SEND Parenting Podcast

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 nutri...

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 T...

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...

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 i...

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 professiona...

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 pe...

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 a...

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 t...

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...

Episode 86 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...

Episode 85  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...

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 a...

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.  Tam...

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...

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...

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 in...

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 lat...

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 swimmin...

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...

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 ef...

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...

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....

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...

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 o...

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 Agrawal is a consultant paediatrician with 25+ years working in the NHS and specialism in neurodevelopmental d...