Sometimes people just aren’t listening. Sure they go through the motions, they interact at the right time, they appear to be considering your views, they may even suggest solutions. And yet they’re not listening.

I’m not sure exactly when it happens, it’s some time after the feeling of being validated, you wake up and you feel empowered. It’s the culmination of many things. You have the knowledge, you know what you know, and you know what you don’t know and, importantly, you now know how to find out.

The day we told our 7-year-old son he was not going back to school for a while, and we saw the weight of the world lift from his shoulders, for the first time, I felt completely validated.

Doing what I do, I get to support parents at mediations. I see it as a huge privilege to be invited to attend a mediation meeting, and I hope that I am able to provide not only moral support but an objective viewpoint.

When I talk to parents about their feelings while their child is struggling, they use a range of words. At their lowest parents describe feeling despondent. And while they remain isolated they often feel bewildered and frustrated.

Once they have some support in their lives, they begin to feel informed. This is the first step to becoming an advocate and once again, finding their child’s smile.

When my son was first identified with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) we enrolled him in weekly occupational therapy sessions. I’ll admit at the time I was very uncomfortable with the idea…

Looking back, if you were to ask me what one thing have I learnt that has made the biggest difference to our lives, it would be the power of images to reduce anxiety.

There’s a quiet revolution happening in Muswell Hill, London and I’m excited to see where it leads.

SEN, SEND, Special educational needs. This terminology is used to describe a relatively complex concept, and yet, rarely is this acknowledged.

All too often I hear stories of how school staff or Local Authority (LA) staff have been unhelpful or provided incorrect information to parents. We are quick to rush to blame, when people we deem as ‘professionals’ give the wrong information, particularly where our children are concerned.

Like a gemstone is rarely perfect, it is their imperfections and flaws which make them even more intriguing and precious.

It’s such a dilemma, isn’t it? On the one hand, you can see the harm that school is doing, and on the other, you feel that if you take them out, it might be worse. Could it be a case of out of sight out of mind?

School summer holidays are long. And no matter how much your child struggles at school, you may find that they appear to equally dislike the holidays.

When our parenting skills come under scrutiny our natural reaction is defensive - how dare you think I am the problem?

In many ways, to the child with SPD, it feels like being caught in the crossfire in a war zone.

Behaviour is a function of a person in their environment.

I have a friend who can’t find trousers to fit. They are always too long. They have been faced for many years with the pain of having to do their own alterations which have never really worked or the expense of custom-tailoring. They have a dream of finding a shop that will alter their trouser hems while they complete their shopping elsewhere, for a nominal charge. I have a friend who can’t find trousers to fit. They are always too long. They have been faced for many years with the pain of having to do their own alterations which have never really worked or the expense of custom-tailoring. They have a dream of finding a shop that will alter their trouser hems while they complete their shopping elsewhere, for a nominal charge.

When it comes to the decision over which school is to be named on an EHC Plan, parental preference has power.

Somehow we have to find ways to support our children with their anxieties. Imagine waking up every day and having to face your worst nightmare. The long-term effects of this would be damaging beyond belief, both emotionally and physically.

Ending the week on a high.