Educational Support

If you support a child /young person who is autistic, ADHD, PDA or any other neurodivergence they may need some additional educational support. This is not a reflection on your parenting and often not the fault of any school or setting either. It is a wider systemic issue that is a reflection of our society not being set up to meet the needs of neurodivergent people.

I have compiled many resources I have found personally valuable as both a parent and a teacher below to help you navigate this journey. This will help ensure the child you are supporting is able to thrive in an environment that meets their needs whether that is in a mainstream setting, SEN setting, alternative provision, education other than at school (EOTAS) or you decide to go down the home education route.

This is a free PDF download with information and signposting if your child or young person is having difficulties accessing education.

Signposting about school attendance difficulties

Information for Parents and Carers

Information to support you at home and when navigating
Education and Health Care Settings

Resources
Signposting
Free downloads

Information for Education & Health Care Professionals

Information to support professionals working with autistic and neurodivergent young people and their families.

Resources
Signposting
Free downloads

Autistic Realms articles about education

Articles below include lots of signposting information to additional resources and organisations that may be able to provide support.

Jan 166 min read

Neurodiversity Affirming Glossary of Key Words - for families and professionals

A glossary of neurodiversity affirming some key vocabulary. A valuable resource that will help develop knowledge to support everyone.

Jan 134 min read

Embracing Autistic Children’s Monotropic Flow States

Embracing flow states allows monotropic learners to gain deeper knowledge and new skills, which can help build confidence and support their

Aug 16, 20238 min read

Monotropism, Autism & OCD

Exploring similarities and differences between Autistic and OCD monotropic flow states. Can attention tunnels freeze and thoughts get stuck?

Jul 18, 20236 min read

Transitions - Supporting young people throughout the day

Reducing the number of demands and transitions an autistic / PDA person has to manage daily will help reduce anxiety.

Apr 2, 20234 min read

Low Demand Parenting (for the whole family)

If you are also autistic and have neurodivergent children it can feel even more overwhelming at times. A low demand approach may help.

Mar 21, 202312 min read

Autism is fluid

Autism is fluid and everyone has different needs. We need compassion and understanding to develop deep and meaningful connections.

Mar 18, 20237 min read

Neurodivergent Friendly Classrooms

There are many ways to make schools and classrooms neurodiversity affirming and neurodivergent friendly. Teachers need to be flexible

Mar 7, 20237 min read

Supporting neurodivergent students who are struggling to attend school

Everyone deserves an education, but more importantly every child and family deserve to feel understood, validated and supported.

Feb 10, 202317 min read

Supporting pupils through Autistic Burnout (Teacher Guide)

This article discusses what Autistic Burnout may look like & how you can support young people & their families within educational settings.

Jan 29, 202312 min read

Supporting autistic students experiencing OCD in a school setting

Exploring autism, alexithymia, interoception and OCD in education. Looking at the impact on students & how teachers can support them.

Jan 29, 20239 min read

OCD & Autism (mixed with alexithymia and interoception differences)

Being autistic whilst experiencing OCD and co-occurring difficulties with alexithymia and interoception can be very challenging.

Jan 3, 202314 min read

Education Crisis - Neurodiversity Affirming Teacher Training Needed

Teachers need neurodiversity affirming training so they can effectively support children and their families. We need to develop teacher know

Dec 5, 20229 min read

Supporting Children through Autistic Burnout (Parent/Carer Guide)

If your child is going through Autistic Burnout, they will need your support. They will need understanding, an increase in sensory regulatio

Nov 15, 20227 min read

Ideas for Autistic Children who are Struggling at School

It can be difficult for autistic children to access an appropriate education and challenging for their parents to navigate the various...

I am now proud to be an affiliate for Kieran Rose's, The Autistic Advocate - Inside of Autism Course and other webinars. Please click links below for further information. Ideal for parents / carers and educational and health care professionals.