Caring Responsibilities

Tip: Accept ageing as a natural process that brings challenges such as illness or disability.

Tip: Research available services and use community resources to navigate care options.

Tip: Encourage older relatives to develop basic digital skills (banking, shopping, communication) to maintain independence.

Tip: Have open, honest conversations about accepting help and explain the benefits clearly.

Tip: Introduce support slowly — start with less intrusive help to aid adjustment.

Tip: Consult healthcare professionals regarding dementia, cancer or other complex diagnoses.

Tip: Break overwhelming tasks into manageable steps (step-by-step support).

Tip: Connect with local or online carer communities for shared experiences and advice.

recourse

recourse

recourse

recourse

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recourse

Resource: Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) – provide structured support, multi-agency involvement, and continue into the mid-20s.

Resource: TTS SEND Family Support

Resource: Peps McCrea’s mailing list — short, practical weekly insights, often relevant to SEND and adaptive teaching.

Resource: Evidence-informed guidance from the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) on classroom adaptations.

Resource: Five-a-day — how children should be consistently scaffolded in the classroom.

Resource: Quality First Teaching — core classroom practice that should be in place before additional interventions.

Resource: Ordinarily Available SEND Provision — what schools are expected to offer before external specialists are involved.

Resource: How schools are advised to provide additional support, work with parents/carers, and report to external professionals.

Resource: Oxfordshire SEN descriptors — what a school will be using to assess whether your child meets the needs for SEND provision.

Resource: Public Talk on Neurodiversity and Research. NIHR Biomedical Research Centre: Oxford Health

Resource: Neurodiverse Voices Connect CIC

Resource: nonSENse: A story for every family fighting the SEN system and Lets Talk Some SENse : A story for every family fighting the SEN system

Tip: Be persistent when navigating SEND support — with both schools and GPs. Advocacy often requires firm and repeated follow-up over time.

Tip: Sharing experiences with other parents and carers can help reduce isolation and make the emotional and practical load of SEND processes feel more manageable.

Tip: Many professionals (teachers, parents, family friends) can refer for an EHCP assessment.

Tip: You can challenge decisions not to issue or update an EHCP; Local Authorities lose ~98% of SEND Tribunal appeals.

Tip: Be vigilant when caring for elderly or vulnerable individuals; investigate when care appears inadequate.

Tip: Speak to other carers; peer knowledge is often quicker and more practical than online research.

Tip: Request a Subject Access Request (SAR) to obtain all information held about the person you care for.

Tip: Stay on the SEN Register even if the school suggests removal — it supports continuity and regular checks.

Tip: Be persistent and assertive when seeking government or school support — persistence often speeds up outcome.

Article: 'Is ‘teen-ternity’ leave just a new way to make mothers feel guilty?'

Book: Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood by Lisa Damour (applicable to boys as well; focuses on emotional, developmental and behavioural transitions.)

Book: What About Men? by Caitlin Moran (explores challenges faced by boys, lack of role models, social expectations.)

Book: Inventing Ourselves: The Secret Life of the Teenage Brain by Sarah-Jayne Blakemore (neuroscience-based insight into risk-taking, behaviour, decision-making in adolescence.)

Tip: Balanced perspectives are needed when supporting both teenage girls and boys.

Tip: Teen behaviour is heavily influenced by brain development, identity formation, and social expectations.

Tip: Secondary school lunchtimes can be overwhelming; offer a snack and quiet decompression time after school to support regulation.

Tip: Avoid initiating heavy conversations immediately after school – allow time to refuel and emotionally reset.

Tip: Support independence without overstepping by maintaining a balance between guidance and autonomy.

Tip: Engage teenagers as equals, approaching conversations with empathy rather than instruction.

Tip: Encourage restorative breaks (e.g. summer downtime) before discussing future pathways such as university or employment.

Resource: TED Talks - Parenting.

Tip: Prepare for transitions in advance by practising the school route, identifying entry points and understanding daily routines.

Tip: Use creative distractions to ease stress (e.g. turning the school run into a playful activity such as greeting figurines along the way).

Tip: Establish support systems within school, such as a buddy scheme or identifying trusted members of staff.

Resource: “What You Need to Know About Me” passport to support smoother transitions between settings.

Tip: Be aware that the transition from Reception to Year 1 can be particularly challenging due to increased structure and reduced free play.

Tip: Recognise that children may struggle with emotional regulation during transitions and may need additional reassurance and predictability.

Resource: TED Talks - Parenting.

Resource: CBeebies Parenting

Resource: Health Visitor Ruth on Instagram

Resource: The Kids Doctor on Instagram