SEND Parenting Podcast

Afleveringen

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  SEND White Paper Impact & Moving Forward 28.07.2026 52min

  In February 2026, the UK government, under Prime Minister Keir Starmer, issued a white paper outlining recommendations and reforms to the schools and SEND system in England. In this live masterclass, Olivia discusses the good, the bad, and the key points from this paper that impact you, and to do that she is joined by Kelly Jarvis, Head of Advocacy and Consultancy at Sunshine Support and Education Consultant Sara Donnelly. Read the white paper and full report here: https://www.gov.uk/governme...
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  Why Can't They Just Do It? 14.07.2026 54min

  How many times has your AuDHD child missed a deadline, or simply not done something really important? Spoiler alert: they’re not lazy or naughty, because neurodivergent brains do not process things in the same way. Their reward system is entirely different. And their executive dysfunction can make even the most straightforward tasks feel impossible. I am joined by Nicola McAllister, a specialist in child development and founder of The Regulated Child, to break down why our children can’t just...
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  Why Screens Win and What Actually Works Instead with Ekta Khera 30.06.2026 32min

  In today’s attention economy, parenting has never been more challenging. Our children are surrounded by gadgets, technology and screens actively trying to distract them from you. And they’re really good at it! So what do we do about screen time, how much is too much, why do our kids always prefer to look at their screens over the world around them - or us - and what can you do about it? I am joined by Ekta Khera, illustrator and founder of Tiny Thinks, to discuss the big questions around scre...
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  Why Anxiety Escalates in ASD Teens 16.06.2026 51min

  Parenting at the best of times is hard work, but having a neurodivergent child is like parenting on steroids. Nothing works, you never feel like you can catch a break, and worst of all, you often feel like you’re not good enough. If this sounds like you, this episode is going to help you find your mojo again. Dr. Olivia is joined by Dr. Melita Ash, a clinical psychologist and the director of Percuro Psychology, a specialist practice in assessing and supporting anxiety, neurodivergence and sch...
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  EP 167: Late-Diagnosed Autism in Girls: The Cost of Being the “Good Girl” 13.05.2026 47min

  What happens when a child spends their entire life being told they are “too sensitive,” “not trying hard enough,” or that they “have so much potential”… while secretly struggling just to cope? In this deeply moving and honest conversation, Dr. Olivia Kessel is joined by author and illustrator Eliza Fricker to explore the hidden reality of growing up as an undiagnosed autistic girl. Inspired by Eliza’s powerful new book, Could Try Harder, this episode unpacks the emotional cost of masking, peo...
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  EP 166: Beyond the Label empowerning parents of ADHD Girls 07.05.2026 22min

  Today is a special one. It is publication day for my debut book, Beyond the Label: Empowering Parents of ADHD Girls, and I wanted to mark it by recording something just for you. In this episode I share the things I wish someone had told me the day we got Alexandra's diagnosis. Why ADHD is so consistently missed in girls, and what it actually looks like in the home rather than the classroom. The one symptom that causes more chaos in families than almost anything else, and that does not even ap...
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  EP 165: When Love and Rage Share the Same Roof : ADHD and Emotional Dysregulation 28.04.2026 30min

  Following her recent Daily Mail feature, Dr Olivia Kessel opens up about one of the most misunderstood and most common aspects of ADHD: emotional dysregulation and flash anger. In this honest and practical episode, Olivia explores why emotional dysregulation isn't in the ADHD diagnostic criteria and why that matters. She unpacks the neuroscience behind flash anger and why reasoning in the moment makes things worse. She also goes into the hidden triggers behind explosions at home, including sl...
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  EP 164: EHCPs Made Simpler: The Tool Every SEND Parent Needs to Know About 21.04.2026 46min

  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 o...
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  EP 163: When Parenting Feels Relentless: Easter Survival for ADHD Mums 31.03.2026 15min

  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 epis...
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  EP 162: Why rejection hits so hard...ADHD & RSD explained 24.03.2026 32min

  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 ...
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  EP 161: Raising ADHD Teenagers with Jheri South 17.03.2026 1u 4min

  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 the...
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  EP 160: ADHD Meds, Demystified 10.03.2026 57min

