I’m Natalie — a neurodivergent educator, PDA specialist, writer, and mother of four wonderful, wildly individual children. Our family in East Sussex is shaped by autism, PDA, ADHD, Dyspraxia, and Gestalt Language Processing, and it was through raising my children that I also discovered my own PDA autistic and ADHD identity. That lived experience underpins everything I do.

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Professionally, I bring 15 years of experience across the state, private, and alternative education sectors, teaching children from Nursery through to GCSE. My work has always centred on inclusion, emotional safety, and understanding the “why” behind behaviour, especially for neurodivergent and trauma-affected pupils.

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I’ve taught in a specialist Speech and Language Unit, supported early communication with Makaton and Cued Articulation, and worked extensively with pupils with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs. I spent several years in a Pupil Referral Unit (PRU), mentoring teenagers navigating complex trauma, collaborating closely with multi-agency teams, and advocating fiercely to ensure every child’s voice was heard. I have also held leadership roles including Head of English (Secondary PRU) and Head of Humanities (primary school), as well as serving as a Trustee for a Brighton pre-school.

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Today, I run SENDinMama — a trauma-informed, neurodiversity-affirming platform that supports both families and professionals. I create practical resources, home-education packs, training tools, and one-to-one support for PDA families, with a strong focus on real-life application rather than theoretical ideals.

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My services are now used by families supported by:

• East Sussex Healthcare Trust (ESHT) teams

• East Sussex Early Help services

• Health visiting teams

• Educators, therapists, Educational Psychologists and social care professionals across the UK

• I contribute lived-experience insight and offer advice to NHS maternity and neonatal services on inclusion, accessibility and equity in Maternity and Neonatal services for SEND and neurodiverse families

 

I also write regularly about autism, PDA, SEND, trauma, and education — both in my Substack publication SENDinMama and in places like SEN Magazine and Wavelength Education. I am currently writing two neuroaffirming children’s picture books exploring internalised and externalised presentations of PDA.

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Through SENDinMama, my mission is to bring together lived experience, evidence-led practice, and educational expertise to help neurodivergent children and their families feel genuinely understood, supported, and safe — at home, in education, and within wider systems.