What can SEND HUGS do for you?
When you first know or suspect that your child may be neurodivergent, all sorts of questions go through your mind, from the profound (“Will my child ever be able to live independently?”) to the more mundane (“How will I get him to eat his vegetables?”). So what can SEND HUGS do for you?
You know your child best!
You are the expert on your own child. Nobody knows them as well as you do, and nobody cares about their happiness and wellbeing as much as you do.
However, our children haven’t read the parenting books. They often do not respond well to traditional parenting techniques. We may find ways to parent them which work for us, but relatives, schools, and even our friends can be critical.
And then there are the days when nothing works. On those days, we can feel that we have failed as parents.
Sometimes we all need a bit of help to get out of a rut and find a different way that will work for us and our family.
Parenting courses are often aimed at the parents of neurotypical children. I have even been sent on courses where the first thing I’ve been told is that the techniques I’m going to be taught are not suitable for autistic children!
Through tailored coaching, you can learn more about why some of the advice other people have given you may not have worked with your child, and why experts recommend a different approach for neurodivergent children.
How will it work?
SEND HUGS offers blame-free one hour coaching sessions which are tailored to your child and their needs.
I can help you understand what’s happening when things go wrong, and guide you in working out a plan to support your child’s behaviour and emotional regulation.
It can be hard to get away if you have a child with severe separation anxiety, and often the only time you have to yourself can be outside normal business hours.
As a busy working parent myself, I understand the need to juggle work with childcare.
We can arrange to meet at times that are suitable for you, including evenings and weekends. Sessions can be held face to face (within a 15 mile radius of Chesham) or online via Zoom.
For busy working parents, there is also an option of shorter, half hour online sessions which can be held during your lunch break.
Pricing: Initial 20 minute consultation free, then £60 per hour of one-to-one coaching, £35 per half hour lunchtime session, or purchase a block of 6 hours (to include at least two one hour full sessions with the rest being full or lunchtime sessions) for £330.
Getting the support your child needs
The world of SEND is a minefield of jargon and confusion. The law is complex and is often not followed by local authorities and schools which are desperately short of resources.
SEND HUGS can help you in a number of ways to get the support that your child needs at school. These include:
preparing for meetings at school to discuss the support your child needs
reviewing emails, letters and other documents and helping you to prepare a suitable answer
helping to prepare applications for Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP) and other support
The aim of this support is to show you what needs to be done and how to do it. I do not want to swoop in, run the meeting or write the letter for you and leave you as helpless as you were before - this would be more expensive for you, and you would be no better off the next time an issue came up.
SEND HUGS aims to give you the knowledge and confidence to stand up for your child yourself and get the results that you need without having to keep paying someone to do it for you.
How will it work?
This offering usually starts with a free, no obligation 20 minute consultation to talk about your situation and what help you need.
We will then agree a package which will typically include:
a fact-finding meeting to talk about your child’s history and current needs
research including a review of any emails, letters and other documents you are able to provide
writing a report or other document which will include a plan of who you need to talk to next and how to get the help your child needs. Examples of the documents that I have prepared in the past include draft letters and emails, meeting agendas with backing information to help you control the meeting, and draft application forms
another meeting to talk through the report/other documents and give you a chance to ask any further questions.
The cost of this package depends on the amount of work involved, but the price will be agreed with you up front and will usually be between £150 and £300.
Community of HUGS
SEND HUGS doesn’t work in a vacuum, and one of its aims is to create a community of parents who offer each other help, understanding, guidance and support as they go through this journey together.
To help create that community and to guide you further along the way, the Community of HUGS is a members’ area, giving access to:
an online discussion forum where you can chat to other parents, getting to know others who are going through the same as you and sharing your experiences in a safe, non-judgemental and private space where you can be as anonymous as you like while still developing real friendships through the use of screen names and automated signatures (something discussion groups on social media aren’t able to offer)
an ever-growing library of exclusive written materials on a variety of topics, including how to get support for your child in school, recognising and dealing with different neurodivergent conditions, helping a child who is experiencing EBSA/EBSNA (emotionally-based school avoidance/school non-attendance), and more
a glossary of terms used in the SEND world, to help you understand who is involved in helping your child and what they can offer
sets of short videos on a variety of subjects (coming soon)
book reviews and recommendations
links to other useful resources
and more, for the low monthly fee of £15.
There is no minimum subscription period, and you can continue your membership for as long or short a time as you wish.