Family Pathway

Honoured to attend the IRCT event at the House of Lords – amazing discussions on supervision in education and why we need to build capacity to meet the intersectional needs of our learners and communities.

💡 Key takeaways:
Supervision isn’t optional – it’s central to trauma-informed practice
Supporting educators builds stronger, more inclusive schools
Intersectional approaches are critical for meaningful impact

A real privilege to work alongside the staff and families at Radyr Primary School.

Over the past few weeks, Family Pathway has been supporting both staff and parents to develop a deeper understanding of learner diversity, the developing brain, executive functioning and needs-led adaptations. What has been particularly powerful is seeing those shared "aha" moments emerge across both groups.

When schools and families develop a common language and understanding, relationships strengthen, trust grows and collaboration becomes easier. Rather than asking "What's wrong?", we begin asking "What is this young person telling us through their behaviour, communication and experiences?"

The result is stronger partnerships, more meaningful adaptations and a greater sense of connection around the young people we all want to see thrive.

Thank you to the staff and families who engaged so openly, shared their experiences and contributed to such thoughtful discussions. Building compassionate communities starts with listening, learning and working together.

🌱 What does true universal provision look like?

A recent visit to Radyr Primary reminded me that inclusion is not a programme—it's an environment, a culture and a way of thinking.

Beautiful learning spaces. Play, creativity and belonging woven throughout. Children's voices visible. Participation valued.

What particularly stood out was seeing Executive Functioning Skills displayed within the classroom environment—an example of Family Pathway training translating into practice.

This isn't about attending CPD. It's about building staff confidence in the science of learning and the developing brain, then applying that understanding to create environments where all children can thrive.

When schools understand executive functioning, they stop asking children to simply "be organised" or "pay attention" and start intentionally teaching and scaffolding those skills.
Research into practice. Training into action. Inclusion by design.

Thank you to the team at Radyr Primary for allowing us to be part of the journey.

🧠 ADHD Services: Lessons for the Future

With increasing demand, long waiting lists and growing awareness of ADHD, now is the time to rethink how support is delivered.

I'm looking forward to hearing Professor Anita Thapar share insights from the NHS England Independent ADHD Taskforce and explore what needs to change to improve outcomes for children, young people and adults.

ADHD is about far more than attention. It affects participation, wellbeing, relationships, learning, employment and independence. Building services that understand this complexity is essential.

📅 24 June | 2pm (BST)

If we are serious about improving mental health outcomes, strengthening resilience and creating communities where children can thrive, we must start by listening.

This powerful study gives voice to 44 families of neurodivergent children experiencing school distress and attendance difficulties. The findings are clear: when environments do not meet need, the impact extends far beyond attendance. It affects wellbeing, family life, confidence, relationships and future opportunities.

Research like this matters because it moves beyond statistics and gives us access to lived experience.

Families are not simply recipients of support. They are experts in their own lives.

The strongest systems are built when communities, families and young people are heard, valued and involved in shaping solutions.
Understanding need. Creating belonging. Strengthening communities.

Following my session at the National Neurodiversity Shows in Cardiff, many people reached out asking for a copy of the presentation — so I’m sharing it here 💛

𝐁𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐫, 𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐢𝐩𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐖𝐞 𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭

If we want to improve how we support children today, we first need to understand where our thinking came from. For generations, has been viewed through lenses of 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥, 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐭.
Although the language has changed, many of those misconceptions still shape practice today.
Understanding our past matters. Because when we know better, we can build more compassionate systems, stronger relationships and environments where children feel safe, understood and able to belong.

Behaviour, Belonging and the Pipeline We Don't Talk About | PDF to Flipbook Created with the Heyzine flipbook maker

Such a wonderful morning last week spent with the incredible women at Women’s Centre in ❤️

Today felt like so much more than training.
It felt like building understanding, strengthening voices and creating belonging together.

We explored how environments shape the developing brain, strengthening understanding around the why behind behaviours and experiences, while discussing how we build stronger partnerships with schools and professionals.

One of the most powerful reflections shared today was:
💬 “You have helped me develop the language to support teachers to better understand my child’s behaviours.”

Because this work isn't just about knowledge.
It's about strengthening voices.
The voice of a mother.
The voice of a father.
The voice of a child.
The voice of families and communities.

Because when people feel heard, understanding grows.

When understanding grows, relationships strengthen.

And when relationships strengthen, communities become places where people truly belong.

✨ Building understanding. Strengthening voices. Creating belonging.

Such a useful reminder 💙 Autism doesn’t always look the way systems expect it to. Different presentation doesn’t mean different need. Understanding beyond stereotypes can change lives.

🚨 In Wales, too many young people continue to face barriers to education, employment and training, with rates significantly higher for those navigating additional learning needs, mental health challenges and barriers to participation.

This is why MasteringME exists.

Working alongside learners from MAC Media Academy, MOL Education and Innovate Trust, and partnering with incredible local employers and community champions including SAFE Foundation, TVM, Green Squirrel, The Entertainer and Celtic Hotels, we are helping young people build confidence, resilience and the real-world skills needed to actively participate in work and community life.

We focus on:

✨ Building confidence and positive identity
✨ Strengthening communication and social skills
✨ Developing resilience and independence
✨ Creating meaningful pathways into work and participation

This year, we saw young people move from uncertainty and barriers into qualifications, placements and increased participation, with 100% gaining additional qualifications and progressing towards meaningful next steps.

A huge thank you to every organisation investing in young people and opening doors across our local community. You are creating opportunities, building belonging and changing futures. 💙

Take a look at our MasteringME Impact Report and see what can happen when communities come together around young people. 📖✨

MasteringME Impact Report 2026 : simplebooklet.com MasteringME Impact Report 2026 : simplebooklet.com