with ADHD: from navigating the emotional rollercoaster that comes with a diagnosis as an adult, harnessing neurodiversity via comedy, giving yourself a break while keeping yourself accountable, and the personal decisions that go into taking medication or not.
We cap off this journey with heartfelt advice for parents raising children who march to the beat of their own hyperactive drum. Patience, love, and the right guidance are the cornerstones of supporting these vibrant minds.
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 55
Rounding out the holiday season we are releasing a final "Bitesize Summary" episode with Olivia and her guest co-host Tamsyn, this time revisiting episode 26 with Dr Maryhan. This episode was all about parenting advice, trusting your own instincts, and containing your child's emotional dysregulation. We underline the importance of self-care for parents, especially those with neurodiverse children, and connecting to your own gut instincts, as well as sharing changes in our own personal parenting journeys.
Click here for Dr Maryhan's website
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 54
Ever wondered if neurodiversity might just be an evolutionary adaptation? This week we are diving into another "BiteSize Summary" episode as we revisit our enlightening conversation with Heidi Mavir, author of 'Your Child is Not Broken', from episode 13. Olivia and her bitesize co-host Tamsyn discuss their favourite points from a wise and hilarious episode, including looking at the origins of neurodiversity, the blame of parenting in neurodiversity, and Olivia and Tamsyn's everchanging parenting journeys.
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 53
Happy Boxing Day!
This is just a little festive message to say that you to all our listeners and to remind you that even if your holidays have been less than ideal, so often the unpredictable chaos of family gathers can lead to our most hilarious and treasured memories.
Thank you so much for your support: the Send Parenting Podcast has grown into a thriving community of over 13,000 downloads and 2,000 online followers. I express my heartfelt gratitude to every listener, guest, and contributor for this beautiful growth. The journey ahead seems exciting and replete with fresh topics, solutions and expert insights. Amid the ups and downs of parenting and the challenges life throws our way, remember we are in this together, supporting each other in raising our wonderfully wired children.
Thank you for an unforgettable year, and here's to a hopeful and empowering 2024!
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 52 Bitesize
It's time for the second in our 'bitesize' series of episodes in which our host Olivia and returning guest Tamsyn Hendry discuss and summarise past impactful episodes! This week they are revisiting Episodes 16 & 27 with Dr Naomi Fisher on the subject of self-directed learning.
This is an incredibly candid and honest episode in which they discuss the ways Dr Fisher's work has profoundly reshaped their own concepts of schooling and parenting. We talk about moments with our children we look back on with regret, changes we have made, illuminating the importance of self-direction, listening to our children's instincts, and getting rid of heavy expectations.
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 51
Have you ever stopped to consider that maybe our society discriminates against children? Together with gentle parenting expert Sarah Ockwell-Smith, we unpack this concept of childism and explore the urgent need for empathy, respect, and understanding in raising our children.
We also talk all about the importance of changing the political as well as our personal behaviours if we want to elevate to change our parenting for the better. Sarah talks us through how neoliberalism is affecting parenting and the government's alarming tendency to prioritise the creation of efficient employees over children's welfare. We also talk about the importance of recognising children's legal rights, the outdated education system in England, and how to break harmful generational parenting cycles.
Last but not least, Sarah shares her son's journey with ADHD the challenges encountered, the societal pressures faced, and the transformative power of empathy, structure, and an apology.
Click her for a link to Sarah's Ockwell Smith's book: Because I Said So!
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 50
Content Warning: There are brief mentions of violence, murder, and suicide in this episode.
You're about to embark on a journey to the heart of eSwatini (formerly Swaziland) with our extraordinary guests, Francis and Nquobile to learn all about their dedication to improving lives some of the most impoverished areas of eSwatini. Despite the lack of resources and a struggling healthcare system, they continue to support disabled children, the elderly, and those who are hungry.
We talk about the varied nature of their work, doing what they must in lieu of a health system with resources: they even provide transport and wheelchairs, build houses, teach caring tips, and locate families for children who have been orphaned. We talk about the grim state of affairs in the work they do, but also the excellent work they do in helping the community towards self-sufficiency via the teaching of care giving at home, and linking orphans with the elderly of the community.
This episode is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and a call to action to lend a hand to those in need. Join us for this riveting conversation.
Want to donate to help Frances and Nqobile with their work? Here is our GoFundMe Link: https://gofund.me/b46f729d
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 49
Have you ever wondered why school detentions and exclusions are escalating in England while Scotland has managed to revamp its policies, significantly reducing such incidents? In this insightful conversation with Dr. Chris Bagley, an experienced psychologist in the education and youth justice sectors, we peel back the layers of the harmful ideologies shaping the uniquely punitive English education system.
