SEND Parenting Podcast

Can I be honest with you for a moment?
For so many parents, the hardest part of the SEND journey is not the diagnosis…

 It is the paperwork.
The forms. The reports. The endless documents.
 The fear of getting it wrong.
And for many, that fear becomes so big that they never even make it to tribunal, despite the fact that 95% of cases that get there are decided in favour of families.
In this episode, I am joined by Stevie Hayes, founder of Bundle Creator—a tool designed to simplify one of the most overwhelming parts of the EHCP journey.
We talk about:
 Why the EHCP and tribunal process feels so complex (and why that is not your fault) 
 The hidden “gatekeeping” role of paperwork that stops families in their tracks 
 How to break the process down into manageable, bite-sized steps 
 The shocking statistic that fewer than 10% of families reach tribunal 
 Practical ways to organise evidence, meet deadlines, and feel more in control 
 How technology can support neurodivergent parents to navigate a non-neuroaffirming system 
This is not about pretending the system is easy.
 It is about giving you the tools to face it with clarity, confidence, and support.
Because you are not failing the system.
 The system has not been built for you.
And when we change how we approach it, everything begins to shift.
 If you have ever felt overwhelmed, stuck, or unsure where to start, this episode is for you.
Stevie Hayes: [email protected]
Click here for SEND Bundle
The NeuroDiverse toolbox - YouTube

**The local authority is responsible for submitting any bundle to a SEND Tribunal. Parents are best prepared when they understand the constraints and can submit their evidence as a partially completed bundle to the local authority. 
   
📚 New Book — Out May 7
Beyond the Label: Empowering Parents of ADHD Girls
A powerful blend of science and lived experience to help you truly understand and support your daughter.
👉 Order your copy
🎉 Join Me in Henley — Book Launch, May 7 @ 6:30 PM
An intimate evening in conversation, connection, and celebration.
👉 Reserve your place

💬 Connect with Us
🌱 Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a free, safe, welcoming space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand the realities of neurodiverse family life.
⚡ Ready to go deeper?
...

Easter holidays can feel like a breaking point for many ADHD mums.
Less structure. More demands. And that quiet, heavy loneliness that no one else seems to understand.
In this deeply honest solo episode, Dr. Olivia shares what came up again and again in her group coaching this week:
 👉 the invisible load
 👉 the emotional exhaustion
 👉 and the feeling of doing it all alone
If you are heading into the holidays feeling overwhelmed, stretched, or already running on empty… this episode is for you.
This is not about perfect routines or getting it “right.”
 This is about something far more important:
Not losing yourself in the process.
Inside this episode, you will find:
 Why parenting a neurodiverse child can feel so relentless (and why it is not your fault) 
 The hidden “invisible load” so many mums are carrying 
 A powerful mindset shift to take the pressure off this holiday period 
 One simple daily anchor to help you reconnect with yourself 
 A short guided meditation to calm your nervous system and give you space to breathe 
Because you are not just the organiser, the advocate, or the regulator.
You are a person within this, too.
And you matter.
If this episode resonates, please share it with another mum who might need to hear this today.
 🧘‍♀️ Meditation Link 

📚 New Book — Out May 7
Beyond the Label: Empowering Parents of ADHD Girls
A powerful blend of science and lived experience to help you truly understand and support your daughter.
👉 Order your copy
🎉 Join Me in Henley — Book Launch, May 7 @ 6:30 PM
An intimate evening in conversation, connection, and celebration.
👉 Reserve your place

💬 Connect with Us
🌱 Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a free, safe, welcoming space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand the realities of neurodiverse family life.
⚡ Ready to go deeper?
...

Have you ever watched your child fall apart over something that seems small — a correction at school, a cancelled plan, a simple “not now”… and wondered what is really going on?
In this powerful solo episode, Dr Olivia explores Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria (RSD) — a term you may have seen everywhere on social media, but one that is often misunderstood.
Blending medical insight, real-life parenting experience, and practical tools, this episode unpacks:
• What RSD actually is (and why it is not in the DSM)
 • The science behind emotional dysregulation in ADHD
 • Why some experts support the term — and others challenge it
 • What RSD really looks like in children and teenagers (especially girls)
 • Why your child is not “overreacting” — and what their brain is doing instead
 • The link between ADHD, rejection, and lived experience over time
Most importantly, Dr Olivia shares practical, compassionate strategies to help you support your child:
• How to respond in the moment (what helps — and what makes it worse)
 • How to build emotional awareness before meltdown
 • Why validation matters more than logic
 • How to gently reduce avoidance and build resilience
 • The role of therapy and when to consider medication
If you have ever felt confused, exhausted, or alone trying to support a child who feels everything so deeply, this episode will help you understand what is really happening — and how to move forward with confidence.
You are not alone in this. And neither is your child. 
📚 New Book — Out May 7
Beyond the Label: Empowering Parents of ADHD Girls
A powerful blend of science and lived experience to help you truly understand and support your daughter.
👉 Order your copy
🎉 Join Me in Henley — Book Launch, May 7 @ 6:30 PM
An intimate evening in conversation, connection, and celebration.
👉 Reserve your place

