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Neurodiversity at Home Blog
Welcome to Neurodiversity at Home, a space created to support parents, carers, and educators of neurodiverse children. Here you’ll find lived experiences, practical advice, and resources on SEN support in the UK, reflections on neurodiversity in education, and questions like how to support an autistic child at school.
You can also explore my book, Neurodiversity in Education a neurodiversity book for parents and educators, where I share my personal journey, echoing the experiences of many families raising and teaching neurodiverse children.
Education
Traditional vs Progressive Education
Traditional vs Progressive education is a topic of conversation, especially regarding Neurodiversity and the different ways we learn. Progressive education is an approach to teaching that puts the learner at the centre of education.
Joanne Baldwin
5 days ago4 min read
SEN:Why Do We Need to Move to Learn
“Why do we need to move around to learn?” The brain may not have evolved to learn while sitting still. The short answer is: movement helps the brain learn.
Joanne Baldwin
Aug 114 min read
SEN: Heavy work for SEN Children
Heavy Work is like giving the nervous system a "reset" through purposeful muscle activity. In the context of dysregulation, heavy work for SEN children refers to activities that require the muscles.
Joanne Baldwin
Aug 43 min read
Education: Social Media Bullying and Responsibility
I overheard a teacher describing a situation involving her pupils, social media, and bullying. Teachers play a big part in safeguarding children in their care. The parents of these children wanted the teacher to sort out the bullying. She said she talked to all the children concerned, but what else could she do? What should she do?
Joanne Baldwin
Jul 303 min read
Education: Why a six-week Summer Holiday
The six-week summer holiday has a surprisingly tangled history. A common myth is that it exists so children could help bring in the harvest, but that's only part of the story—and not the main reason for the modern six-week break.
Joanne Baldwin
Jul 273 min read
International Best Practices: What England could learn about SEND
SEND lessons for England. There are many strengths in the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system; however, many countries achieve better outcomes. England could adopt several successful practices.
Joanne Baldwin
Jul 213 min read
SEN: School Refusal is on the Increase
School refusal is usually due to Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA) or School Distress. These terms recognise that most children are not refusing school out of defiance
Joanne Baldwin
Jul 133 min read
SEND: Do we Need Learning Support?
Learning Support Assistants (LSAs), also called teaching assistants or classroom support assistants in some schools, play an important role in supporting pupils with additional needs. However, there are both advantages and disadvantages to relying on them.
Joanne Baldwin
Jul 62 min read
Has Finland's Education system really failed?
Finland is still widely respected for its education system, but it has slipped from the very top of many international rankings compared with the early 2000s.
Joanne Baldwin
Jun 292 min read
SEN: Is Extra Time in Exams a Fair Test
Extra time is given to ensure that the exam measures the student's understanding of the subject rather than the effects of sensory challenges.
Joanne Baldwin
Jun 243 min read
SEN: How to Support Alexithymia
Supporting someone with alexithymia often involves helping them navigate emotions in ways that don't rely solely on emotional insight or emotional language.
Joanne Baldwin
Jun 223 min read
SEN: What is Alexithymia
Alexithymia is a personality trait (not a mental illness by itself) that involves difficulty identifying, understanding, and describing one's own emotions.
Joanne Baldwin
Jun 152 min read
Education: Growing Trends and Demands
Education curricula differ in what is taught, when it is taught, how students are assessed, and how teachers are expected to teach. Different countries make different choices based on their culture, economy, history, and educational philosophy.
Joanne Baldwin
Jun 73 min read
NEET: What does this mean for our Young People?
NEET means “Not in Education, Employment, or Training.” This is used by governments, researchers, schools, and charities to describe young people between 16–24-year-olds.
Joanne Baldwin
Jun 13 min read
SEND: What is AuDHD
AuDHD is an informal term people use to describe someone who is both autistic and has ADHD at the same time. It’s not an official medical diagnosis.
Joanne Baldwin
Mar 303 min read
Sensory Processing Disorder SPD
Sensory Processing Disorder SPD isn’t about the senses being “broken”. It’s about the brain having difficulty filtering and organising input in a way that feels manageable.
Joanne Baldwin
Mar 262 min read
SEND: Meltdown, Shutdown, or Burnout for Overwhelm
People sometimes use meltdown, shutdown, and burnout as if they mean the same thing. Neurodivergent people describe different responses to overwhelm.
Joanne Baldwin
Mar 192 min read
Dysgraphia: Best Tech to Support Learning
Here’s a practical, up-to-date list of technology and apps that are commonly used to support someone with dysgraphia — focusing on tools that reduce the physical demand
Joanne Baldwin
Feb 282 min read
SEND: Occupational Therapist and Neurodiversity
An Occupational therapy Assessment is essential to support Autism. Along with the diagnosis pathway, an Occupational Therapist (OT) can empower an autistic child
Joanne Baldwin
Feb 272 min read
What Is Tourette Syndrome?
Tourette’s Syndrome (also called Tourette syndrome) is a neurological condition that causes people to have tics that they don’t do on purpose.
Joanne Baldwin
Feb 253 min read
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