Tune in as we decode the convoluted dynamics at play, discussing how an overemphasis on authority, data generation, and metrics are contributing to a rising trend of disciplinary school environments. We also look at the affects of these oppressive behavior policies on students’ mental well-being and how our neurodiverse children are often particularly victimised. Through a comparison with the Scottish education system, we expose the need for England to change its values. Be prepared for an enlightening exploration of the English education system, its impact on the students it serves, and possible solutions for change. You don't want to miss this episode!
Click here for link to Dr Chris Bagley's website
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 48
Eliza is a successful neurodivergent illustrator, author, co-author, and mother to a neurodivergent child. In this episode we talk about her experience of unmasking her own neurodiversity along the journey of parenting her child. We talk all about the exhausting and empowering experience of being a parent, and draw insights from her book on Pathological Demand Avoidance. Expect inspiring conversation about schooling differently, self-discovery via art, guilt-free self-care, and the crucial role of a safe parent to counterbalance more hostile external environments.
This episode promises to leave you inspired, affirmed, and looking at your own parenting with a fresh perspective.
Click for link to Eliza's New book: Thumbsucker
Click her for Eliza's blog: Missing the Mark
Click for link to Eliza's book: Can't Not Won't
Click for link to Eliza's book: The Family experience of PDA
Click for link to Eliza's book: Thumbsucker
Click here for Eliza's website
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 47
So what is it exactly that speech and language therapists do, and how can they help neurodiverse individuals? We're shining a light on it in our latest episode with the insightful Cathy Schilling, founder of the Speech Den. We promise that you'll come away with a newfound understanding and appreciation for the importance of tailored speech therapy in unlocking the potential of children with speech and language difficulties.
Venture with us on our journey into the often-overlooked realm of auditory processing difficulties in classroom environments. It's a complex world, where the buzzing classroom could be a minefield rather than a haven of learning. Cathy helps us understand this better, and shares strategies that educators can use to make classrooms more inclusive, which could be a game-changer for many students.
We round off our discussion with a deep dive into Gestalt language processing, exploring the power of silence for co-regulation and authentic communication - something that could revolutionize your understanding of autistic communication. And if you've ever wondered about the benefits of self-advocacy and child-led learning, Cathy provides some eye-opening examples. You don't want to miss this episode – Cathy's insights are a treasure trove for anyone seeking to support neurodiversity in parenting and education.
Click here for a link to the Speech Den
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 46
This week we are joined by Instagram’s beloved Garden Fairy, Anya Lautenbach, to talk to her all about how she has found joy and power in her neurodivergency. Anya shares her journey with us: from growing up with ADHD in Poland, to reframing her view of neurodivergency after her son's diagnosis with dyslexia, and finally to growing her own hugely successful gardening business and online presence.
Anya shares with us all the wisdom she has learnt along the way, including the importance of not shying away from diagnosis, the healing role of nature in her life, and an enlightening metaphor about cashmere cardigans...
Whether you're seeking inspiring personal stories or valuable parenting tools, this is a delightful and uplifting episode for all!
Click here for Anya's book The Money Saving Gardener
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 45
In celebration of the final day of ADHD Awareness month this week's guest Dr Giovanni Giaroli joins us to talk us thoroughly through all the questions we could possibly have around ADHD medication and treatment.
A highly respected consultant and psychiatrist specialising in neurodevelopmental conditions, Dr Giovanni Giaroli shares his wisdom and expertise on a number of topics. From the controversy surrounding assessment and medication, the different types and how they work, the importance of personalised medication and dosage, and more! We also talk the comorbidity of anxiety with ADHD and autism, and why it's wise to try therapy before reaching for medication in these situations.
If you have ever felt nervous or confused about the prescription of medication for you or your child with ADHD - this is the episode for you! We promise you will walk away with a deeper understanding of ADHD treatment, the options, the dangers, and the exciting differences they can make in the day-to-day of your life.
Link to the Giaroli Centre
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 44
TW: Some references to self-harm.
How has the UK education system been designed? With up-to-date data on the nature of learning in mind? Or based on the outdated policies of the past? We'll let you take a wild guess. Adele Bates, an esteemed behaviour and educational specialist teacher and author, shares her expertise with us on current antiquated behavioural policies and how we can change them.
This is a fascinating, illuminating, and hopeful discussion. We discuss so much: insufficient funding and training in schools, relationship-based approaches to behavioural policies, the trauma of isolation, and tailoring our classrooms to the behaviour needs of students.
Adele also shares priceless tips on fostering trust and connection with students, and we touch upon her book, "Miss, I Don't Give A Sh*t", and its emphasis on challenging behaviour in school. This episode serves as a crucial guide for anyone wanting to foster a supportive and understanding atmosphere in their educational environment.
Click here to link to Adele's website and book
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 43
This week we are introducing an episode of our bitesize podcast in which our host Olivia and SEN advisor Tamsyn Hendry sit down for a short discussion of the top takeaways from some of our favourite episodes.
