Explore the library
49 long-form articles, 40 short answers, and 151 glossary terms.
Long-form, SENDCO-reviewed guides for UK parents.
- Primary to secondary school transition for SEND children: a 12-month parent plan
- After-school restraint collapse: why your child holds it together at school and falls apart at home
- EBSA (Emotionally Based School Avoidance): a parent's first-month action plan
- AuDHD in primary-age children: how autism and ADHD interact at home and school
- ARFID at mealtimes: practical home strategies when your child can't eat
- Signs of autism in girls aged 5 to 11: the school-age presentation you might be missing
- SEND parent burnout: recognising it and what actually helps
- How Beaakon verifies every specialist: the full methodology
- Supporting siblings of SEND children: what every parent needs to know
- The morning meltdown: why it happens and how to stop it derailing the day
- Homework refusal in a SEND child: when to push, when to back off, when to stop entirely
- Why your SEND child can't cope at birthday parties and what to do about it
- Christmas with an autistic child: how to keep the wheels on
- Supermarket meltdowns: planning, prevention, and what to do mid-aisle
- Getting through hairdresser, dentist and GP appointments with a SEND child
- The fussy eating spectrum: when it's typical, when it's sensory, and when it's ARFID
- When your autistic child says "I hate you": what's actually happening and how to respond
- Anxiety in autistic children: why it looks different and what actually helps
- ADHD and emotional regulation: when your child can't calm down
- Selective mutism: a parent's guide when your child can't speak in certain places
- Hypermobility and autism: the overlap most parents miss
- Tourette's syndrome in children: a parent's first-year guide
- OCD in primary-age children: spotting it and what to do
- PANS and PANDAS: when your child's behaviour changes suddenly
- The autism and trauma overlap: when behaviour gets misread
- Your EHCP has been refused: a step-by-step plan for what happens next
- Section F and Section B of an EHCP: why these two parts matter most
- Preparing for your child's Annual Review: a SENDCO's parent guide
- Naming a school on an EHCP: how it actually works and what to ask for
- Independent specialist schools: how parents successfully get them funded
- Reduced timetables: when they're lawful and when they aren't
- Off-rolling: what it is and how to recognise if it's happening to your child
- Section 19 of the Education Act: the LA duty most parents don't know about
- Direct Payments and personal budgets: how to actually use them
- The 16 to 25 transition: keeping support in place as your SEND child becomes an adult
- Right to Choose for autism and ADHD assessment: how it actually works
- Telling your child about their autism or ADHD diagnosis
- When school disagrees with your child's diagnosis
- Private vs NHS autism assessment: what changes, what doesn't
- Aggression toward parents and siblings: when your child hurts the people closest to them
- Self-injurious behaviour in autistic children: a parent's first-response guide
- Toilet training when your child has SEND: why the usual advice fails
- Speech delay vs autism: the differences a parent can spot
- SEND parenting and your relationship: what couples struggle with and what helps
- Working full time with a SEND child: making it sustainable
- Telling grandparents and extended family about your child's diagnosis
- DLA for children: how to write the form so you get the right rate
- When visual schedules stop working (or never did): troubleshooting for SEND parents
- Co-regulation explained: helping your child without taking on their dysregulation
Short, parent-search-shaped answers to specific SEND questions.
- How do I apply for an EHCP for my child?
- How long does an EHCP take to get?
- What do I do if my EHCP application is refused?
- Do I need a diagnosis to get an EHCP?
- Can a school refuse to apply for an EHCP?
- What is Section F of an EHCP and why does it matter?
- How do I prepare for my child's Annual Review?
- Can I name a specialist school on my child's EHCP?
- How do I get more hours of support added to my child's EHCP?
- Is a reduced timetable legal for my SEND child?
- Can my SEND child be excluded from school?
- What is Section 19 of the Education Act and how can it help my child?
- How do I get my child assessed for autism on the NHS?
- How long is the NHS waiting list for an autism assessment?
- How much does a private autism assessment cost in the UK?
- What is Right to Choose for autism and ADHD?
- How do I get my child diagnosed with ADHD?
- How do I get a CAMHS referral for my child?
- Should I tell my child they are autistic, and when?
- Why does my autistic child sleep so badly and how can I help?
- Why does my child only have meltdowns at home?
- How do I stop my autistic child hitting me?
- Why won't my autistic child eat anything except a few foods?
- How do I get my autistic child to brush their teeth?
- Why does my child refuse to wear certain clothes?
- How do I help my autistic child cope with Christmas?
- How long does an autism meltdown usually last?
- What's the difference between a meltdown and a tantrum?
- Why is my autistic daughter struggling so much in secondary school?
- What do I do if my child is being bullied for being autistic?
- How do I get extra time in exams for my child with ADHD?
- Can my child get a 1:1 teaching assistant at school?
- What do I do if school says my child doesn't have SEND?
- Should I move my SEND child to a specialist school?
- How do I claim DLA for my child with autism?
- What rate of DLA can I get for an autistic child?
- Can I get a Blue Badge for my autistic child?
- What benefits can I claim as a parent of a SEND child?
- Can I get free school transport for my SEND child?
