SEND Reform: What It Still Gets Wrong (Even After Finally Recognising Executive Functioning)
SEND reform is finally starting to recognise executive functioning, but that does not mean children will automatically get the right support. This blog looks at what could still go wrong if schools focus on expectations instead of understanding, scaffolding, and the environment around the child.
It’s Not Behaviour… It’s the Struggle to Stop
What looks like behaviour, inattention, or emotional outbursts is often one underlying difficulty: the struggle to stop. This blog explains how one core skill affects attention, thinking, emotions, and movement.
Have We Confused Validating Emotions with Accepting Dysregulation?
There has been a shift in how we respond to children’s behaviour. While validating emotions is important, it is not enough. This blog explores how inhibitory control and flexible thinking impact emotional regulation, and why children need skill building, not just understanding.
Why Some Children Can’t Regulate Early Enough
Self-regulation doesn’t start with behaviour. Many children struggle not because they won’t calm down, but because they don’t recognise the early signals in their body. This blog explains the missing step in self-regulation and why behaviour often comes too late.
Why Your Child Understands Something One Day and Not the Next
Many children understand something one day, then seem to forget it the next. This blog explains how memory, processing, and executive functioning affect learning, and why inconsistency is often misunderstood.
“Why Do They Say It If They Know It’s Wrong?” Understanding Cognitive Inhibition in Children
Some children say things that seem rude, off-topic, or inappropriate—yet they know it wasn’t right. This blog explains cognitive inhibition and why the brain struggles to filter thoughts in real time.
He Meant to Come Home… So Why Did He End Up in the Pub Again?
He said he was coming straight home, and he meant it.
So why did he still end up in the pub?
This blog explores ADHD, impulse, alcohol, and why understanding these skills early could change lives.
When Your Child Interrupts: It’s Not Just Rudeness
Some children interrupt even when they know they shouldn’t. This blog explains why it happens in the moment, and why it’s not just behaviour.
Why Your Child Forgets Instructions — And Why You Might Recognise This in Yourself Too
Ever walked into a room and forgotten why you went there? That’s working memory. This blog explains how it impacts everyday life and why it’s not about trying harder.
What Thinking Skills Do Children Actually Need to Learn?
Children do not just need intelligence to learn. They rely on a range of thinking skills including memory, understanding, flexible thinking, problem solving and executive functioning. When these skills are weaker, learning can feel much harder than it should.
Executive Functioning in SEND Reform: The Part That Finally Makes Sense
SEND reform is beginning to recognise executive functioning as central to learning. Understanding how regulation and development underpin these skills may be key to reducing escalation and supporting children earlier in education.
Why Strengthening Executive Function Skills is a Game-Changer for Autistic & ADHD Brains
If mornings feel like juggling jelly, executive functions might be the missing piece. This blog explains the brain’s “air traffic control” system and why strengthening it is a game-changer for autistic and ADHD daily life.
Why Emotional Regulation Is Harder When You’re Autistic or You’re ADHD – and Why Waiting Matters
If you’re autistic or you’re ADHD, emotional regulation can feel overwhelming. This blog explains how inhibitory control develops through waiting, why modern life removes that practice, and why this impacts autistic and ADHD brains more.
Executive Function in Autism & ADHD – Same Skills, Different Weak Spots
Executive functioning skills are the same in autism and ADHD, but the weak spots are often different. This blog explains flexible thinking, working memory, and inhibitory control in a clear, real-life way.
ADHD and Autism: Different Ways the Brain Regulates Action, Attention, and Emotion
ADHD and autism aren’t behaviour problems. They are differences in how the brain regulates starting, stopping, switching, and emotion. This blog explains those differences in a clear, compassionate way for parents and adults trying to understand themselves.
“Why Does My Child Only Do Things If There’s Something In It for Them?”
Why does my child only do things when there’s a reward? This blog explains why ADHD motivation is often external, how dopamine affects effort, and why this isn’t selfishness or bad parenting.
Understanding Flexible Thinking: Why Autistic and ADHD Young People Can Become Rigid — and Vulnerable to Outside Influence
Autistic and ADHD young people are often described as “rigid,” but this isn’t stubbornness — it’s a difference in flexible thinking. This blog explains why they may cling tightly to certain beliefs, become influenced by outside voices, and struggle to shift when something isn’t working. A supportive guide for families who want to understand and help their young person stay safe and informed.
Understanding Social Communication and Its Challenges for Those Who Are Autistic
Social communication involves far more than words. This blog explores the unique challenges autistic individuals may face with non-verbal cues, conversational rules, emotional regulation, and social expectations, alongside practical strategies for support.
How Weak Working Memory Can Impact Your Day
Weak working memory can make even simple daily tasks challenging. This blog explores how working memory difficulties affect routines, conversations, learning, and productivity, alongside practical strategies to help manage and support working memory in everyday life.