For this bitesize episode we're thrilled to discuss the significant themes from episodes 22 and 23 with Ellie Costello. We're reminding ourselves of some of our favourite wisdom from these episodes about dealing with the education system: dealing with the infamous label of "anxious mothers", the loss of identity and respect as parents, and the clashing medical and social models of education.
We hope to be releasing some more episodes like this scattered throughout the year, providing a short digestible format to summarise the insights of all our incredible guests. But we're not stopping there - we want your thoughts on the episode! Remember, you're part of a supportive parenting tribe, and your voice matters.
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 42
Get ready to be swept off your feet by Emma and Pippa, the brainy duet behind EWE Talk, a non-profit like no other. Armed with a flock of sheep and a passion for mental wellness, they're breaking barriers in the most heartwarming way. Their work is focused on using the calming nature of sheep therapy and the power of outdoor environments to help neurodiverse children and those grappling with mental health issues.
Join us as we discuss the incredible power of nature to aid those who find the norms of the everyday difficult to navigate. This isn't a fluffy farm story, but a groundbreaking mission to harness the flock instinct of sheep to aid self-regulation. From how stroking animals lowers cortisol to stories of individuals who have, with the help of the flock, uncovered their untapped potential and formed meaningful connections.
So, join us for this inspiring conversation as we reshape our views on therapeutic intervention!
Click here for link to EWE Talk
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 41
What if we told you that happiness could be at the heart of our children's education? Join us for this eye-opening conversation with Adrian Bethune, teacher and founder of Teach Happy, as we explore the importance of well-being in schools and how this can lead to more engaged, motivated learners.
We dive into all sorts of topics in this episode: creating autonomy in students, fostering strong relationships between teachers and parents, the three pillars of intrinsic motivation, and creating a sense of belonging in the full diversity of minds in the classroom.
Don't miss this inspiring episode that will challenge your perception of education, empower teachers, and help parents work closely with schools to create a fulfilling, happier learning experience for all children.
Click here to access Teach Happy
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 40
Ever feel like you're wandering in a maze trying to understand the UK educational system for your neurodiverse child? Join us in this enlightening episode as Catherine, a fellow parent, and I take a deep dive into our personal journeys, grappling with the complexities of private assessments for children with special educational needs. We bring our experiences to the table, highlighting the process, the rational, cost, value and limitations of a private assessment. If you have been wondering if a private assessment is the right path for you and your child this is the podcast to empower you with information so you can make an informed decision.
We also discuss the more emotionally complicated sides of seeking diagnoses - when and how should we disclose it to our children themselves? Tune in, as are two parents sharing our personal experiences and hard-earned wisdom to lighten the burden for you.
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 39
Have you ever wondered how neurodivergence impacts individuals in the sports world? Imagine trying to strive for excellence in an environment where you're constantly misunderstood and scrutinized, both physically and mentally. That's the challenging journey our guest, ex-Olympian rower Caragh McMurtry, has navigated. Diagnosed with later in life with autism, Caragh opens up about her battles, including being misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder, overmedication, and her struggle to fit into a restrictive mold within the sports realm. Listen in, as she shares the inspiration behind Neurodiverse Sport -- her platform advocating, supporting, and educating about neurodiversity in sports.
We also dive deep into how to foster growth and independence among neurodivergent children within a sports setting and Caragh shares valuable advice on how to encourage resilience and self-reliance among children, allowing them to embrace their uniqueness and flourish. Join us for this enlightening discussion that offers a fresh perspective on the challenges and opportunities for neurodivergent athletes in the sports world. Don't miss out on this eye-opening conversation that could change how you view sports, coaching, and neurodiversity.
Link to Neurodiverse sport founded by Caragh McMurtry
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 28
Ever wondered how our diet could influence our brain? Can nutrition be a game-changer in managing ADHD? This week Lucinda Miller, ADHD-er and naturopath with over two decades of experience in pediatric nutrition, joins us to illuminate the intriguing connection between nutrition and ADHD.
Did you know the brain needs essential nutrients to regulate dopamine levels, which are critical in managing ADHD? With Lucinda we explore the critical nutrients involved in this, like tyrosine, iron, zinc, magnesium, and vitamin D. We also learn how to spot signs of iron and zinc deficiencies in our children.
While discussing how to introduce these nutrients into our children's diets we also delve into the art of positive communication around nutrition in the family home, and how to mindfully talk about food without triggering obsessive behaviours. Tune in to this enlightening episode, packed with practical advice and insights on the fascinating interaction between nutrition and ADHD.
Please click here for link to Lucinda's ADHD nutrition course
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 37
Struggling to navigate SEND provision in mainstream schools for your child? Fear not, as this week SEND Consultant Tamsyn Hendry returns to provide valuable insights and advice on everything SEND support related.
Tamsyn provides us a thorough overview of everything you need to know concerning supporting your SEND child through mainstream schools. From useful resources all parents should make use of (like local offers), to the systems (like local authority graduated response) that can pave the way for an EHCP application.
