Specialist neurodivergent sleep support for schools, charities and SEND services
If you support Autistic and ADHD children and young people, you will already know how deeply sleep difficulties can affect learning, behaviour, emotional regulation, attendance and family wellbeing. I provide specialist sleep education for professionals, parent talks and sleep support clinic days for organisations that want practical, evidence-based guidance that goes far beyond generic sleep advice.
I work with organisations across the UK, offering in-person or online support depending on your setting, audience and what would be most useful.
My work is rooted in evidence-based practice, informed by neuro-affirming principles, and designed to help professionals and families better understand why neurodivergent children struggle with sleep and what practical strategies actually help.
To discuss what your service needs:
“Michelle’s talk was absolutely brilliant, engaging and insightful. She explains the science of sleep in a way that feels accessible, compassionate and genuinely useful for parents and educators supporting neurodivergent children.”
Laura Sutton, ADHD Tutor, Wellington College
Who I work with
I work with organisations supporting neurodivergent children and young people, including:
- CAMHS teams
- Charities
- Fostering and adoption services
- Autism, Dyslexia and SEND specialist schools
- Primary and secondary SENCos and behaviour support teams
- Local authority SEND teams, including educational psychology services
- Early Help services and family support workers
- Alternative provision settings
- Parent and carer support services
- Organisations working within SEND provision
I support education, health, charity and family support settings looking for specialist talks, SEND staff training, sleep education for professionals, and practical support around neurodivergent sleep difficulties.
Why neurodivergent sleep support matters
When a neurodivergent child is not sleeping well, the effects are far-reaching and rarely limited to the home or the night. Poor or disrupted sleep can show up in the day as:
- Reduced concentration, focus and learning
- Increased anxiety or overwhelm
- Increased sensory sensitivity
- Reduced emotional regulation
- Difficulty coping with everyday demands
- Challenges engaging with education
- Reduced capacity for the family to cope
- Increased pressure on professionals and services
Sleep issues are not simply something families can work around. For many families of neurodivergent children, poor sleep affects every part of life, and standard one-size-fits-all advice often does not help or not for long. When a child’s sleep is affecting their wellbeing, learning and family life, specialist support can make a meaningful difference.
Why standard sleep advice often does not work
Many Autistic and ADHD children do not respond to generic sleep advice because it rarely takes account of their sensory needs, anxiety, emotional regulation, demand avoidant profile or the importance of felt safety at bedtime and throughout the night.
That is why schools, charities, CAMHS teams and SEND services often need a more specialist, neuro-affirming understanding of neurodivergent sleep.
93% of attendees felt more confident supporting families with complex sleep problems after Michelle’s one-day sleep education training.
Barnardo’s Training Day
Ways to work with me
Professional support starts from £250.
Get in touch today to discuss your requirements and receive a tailored quote for your organisation.
Specialist talk for parents and professionals on neurodivergent sleep
Why neurodivergent children struggle with sleep – and what actually helps
This session is designed for organisations that want to offer parents, carers and professionals a clear, accessible introduction to neurodivergent sleep.
The talk includes a Q&A and helps attendees understand:
Why Autistic and ADHD children often find sleep so difficult
- Why standard sleep advice often does not work
- How sensory needs, anxiety and emotional regulation affect sleep
- Practical strategies that can help make bedtime easier
This is a strong option for schools, SEND services, parent groups and organisations wanting a focused, high-value session without committing to a full day.
Specialist sleep support clinic day
Sleep support clinic for parents and carers of Autistic and ADHD children
Introductory talk:
Three Reasons Autistic and ADHD Children Find Sleep So Tricky
Followed by:
Pre-booked 1:1 sleep support appointments for parents and carers
This offer combines group learning with personalised support. It is ideal for organisations that want to support several families in one day, while also offering parents the chance to talk through their child’s specific sleep challenges and receive bespoke sleep recommendations from a specialist in neurodivergent children’s sleep.
A typical clinic day can include:
- A short introductory specialist talk (optional for parents to attend)
- Pre-booked one-to-one sessions for parents or carers
- Practical, tailored guidance for each family
- Signposting to next steps where needed
This can work especially well for schools, parent support services, charities, local SEND provision and Early Help services looking for a practical and family-focused offer.