- Am I entitled to Carer's Allowance for caring for my SEND child?
Plain-English UK SEND terms with one-sentence definitions.
- Autism
- ADHD
- Pathological Demand Avoidance
- Dyslexia
- Dyspraxia
- Dyscalculia
- Dysgraphia
- Sensory Processing Disorder
- Auditory Processing Disorder
- Speech, Language and Communication Needs
- Developmental Language Disorder
- Tourette Syndrome
- Selective Mutism
- Oppositional Defiant Disorder
- Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
- Down's Syndrome
- Fragile X Syndrome
- Cerebral Palsy
- Epilepsy
- Visual Impairment
- Hearing Impairment
- Moderate Learning Difficulty
- Severe Learning Difficulty
- Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty
- Social, Emotional and Mental Health
- Hyperlexia
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
- Anxiety Disorder
- Demand Avoidance
- Education, Health and Care Plan
- EHC Needs Assessment
- SEND Code of Practice
- Children and Families Act 2014
- Equality Act 2010
- Reasonable Adjustments
- SEND Tribunal
- SEND Mediation
- Annual Review
- Phase Transfer Review
- Personal Budget
- Direct Payment
- Section B (EHCP)
- Section F (EHCP)
- Section I (EHCP)
- Local Offer
- Local Authority
- SEN Support
- Refusal to Assess
- Refusal to Issue
- Working Document
- Final EHCP
- Draft EHCP
- Statement of SEN
- Disability Discrimination
- Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
- Special Educational Needs
- Special Educational Needs Coordinator
- SEND Information, Advice and Support Service
- Individual Education Plan
- Provision Map
- One-Page Profile
- Teaching Assistant
- 1:1 Support
- Higher Level Teaching Assistant
- Mainstream School
- Special School
- Resourced Provision
- Additionally Resourced Provision
- Alternative Provision
- Pupil Referral Unit
- Education Otherwise Than At School
- Elective Home Education
- Reduced Timetable
- Suspension
- Permanent Exclusion
- Off-Rolling
- Emotionally Based School Avoidance
- Inclusion
- Integration
- Educational Psychologist
- Clinical Psychologist
- Speech and Language Therapist
- Occupational Therapist
- Physiotherapist
- Paediatrician
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services
- Early Help
- Social Worker
- Specialist Teacher
- Advisory Teacher
- Inclusion Manager
- Designated Safeguarding Lead
- Emotional Literacy Support Assistant
- Family Support Worker
- Sensory Diet
- Sensory Integration
- Visual Schedule
- Social Stories
- Comic Strip Conversations
- TEACCH
- Applied Behaviour Analysis
- Picture Exchange Communication System
- Makaton
- British Sign Language
- Lego Therapy
- Drawing and Talking
- Zones of Regulation
- Co-Regulation
- Emotional Regulation
- Low-Arousal Approach
- Trauma-Informed Practice
- Attachment-Aware Practice
- Nurture Group
- Pre-Teaching
- Scaffolding
- Now and Next
- Task Analysis
- Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children
- British Picture Vocabulary Scale
- Wechsler Individual Achievement Test
- Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule
- Autism Diagnostic Interview - Revised
- Sensory Profile (Dunn)
- Boxall Profile
- Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire
- Movement Assessment Battery for Children
- Standardised Score
- Centile
- Statutory Assessment
- Multi-Disciplinary Assessment
- Neurodiversity
- Neurodivergent
- Neurotypical
- Masking
- Autistic Burnout
- Meltdown
- Shutdown
- Stimming
- Sensory Overload
- Executive Function
- Working Memory
- Theory of Mind
- Special Interest
- Spoon Theory
- Window of Tolerance
- Co-occurring Conditions
- Spiky Profile
- Differentiation
- Cognitive Load
- Interoception
For HR & employers
Guides for schools, HR teams & employers supporting working parent-carers
Johanna O'Neill-Jones
Director and SEND Advocate at NeuroAware CIC · United Kingdom
Free 15-min intro0-2 yrs experience
About
Founder of the CIC, I’m a neurodivergent parent with first hand experience of navigating the SEND system while caring for a child with complex needs. With 16 years in senior leadership, IPSEA L3 and a LLB Law degree, I bring a strong understanding of SEND law and advocacy. I support families in relation to EHCPs, with school and LA communication and provide clear, practical guidance. I help you feel confident and informed to ensure your child receives the support they are legally entitled to.
Services offered
Free 30 minute consultation
Parent advisory session
£10per hourly
EHCP Support
EHCP support (applications, appeals & tribunals)
£30per hourly
Meeting Preparation Support
School meeting preparation
£30per hourly
Qualifications
- LLB Law Degree
- IPSEA L3 SEND Law Training
- NCFE L3 Certificate in the Principles of SEND
- NCFE L2 Certificate in Understanding Autism
- NCFE CACHE L2 Certificate in Understanding Mental Health in the Early Years
- NCFE L2 Certificate in Understanding Children and Young People's Mental Health
- NCFE CACHE L2 Certificate in Understanding Safeguarding and Prevent
- Enhanced DBS (registered on Update Service)
- ICO Data Protection Registered