Join us as Tamsyn breaks down SEND Support Arrangement Plans, essential documents containing invaluable information about your child, including critical reviews. These plans play a pivotal role when collaborating with speech and language therapists, community pediatricians, or occupational therapists. Furthermore, she provides help on how to access the right advice and support. Don't miss out on the two free downloadable resources we're sharing on our website to help parents comprehend their child's needs and the support they can access (link below).
Please visit www.sendparenting.com to download free information on SEND advice and Understanding the local offer and graduated response
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 36
Join us for a captivating conversation with seasoned teacher and SENDCO, Ginny Bootman, as we follow her journey from head teacher to being the SENDCO of four primary schools and the advice she has along the way. Ginny, a beacon of knowledge and experience, underscores and offers advice for the crucial role of fostering strong rapport between parents, children, and teachers, urging the necessity of SENDCO training. Tune in to learn how her hands-on approach in the classroom and strategic systems ensure that no child's needs are overlooked.
Our dialogue also navigates through the compelling topic of making education more accessible for children with additional needs. We dissect the possible advantages of the Green Paper, the inconsistencies in funding and systems, and the pressing demand for more specialist schools. This episode is a treasure trove of insights for anyone with a stake in education.
Click here to access Ginny Bootman's book 'Being a SENDCO - 113 Tips for building relationships, saving time and changing lives' - enter SEND20 to get 20% discount
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 35
What if there was a simple technique at your fingertips that could help manage your emotions and assist your neurodiverse child in navigating their own? Ever hear of Emotional Freedom Technique? Join us this week as we delve into an intriguing conversation with seasoned nutritionist, coach and Emotional Freedom Technique therapist, Emma Wildgoose. We explore the fascinating realm of EFT (sometimes also known as 'tapping'), how it works, and how it can help facilitate emotional well-being for both parents and children.
We do a deep dive into everything EFT: Emma enlightens us as to the origins of EFT, why the parents of children being treated with EFT also undergo treatment, and how seemingly simple tapping techniques help soften the extremes of emotions.
We discuss more widely the importance of safeguarding parents' emotional wellbeing and the large part this plays in children's' emotional wellbeing. We also explore how EFT techniques can be particularly useful to neurodivergent children, helping them manage their sensitive nervous systems while navigating a world not designed for them and empowering them to share this with others. Emma also shares with us top tips for practicing EFT at home - not an episode to miss!
Click here for EFT Tapping points
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 34
What is the purpose of education? Can schooling really meet the unique needs of every learner? What happens when the system that's supposed to educate us all, falls short? This week Dr. Olivia Kessel rolls up her sleeves with guest Dr. Chris Bagley to dissect the challenges of our current cookie-cutter education system. Bagley helps us unmask the stark realities of a system designed to fail a third of its students, sharing with us his professional experiences as an educational psychologist in schools and prisons, and his research into the historical origins of of our modern school system. We explore the lasting damage a rigid system can do, and the paradox that teachers, students, and parents alike face everyday.
But it's not all gloom; we'll also spotlight transformative work being done by educational innovators. It's about understanding the system, questioning it, and adopting innovative approaches to make it work for everyone. So, join us as we initiate this crucial conversation about overhauling an outdated system and nurturing an educational landscape that truly serves all students. It's time to flip the script on education – are you ready?
Click for more information on Dr Chris Bagley
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 33
Ever wonder how to balance the demands of parenthood while still prioritising self-care? Struggling to find a minute for yourself amidst a whirlwind of responsibilities? Let me introduce you to our latest guest, Kate Flowerdew - a wellbeing specialist and the mastermind behind the Self-Care Accelerator for busy moms. Kate sheds light on the utmost importance of self-care for parents, particularly primary caregivers, and we discuss what self-care actually is and how to have it as parents.
This is the perfect episode for any parent trying to implement self-care in their schedule. We deep dive into everything self-care, from why it's important to prioritise, what are the fundamentals, what are the specifics, and how to balance it when our schedules change like in the holidays. But don't fret if this all sounds a bit overwhelming! Kate tells us about the 80-20 rule for sticking to a schedule and the ultimate importance of rest and honesty over all. Finally, we delve into the treasure trove that is the Self-Care Accelerator. We explore the course offerings, membership programs, and how many have found it useful.
So, kickback, relax, and join us as we navigate the world of self-care for parents. Your journey towards better self-care starts here!
Here is a link to Kate's Flourish 7 day free Flourish membership
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 32
Have you ever felt like your child's needs were being dismissed by the education system? This week we talk to Nikita, a warrior mom who trusted her instincts and fought for her son Dexter's rights. From successfully fighting for a dyslexia diagnosis and support for her young son, to applying for and (eventually) receiving an EHCP for Dexter on her own, Nikita has a wealth of experience in advocating for her child when the system won't.