Full-day specialist training for practitioners
Full-day specialist practitioner training on neurodivergent sleep support
When families are still experiencing significant sleep challenges, even after implementing generic sleep advice and practitioner recommendations, it highlights the need for a more specialised approach. I provide teams with the knowledge and strategies needed to support neurodivergent children and their families more effectively.
A full specialist training package designed for professionals supporting Autistic demand avoidant and ADHD children.
This training goes far beyond standard sleep advice. Practitioners are equipped to recognise the unique sleep challenges experienced by neurodivergent children and to use practical, evidence-based strategies informed by neuro-affirming principles, reflecting each child’s individual profile and giving families support they can actually use.
Training can cover:
- The foundations of neurodivergent sleep and why sleep can be so challenging
- Why standard approaches often do not work for neurodivergent children
- The importance of meeting sensory needs before bed
- How managing anxiety, demand avoidance and supporting emotional regulation is essential at bedtime
- How to respond to common sleep challenges such as long bedtimes, night waking and early rising
- Practical, easy-to-implement strategies professionals can share with families
- How to support exhausted parents and carers without increasing shame, blame or overwhelm
This is ideal for teams who want deeper knowledge, increased competence and confidence when supporting families who are struggling with complex sleep challenges.
Practitioner training is ideally delivered in person. Online delivery can be discussed by exception, but face-to-face delivery is the strongest format.
Optional add-ons
To extend the impact of training or talks, optional add-ons can include:
- 1:1 Follow-up support for practitioners
- Group case discussion clinics to promote shared learning and professional development
These options can be useful where teams want support putting the learning into action within their own setting, with the option of short, focused professional supervision to help embed the learning and build confidence.
What your organisation can gain
- Greater competence to manage complex sleep challenges
- More confident and supportive conversations with parents and carers
- Better understanding of neurodivergent sleep difficulties
- Practical and effective strategies staff can use and share with families
- Training that goes beyond generic sleep advice
Why work with me
Clinical expertise. Lived experience. Dedicated support.
What makes my work different?
Specialist in neurodivergent children and young people’s sleep
Experienced children’s nurse MSc and Dip HE
Certified Advanced Paediatric Sleep Practitioner
Trained in CBT for Insomnia
Lived experience as a parent of two neurodivergent children
Experienced speaker and educator
I do not offer generic sleep advice. My approach is grounded in evidence-based practice, informed by neuro-affirming principles, and shaped by a deep understanding of the everyday realities for children and families dealing with complex sleep challenges, as well as the professionals supporting them.
That means the support I offer professionals is practical, realistic and effective so they can make a meaningful impact in families lives.
Frequently asked questions
Is this suitable for parents and professionals together?
Yes. The specialist talk format works well for mixed audiences and can be tailored depending on who will be in the room. Children and young people often join too.
Can sessions be delivered online or in person?
Yes. Talks and clinic days can be delivered online or in person, depending on your setting, location and what would be most useful. The full-day practitioner training is ideally delivered in person, with online delivery by discussion only.
Can the training be tailored to our setting?
Yes. The content can be adapted depending on whether the audience is school-based, charity-based, fostering / adoption focused, or part of a wider SEND, Early Help or CAMHS-related service.
Who is this training suitable for?
It is suitable for professionals working with neurodivergent children and young people, including SEND staff, SENCos, family support workers, charity teams and practitioners supporting parents and carers.
Some sessions are relevant for professionals, parents, children and young people to join to.
Do you offer one-off talks as well as full training days?
Yes. There are different ways to work together, from a specialist talk to a sleep support clinic day or full-day practitioner training.
Can you deliver a bespoke training session for our organisation?
Yes. I offer bespoke sessions. If you cannot see an option that fits your organisation’s needs, I can design a tailored session for your service users, practitioners or provision. Get in touch to discuss details.
Let’s talk about what your team needs
If you are looking for specialist neurodivergent sleep support for your school, charity, service or team, I would love to hear more about your organisation and what would be most useful.
Whether you want a focused parent / professional talk, a clinic day, full practitioner training or a bespoke session, we can discuss the best fit for your audience.
