Working with schools and services
I understand the significant pressures that schools, local authorities, and services are working under. Supporting autistic young people is central to everything you do, and my role is to work alongside you to help make that support as effective, sustainable, and meaningful as possible.
I also work with community-based organisations, including youth workers, charities, health services, advocacy teams, outreach services, and mentors.
A research-informed approach
My work with schools and professionals is informed by both a career in the field and original research. My Master’s dissertation, one of the first studies to document what goes wrong, and what genuinely helps, for autistic children with a PDA profile who are unable to attend school, was completed in 2025, with distribution to participants supported by the PDA Society. The findings are clear: when professionals are trained, when approaches are relational rather than compliance-based, and when environments are adapted to meet need, children engage.
That evidence base sits at the heart of everything I offer becuase what benefits those with PDA will benefit all.
My focus
Across all settings, my focus is on supporting professionals to:
- Better understand autistic needs
- Create low-demand, sensory-aware environments
- Recognise the impact of language and communication
- Identify and respond to autistic burnout
- Support the mental health and wellbeing of autistic young people
All work is grounded in neuro-affirming, autistic-led understanding, and is undertaken with the young person and their family at the centre.
Working together
As with families, I offer a free initial consultation for professionals and services. This provides an opportunity to explore your context, identify priorities, and consider where my support and expertise may be most helpful.
The conversation is collaborative and exploratory, with no obligation to proceed.
Professional support may include
Autism-friendly practice review
Inclusive practice is most effective when it is embedded across the whole setting. A review or audit can offer clear, practical guidance on:
- Existing strengths
- Areas for development
- Where targeted changes are likely to have the greatest impact
Confidential advisory support
Advisory support offers space for reflection, problem-solving, and discussion, providing a specialist perspective to support positive outcomes for individual young people, or for wider practice.
Bespoke training and professional development
Tailored training and consultation informed by autistic-led and lived-experience perspectives, supporting staff to:
- Understand parental experience within SEND
- Develop confidence around autism and PDA
- Recognise masking and burnout
- Address barriers to education
- Support the mental health of autistic children and young people
Longer-term partnerships
Ongoing collaboration to support reflection, learning, and continuous development in provision for autistic young people across schools, services, and organisations.
Consultancy
Specialist consultancy in response to identified needs or specific requests, always aligned with neuro-affirming and compassionate practice.
Fees
Fees are discussed and agreed in advance, and vary depending on the nature and scope of the work. This may include bespoke quotes for individual pieces of work, or package pricing for longer-term partnerships.
All arrangements are discussed transparently, to ensure clarity, flexibility, and value for the service commissioning the work.
If you would like to explore whether this support may be helpful for your setting or service, you’re welcome to get in touch for an initial, no-obligation conversation.