This week Nikita shares her story with us as a parent who will not give up. Her battle is far from over - as Dexter grows older 42 secondary schools have refused to take him and she is connecting with SENDIASS for support. Nevertheless, her story is an aspirational one as she always does what is needed for her children and more. Nikita shares how she's helping Dexter express himself and build self-confidence through their own clothing line, which focuses on positive visuals for children and adults who feel unheard. Join us as we discuss how this creative journey has taught Dexter valuable life skills and the importance of hard work. Don't miss this inspiring story of a mom's love and determination.
Dexter's clothing Facebook page
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 31
Are you ready to transform the way you approach summer holidays with your neurodiverse child? Can you imagine a vacation that's enjoyable, stress-free, and tailored to your family's unique needs? I'm here, alongside SEND Advisor and seasoned expert, Tamsyn Hendry, to guide you towards making that dream a reality.
Our conversation touches on everything from the stressors parents face during the holiday season to how to plan an accessible and family-friendly vacation. Tamsyn's 18 years of experience shines through as we share practical tips to make travel easier, whether that's packing pull-ups for the flight or arranging for assisted travel. We explore the power of planning without over-scheduling, swapping guilt for understanding, and the positive impact utilizing services like the YMCA can have on your family.
But we're not just doling out advice; we're sharing real, tangible strategies to help you navigate the unique challenges that come with holidaying with a special needs child. From selecting the perfect destination to beach outings and beyond, we dive deep into the nitty-gritty details that can make or break a trip. And remember, one bad day doesn't spoil the entire holiday. Join us as we reshape expectations, remove pressure and discover the joy in holidays again. With Tamsyn's seasoned insights and our shared experiences, we're stepping into this conversation with empathy, understanding, and a desire to support you on your journey. Tune in, and let's make this summer holiday one for the memory books.
Click here for Tamsyn's SEN Advisor
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 30
It's the 30th episode of the SEND Parenting Podcast, which means it's also time for a personal update! Today I'm talking about the journey of receiving an ADHD diagnosis for my daughter. I talk recognising signs of ADHD in Alexandra, the decision to seek an assessment, and the concerns I faced along the way. As well as our journey in getting a diagnosis, I talk about the importance of identifying (as well as the dangers of not identifying) ADHD and the huge strengths ADHD brings. Remembering that ADHD is not a problem, just a part of what makes my daughter the magical person she is, I talk about how I tried to introduce it to her in as positive a light as possible.
Navigating the world of neurodiversity in the UK education system can be challenging and I know that with ADHD it's not always possible to get your child the diagnosis they need in time. With that in mind, I also share the tools and techniques I am using to see what will help Alexandra at home and in school environments in the hopes that they may help you too. Together, let's empower each other on our parenting journeys and create a brighter future for our neurodiverse children!
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 29
TW: The following episode contains a discussion around eating disorders that may be upsetting or triggering. So listener's discretion is advised. If you suffer from or know anyone who has eating disorders, please visit National Centre for Eating Disorders - Their website is https://eating-disorders.org.uk.
How can we support neurodivergent children with disordered eating habits? This is the main question we navigate this week with our insightful guests, Bernie Wright and Lisa Smith, co-founders of NEDDE (Neurodiversity and Eating Disorders and Disordered Eating).
The episode revolves around the intersection between neurodivergence and disordered eating: how it occurs, how we treat it, and how we can prevent it. We discuss why so many people with eating disorders are neurodivergent, the fascinating link between the gut-mind health, and how important our own actions are in clear communication with our children about food.
Bernie and Lisa are both experts in their field and their dual approach of therapy and nutrition bring fascinating insights and comforting knowledge to a very difficult subject. All in all, it's an insightful journey for parents who are navigating this challenging terrain, providing a comprehensive guide replete with useful advice, book recommendations and much more.
Link to NEDDE Website
For download of Free Resource pdf please click SEND Parenting Website Episode 29
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 28
Struggling to find the right support for your neurodiverse child? Discover how Polly Elworthy, founder of Send Unlocked, turned her personal journey with her son into a powerful resource that's helping families like yours. We talk about Polly's infuriating, yet all too familiar, struggle to get her son the support he needs in school and how that lead to a desire to help other parents like her. We talk about the power of harnessing the collective knowledge of SEND parents across the country and how Send Unlocked is helping do that.
Polly shares how the organisation is not only empowering neurodivergent families in their care decisions, but is also able to use the data to question relevant government departments. We discuss the importance of accessibility, how she in ensuring that the platform remains free for end users and having the directory in an app format for those without access to computers. This episode is an inspiring conversation with a parent who has stepped up to the plate to make life easier for all.
Click to register for free access to SEND Unlocked Directory
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 27
Have you ever felt like the current schooling system just does not suit or help your child? This week we talk to the enlightening Dr. Naomi Fisher, psychiatrist and author of A Different Way to Learn: Neurodiversity and Self-Directed Education, about how to think about educating and parenting our neurodiverse children differently.
