Hi, I'm Natalie
Neurodivergent Educator | PDA Specialist | Writer | Advocate
I’m a neurodivergent educator, PDA specialist, and parent to multiple neurodivergent children.
I created SENDinMama because the support I needed didn’t exist in the way I needed it. Too often, families are given advice that doesn’t fit their child, and professionals are expected to support complex needs without the right understanding.
This space brings together lived experience, research, and practical strategies that actually work in real life.
My background
I am a qualified teacher with a Master’s degree in Education (M.Ed) and over 15 years’ experience working across a range of educational settings.
My work has focused on supporting children whose needs do not fit neatly into traditional systems, particularly those with complex SEND, communication differences and neurodivergent profiles.
Alongside my professional experience, I am also a neurodivergent adult and parent to neurodivergent children, which gives me both a clinical and lived understanding of the challenges families face.
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Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) with a Master’s degree in Education
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Over 15 years’ experience across primary, secondary and specialist settings
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Experience in mainstream schools, specialist Speech and Language provision, EYFS and Pupil Referral Units supporting complex trauma
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Former leadership roles including Trustee, Head of English and Head of Humanities
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Extensive work within multi-agency teams supporting children with complex SEND
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Specialist experience in autism, PDA profiles, ADHD, SEMH and communication differences
My work now
Through SENDinMama, I bring together research, professional practice and lived experience to support both families and professionals.
My work focuses on helping others understand what is happening beneath the surface for neurodivergent children, and translating this into practical, realistic approaches that can be used in everyday life. I place a strong emphasis on regulation, autonomy and relational support, particularly when working with children with a PDA profile.
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Provide 1:1 support for parents navigating PDA, autism, ADHD and complex SEND
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Develop practical, ready-to-use resources used across education, health and care settings
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Create and deliver training grounded in current research and real-world application
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Support a growing Substack community with articles, resources and guidance
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Published writer for SEN Magazine and Wavelength Education, contributing to professional understanding of PDA and SEND
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All work designed to be accessible, practical and immediately usable