  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 be...
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  EP 159: When Puberty Hits ADHD: The Perfect Storm 03.03.2026 59min

  Why does everything suddenly feel harder when puberty begins? In this powerful and honest conversation, I am joined by Dr Jess Morgan — former NHS paediatrician and now educator — to unpack what is really happening in the brain and body when puberty meets neurodivergence. We explore: Why emotional outbursts are developmental, not defianceHow hormonal changes amplify ADHD and sensory sensitivitiesThe brain science behind mood swings and impulsivityWhy masking becomes more exhausting in adolesc...
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  EP 158: Shut the Fluff Up: The Parenting Shift That Transforms Behaviour 24.02.2026 52min

  In this powerful and honest conversation, Dr Olivia Kessel is joined by parenting coach Alison Solomon to explore one uncomfortable truth: what if the biggest shift in our child’s behaviour has nothing to do with them and everything to do with us? Alison shares the moment she calls the “arrow through the heart,” when she realised her child was not the problem, her reaction was. From that moment, everything changed. In this episode, we explore: • What actually happens in the brain when a child...
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  EP 157:GCSE Choices, Neurodiversity, and the Bigger Picture 17.02.2026 10min

  This week is a short solo half-term check-in. It is GCSE options time in our house, and I know many of you are feeling the same fear. In this episode, I talk about: • The 30% executive function delay in ADHD and what that really means • Why GCSE choices can feel overwhelming for neurodivergent teens • How to choose subjects based on interest, not pressure • The bigger life picture beyond exams • Successful neurodivergent entrepreneurs including Jo Malone, Richard Brans...
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  EP 156: Choosing the Right ADHD or Autism Diagnosis Pathway 10.02.2026 1u 6min

  Choosing how to get an ADHD or autism diagnosis can feel overwhelming — and confusing. But the pathway you choose does not just affect how long you wait. It affects your child's support, medication access, and long-term outcomes. In this episode, Dr Olivia Kessel is joined by Reemz — a member of the SEND Parenting community with direct experience working inside NHS CAMHS and supporting a family member through Right to Choose. Together, they break down: The NHS CAMHS diagnostic pathwayThe Righ...
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  EP 155: Sleep, Melatonin, And ADHD Explained - Dr Olivia 03.02.2026 37min

  Sleep problems are one of the most overlooked — and misunderstood — parts of ADHD. In this episode of the SEND Parenting Podcast, Dr Olivia Kessel breaks down the science behind ADHD and sleep, explaining why up to 70% of children with ADHD struggle with sleep, and why this is not behavioural, it is biological. Drawing on research and lived experience, Dr Olivia explains how delayed melatonin release and circadian rhythm disruption affect the ADHD brain, and why many children are simply not b...
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  EP 154: ADHD Brain Fuel: Why Kids Crash with Lucinda Miller 27.01.2026 1u 3min

  Why do children with ADHD seem exhausted by the end of the day? Why do meltdowns often hit after school? And why does it feel like they are constantly craving sugar? In this episode, adapted from a live masterclass inside the ADHD Warrior Mum community, Dr. Olivia Kessel is joined by Lucinda Miller, founder of NatureDoc and author of Brain Brilliance, to explore how brain fuel affects energy, focus, emotional regulation, and behaviour in children with ADHD. We discuss: Why the ADH...
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  EP 153: EHCPs, Demystified 20.01.2026 53min

  Applying for an EHCP can feel overwhelming, intimidating, and emotionally draining — especially when your child is already struggling. In this episode, Dr. Olivia Kessel is joined by Dr Abigail Fisher and Eliza Fricker, co-authors of The Essential EHCP Guide for Parents and Carers, to gently demystify the EHCP process and remind parents of one crucial truth: You are not failing. The system is hard. Together, we break down what an EHCP really is, when to apply, and the common myths that delay ...
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  EP 152: ADHD is not an attention problem 13.01.2026 1u

  In this powerful and honest conversation, I am joined by Michael McLeod, internationally recognised ADHD and executive function specialist and founder of GrowNOW ADHD, to unpack what ADHD really is and why so many children and families are being failed by outdated models of support. We explore why ADHD is best understood as a developmental executive function disorder, with emotional regulation at its core — not laziness, defiance, or lack of willpower. Michael explains why traditional approac...