Dr. Fisher shares her expertise on the detrimental effects on the mental health and self-esteem of young developing minds when they find themselves falling short of a rigid system of timelines and expectations. We discuss how we, as parents, we can combat this and best support our young people in finding success in their own way.
This brings us to the focus of our episode - the powerful concept of self-directed education, which allows children to follow their own passions and interests. Tune in to discover how you can empower your child by creating an environment that offers opportunities for exploration, autonomy, and critical thinking, while avoiding the pitfalls of over-controlling their learning experience.
Click here for Dr. Naomi Fisher's website
Click link for book: A Different Way To Learn
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 26
Have you ever found yourself overwhelmed by the abundance of parenting advice out there? Sometimes, it can feel like you're drowning in a sea of conflicting opinions. Join me as I chat with Dr. Maryhan, a world-renowned parenting expert and psychologist, about how to navigate these murky waters and find the advice that truly fits your unique family dynamic. We are such fans of Dr Maryhan's podcast "How Not To Screw Up Your Kids" and are so excited to have her on the pod.
We discuss a whole range of topics including reconnecting with your gut instinct and appreciating the individuality of every family, the importance of emotional regulation for parents and approaching parenting with a reflective lens. It's an incredible and reassuring episode - a must listen!
Click here for Dr. Maryhan Website
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Episode 25
Have you ever wondered how play therapy can have a life-changing impact on children's mental health? Join us in a riveting conversation with Anna Hodgson, Captain of ClearSky, and Becky Hill, Head of Therapeutic Thinking, as we uncover the secrets of play therapy and creative therapy for children aged 3 to 18. Discover how ClearSky's work in primary schools leads to outstanding outcomes for children's mental well-being and their overall health.
We also dive into the world of parenting programs developed by Becky Hill, designed to support parents and caregivers of children with neurodiverse needs, trauma, and other challenges. Learn about the crucial role of building strong relationships and secure attachments, and the importance of emotional regulation and reflective functioning for parents. Plus, we'll explore three tailored interventions that cater to different developmental stages.
But that's not all! Anna Hodgson shares invaluable insights on the significance of co-regulation in parenting and caring for children with special needs. Learn how to create moments of calm, stay present during distress, recognize when a child needs co-regulation, and provide that much-needed support. Get ready to be enlightened by the power of play therapy and its incredible benefits on children's mental health.
Click here to access Clear Sky
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Episode 24
In this episode we will be joined by Tamsyn Hendry, who takes us through her top 10 parenting tips for parenting a neurodivergent child. Tamsyn runs a Montessori nursery school and works as a consultant, offering advice and support to other SEND parents. Tamsyn's wealth of practical knowledge comes not only from her earlier professional career as a SENCO, but also from her own experience of parenting her autistic son.
I personally have found Tamsyn’s advice to be practical, easy to implement, and not to mention helpful when I couldn’t see the woods for the trees and I hope you do too.
Reach out to Tamsyn Hendry click here The Sen Adviser
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 23
This episode is part two of a two part series in which we speak with Ellie Costello, Director of the Square Pegs charity and author of the book 'Square Pegs: Inclusivity, Compassion and Fitting In - a Guide for Schools'.
Starting where we left off last week, we delve into school-based anxiety in children and the woefully ill-equipped interventions that schools are currently implementing. Ellie shares with us experiences with her children at school (warning: some of the stories she shares sound like they took place in Victorian times, not the 21st century) and, despite the heavy subject matter, offers hope on how these can change.
Click here for link to book Square Pegs Inclusivity, compassion and fitting in A guide for schools
Click here for link to charity Square Peg
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www.sendparenting.com
Episode 22
This episode is part one of a two part series in which we speak with Ellie Costello, Director of the Square Pegs charity and author of the book 'Square Pegs: Inclusivity, Compassion and Fitting In - a Guide for Schools'.
In this episode, we discuss the impact of UK politics and economics on the care of SEND children and their families through the lens of Ellie's journey with her son. We unpick what happens to families for whom the systems fail, how they are labelled, new identities they assume, and the unsung exhausting work they take on.
Click here for link to charity Square Peg
Click here for access to the book Square Pegs Inclusivity, compassion and fitting in A guide for schools
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 21
In this episode we speak with Craig Henderson, the brilliant Bolton-based barber who is dedicated to making haircuts accessible to all neurodiverse children.
He tells us about what lead him to this specialisation and also gives us some of his top tips on how to navigate grooming with your child at home. Craig's patience, kindness and dedication to addressing his client's needs is an inspiration and a delight to listen to.
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20th Episode of SEND Parenting podcast!
In this episode, I share a candid personal update on my journey as a parent to my daughter Alexandra. I look back at all the incredible things that she has achieved against the odds, and I talk to her about her difficulties, struggles and triumphs (including writing the song 'Never Give Up', which we use as the intro to this podcast).