💬 Connect with Us
🌱 Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a free, safe, welcoming space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand the realities of neurodiverse family life.
⚡ Ready to go deeper?
...

The teenage years can feel particularly intense when you are parenting a child with ADHD.
Many parents expect things to get easier as children grow older — yet for many families, adolescence brings new challenges: emotional outbursts, school struggles, growing independence, and the feeling that your once-connected child is suddenly pushing you away.
In this episode of the SEND Parenting Podcast, I am joined by therapist and ADHD specialist Jheri South, who works closely with teenagers and their families. Together we explore what is really happening in the ADHD teenage brain and why this stage can be so complex — not just for teenagers, but for parents too. 
Jerry shares both professional insight and personal experience as a neurodivergent parent raising seven neurodivergent children. Her work focuses on helping families understand behaviour through the lens of brain development, emotional regulation, and the unique wiring of the ADHD brain.
In this conversation, we explore:
• Why ADHD teenagers often seem three years behind in executive functioning
• The impact of constant criticism on self-esteem in ADHD children
• Why traditional parenting approaches based on punishment often backfire
• How rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD) drives emotional reactions and meltdowns
• Why connection matters more than control during the teenage years
• Practical strategies parents can use to support independence without losing connection
We also talk honestly about the emotional side of parenting ADHD teens — the fear that your child may struggle in life and the worry that you are somehow getting it wrong.
Jheri reminds us of something many parents need to hear:
ADHD teenagers are not broken. They are developing differently — and with the right understanding and support, they can thrive.
If you are navigating the teenage years with an ADHD child and wondering whether things will ever get easier, this episode offers reassurance, insight, and practical tools to help you support your child through this stage.

 Learn more about Jheri South and her work
📚 New Book — Out May 7
Beyond the Label: Empowering Parents of ADHD Girls
A powerful blend of science and lived experience to help you truly understand and support your daughter.
👉 Order your copy
🎉 Join Me in Henley — Book Launch, May 7 @ 6:30 PM
An intimate evening in conversation, connection, and celebration.
👉 Reserve your place

💬 Connect with Us
🌱 Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a free, safe, welcoming space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand the realities of neurodiverse family life.
⚡ Ready to go deeper?
...

Deciding whether to try ADHD medication can feel overwhelming for many parents.
 There is a huge amount of misinformation online, and the decision can feel heavy, emotional, and confusing.
In this episode, I sit down with Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Dr Giovanni Giaroli to break down what ADHD medication actually does in the brain — in clear, parent-friendly language.
We explore:
• How ADHD medication works in the prefrontal cortex and executive brain
• The difference between stimulant and non-stimulant medications
• Why finding the right medication is often a journey of careful titration
• Common side effects and what parents should realistically expect
• How medication interacts with autism, anxiety, OCD and PDA profiles
• Why medication alone is not the whole picture — and how sleep, exercise, nutrition and support work alongside it
Dr Giaroli also explains why ADHD medication has one of the strongest evidence bases in child psychiatry, while still requiring a personalised approach for every child.
If you are navigating this decision for your child, this conversation will help bring clarity, reassurance, and science to the discussion.
Giaroli Clinic
📚 New Book — Out May 7
Beyond the Label: Empowering Parents of ADHD Girls
A powerful blend of science and lived experience to help you truly understand and support your daughter.
👉 Order your copy
🎉 Join Me in Henley — Book Launch, May 7 @ 6:30 PM
An intimate evening in conversation, connection, and celebration.
👉 Reserve your place

💬 Connect with Us
🌱 Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a free, safe, welcoming space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand the realities of neurodiverse family life.
⚡ Ready to go deeper?
...