However, it's not all sunshine and roses. I also share my personal struggle to never give up as a parent even when it is really, really, really hard. My three top tips:
- Never give up
- Find the support you need to decompress and find solutions
- Be kind to yourself - fill up your emotional batteries so you can be there for your child
Link to Alexandra singing Never Give Up
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Episode 19:
In this episode we will be speaking with Olivia Gordon author of 'The First Breath' about her experience with her first child Joel, who was born prematurely at 32 weeks with a fetal condition that would effect the rest of his life: hydrops fetalis.
This episode will resonate with all parents who have spent prolonged time on a neonatal ward and struggled to move beyond the life changing diagnosis of their infant, to see the amazing, wonderful child in front of you.
Link to Olivia Gordon's book https://amzn.eu/d/0YS3LvP
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 18
In this episode we will be joined by Rachel Horner who will explain what is an occupational therapist and how can they help your ND kids with activities of daily living in the home and at school. She will give us practical tips and advice looking at challenge with handwriting, attention and focus and personal care skills like getting dressed.
The key is to breaking down activities into simple blocks – making it into just right challenge to maintain your child’s motivation
Rachel's practice: https://mychildrenstherapy.co.uk/
Twinkle: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/
www.sendparenting.com
Episode 17
In this episode we will be speaking with Kate Bodle, a SENCO and mother to three ND children. She will be sharing with us her top ten tips on how to make a classroom accessible for all children.
Ignatio Estrada a 21st century educator said “ If a child can't learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn.”
Kate provides in this podcast simple and easy ways to change the classroom to teach the way children learn.
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School starts back on Monday and for many neurodiverse children this can lead to feelings of dread and anxiety and a desire not to ever go back to school. The child’s anxiety is often looked upon as the problem rather than looking at the potential that the school is not the right environment for the child.
In this episode we will speak Dr Naomi Fisher a clinical psychologist who specializes in trauma, autism and alternative approaches to education. In this insightful discussion Dr Fisher will talk about the need to prioritize our children’s emotional well-being over the need to learn facts and stick to a curriculum. What if we let go of our preconceptions of what learning should be and instead let our children take a self-directed, autonomous approach to learning through self directed education.
Dr. Fisher’s book Changing our minds: how children can take control of their own learning really broke down a lot of my preconception about school education and even made me question some of my parenting techniques.
www.sendparenting.com
It’s the Easter holidays and the kids are at home which can be very stressful for all parents but is particularly intense for parents of neurodiverse kids. If you are feeling the pressure this holiday season this is the episode for you to decompress and pick up some valuable tips to move forward and not feel so alone. In this episode we will be talking to Emma Salt author of Square Pegs and Round Holes Surviving the rollercoaster of SEN parenting and enjoying the ride. Emma is a SEND educator and mother of two wonderfully neurodiverse kids.
She will chat with us about how challenging and intense the parenting journey can be, how key it is not to compare yourself to other parents, it is ok to admit this is a struggle, it is ok to scream – allow yourself to feel, take care of yourself so that you can be there for your child and most importantly find your tribe that can be there to support you.
www.sendparenting.com
Have you wondered about the role of the SENCO (special education needs coordinator) at your school and how they can help support your child in school. In this episode we will be joined by Mrs Alexandra Foster, SENCO at The Unicorn. We will learn more about the role of SENCO, how to navigate working together as part of your child’s support team and their link with acquiring and implementing an EHCP.
www.sendparenting.com
Has your child started struggling at school later in their childhood perhaps after moving school environment or starting secondary school? Or if your child has diagnosis and you have wondered if you are just like them? In this In this episode we will be joined by Heidi Mavir bestselling author of Your Child is not Broken.
She will share with us her journey of late discovery of an ASD/ ADHD diagnosis for her son and even later one for herself.
Their late diagnosis didn’t change who they had always been but helped them to navigate some of the struggles in a neurotypical world.
www.sendparenting.com
If you are wondering if you or your child has dyslexia or if you are struggling to get the right supports in place for their dyslexia in school this is the podcast for you.
In this episode we will speaking with Andy Cook Chief Executive of the Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity which provides holistic dyslexic support for parents, children, teachers, employers and adults struggling in education and the workplace.
Please check out Helen Arkell Website www.helenarkell.org.uk
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In this episode we will be speaking with Matt Davis about his autistic son Isaac. This candid chat from a dad’s perspective from diagnosis, education, to the positive power of social media and technology, to letting go of football.
Matt takes us beyond the ASD label to the potential.
Please check out Matt's blog and Isaac's YouTube at www.mysonissac.net
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We are celebrating the Tenth Episode of the SEND Parenting podcast with over 500 downloads!!!!Have you wondered why I started the SEND Parenting Podcast…well this episode reveals all…..
In this episode, we are going to do things a little bit differently. Instead of having a guest on the show, I am going to interview myself and share with you a bit of my journey and how it led me to creating the SEND Parenting Podcast. I'll share with you a little bit about me and a lot more about my journey being a warrior mum for my daughter Alexandra, and how that journey has inspired me to start this podcast.
www.sendparenting.com
50-60% of children with neurodiversity have a neurodiverse parent.
In this episode we welcome Victoria, a dyslexic mother of twins. She shares with us her journey of discovery and realising that one of her daughters struggles mirrored her own life challenges. In this open and warm episode Victoria brings her personal experience alongside her knowledge as a dyslexic assessor.
www.sendparenting.com
Does your child struggle with reading or writing? Technology may be able to provide a bridge for your child to overcome those struggles. In this episode Sallie Greenhalgh, Academic and digital lead at the Unicorn School, will describe how Microsoft technology can break down the barriers to learning and empower children to reach their potential.
I am truly thankful as someone with neurodiversity to live in a world where technology makes life easier. My daughter has struggled with fine motor due to her cerebral palsy and dictation has enabled her to unlock her thoughts and put them to paper. Both of us rely completely on spelling and grammar corrections which allow us to use the words we want to use versus the words we can spell. If you haven’t yet harnessed technology to support your child this is the episode for you
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Have you ever wondered if your child needs and EHCP or Educational Health Care Plan?
In this episode, we welcome back Adam Friel, partner and head of Education Law at Geldards. He will demystify whether your child can apply for an EHCP, what the first steps are, and provide valuable insights on how to navigate the barriers and challenges you will face with your local authority.
I really wish I could have listened to his advice when I started my daughter's EHCP journey.
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Have you ever wondered if your child needs an educational psychological assessment or what is an educational psychological assessment and how can it help your child, if have this is the podcast for you.
In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Jemma Levy, educational and child psychologist who trained at the University College of London. She provides psychological support to children and young adults up to the age of 25, supporting the whole family to ensure every child reaches their full potential.
Dr. Levy is truly passionate about children and young people with special educational needs, and believes that every child has strengths that can be uncovered and used to help with their learning. Through a psychological assessment, the child's strengths and areas of needs can be used to devise a comprehensive intervention plan, ensuring the child has the right support to reach their full potential.
www.sendparenting.com
In this episode, we will be joined by Catherine working mom of three, who has kindly agreed to share with us her daughter's journey to eventual diagnosis of autism and ADHD. She will take us through how she felt when she first got confirmation of Coco's diagnosis, her experience of wondering why me? did I cause this? What does this mean for Coco's future? Will she be independent?
She will describe her personal self educational course in neurodiversity, which broke down for her, the stereotypes of the labels of autism and ADHD and led to not only her acceptance of her daughter's neurodiversity, but really viewing it as a gift for the whole family to learn and embrace.
Her journey really, really resonated with me, and I believe it will resonate with a lot of parents. Please keep listening to hear Catherine and Coco's story.
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In this episode, we will be speaking with Dr. Natalie-Jane McDonald, gaining her perspective, knowledge, and expertise in advocating for your child in the current education system. Her breath of experience ranges from being a chief executive of Acorn Care and Education for children who have special education needs to working in the NHS to getting MBE while raising three children. She's a remarkable woman and definitely worth a listen.
www.sendparenting.com
Have you been struggling with the question of whether your child needs an educational health care plan (EHCP)? It was a question I struggled to answer for my daughter.
In this episode, Adam Friel, partner and head of Education Law at Geldards will give us his unique lens on this question of whether your child needs an EHCP. He will share with us his personal journey as a dyslexic through the education system as well as his realization of his son's needs for an EHCP with autism.
His message is powerful and stresses the earlier you intervene the better the outcomes for our children with SEND.
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In this episode we are going to speak with Mr Andrew Day Head of the Unicorn School since 2015.
The Unicorn is a specialist, independent day school for children
aged 7 to 16 years who have Specific Educational Needs. They offer both primary and secondary education including our GCSE programme.
Mr. Day has a passion for supporting children who struggle at school. His teaching career spans 30 years with 16 of those working in two SEN specialist schools.
We will explore the Unicorn as a school and look at the concept of whether a specialist school might be right for your child, what are the role of assessments in helping you to determine, what is an EHCP, how does a specialist school navigate GCSE to name but a few topics we get into in this insightful and engaging episode.
Please visit www.sendparenting.com for the transcript of this episode.
www.sendparenting.com
Trailer: Welcome to the S.E.N.D. Parenting podcast focused on empowering and supporting parents and their neurodiverse children.
Dr Olivia Kessel, your neurodiverse host, will be interviewing experts and parents to understand how to navigate life with neurodiversity from diagnosis to education, to overcoming legal barriers, to utilizing technology, socialization, acceptance and much, much, more.. There is no topic we won’t explore to ensure you as a parent are empowered with the right information, tools, and techniques to fight for your child’s rights so that they can reach their full potential and live their best life.
You can learn more, get links and show notes by clicking below:
www.sendparenting.com