Access All Areas of SEND - The podcast

Join me talking to Simon Connell — Founder of Thrive Hub Bromsgrove

Simon is the founder of Thrive Hub Bromsgrove and a teacher with 20 years of experience. As a dad to two daughters with SEND, he has seen first hand both the challenges families can face and the importance of creating the right opportunities for young people.

Simon felt compelled to create Thrive Hub Bromsgrove to provide meaningful, real world experiences that build confidence, independence, life skills and a sense of purpose for young adults aged 16-24 with SEND.

https://www.thrivehubbromsgrove.com

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61584112382901

https://www.instagram.com/thrivehubbromsgrove

Dr Daryll Wharton is a certified special educator, hypnotherapist, and parent of a child with a disability with more than two decades of experience supporting students and families. Having navigated special education from both sides of the table, she combines professional expertise with personal experience to help parents feel more informed, supported, and empowered throughout their journey.

A very special episode.

For more information: https://drdaryll.com/about/

Dr Daryll Wharton is a certified special educator, hypnotherapist, and parent of a child with a disability with more than two decades of experience supporting students and families. Having navigated special education from both sides of the table, she combines professional expertise with personal experience to help parents feel more informed, supported, and empowered throughout their journey.

A very special episode.

For more information: https://drdaryll.com/about/

Join me talking to Lynne Tarrob-Snooks.

The Fidget Project website calls me a veteran educator, (which I guess means I've worked at every level within the system, teacher, advisor, inspector), a School Improvement and Wellbeing Consultant and a co-founder / creator of The Thrive Approach (TM). (which was one of the first training approaches to bring the insights of developmental psychology, neuroscience and research on learning together to address the high numbers of children being excluded from schools ).

I’m a retired Integrative Psychotherapist and trainer of psychotherapists.

More importantly, I am a proud parent of two grown up children, three grandchildren and delighted to be, more recently, the doting parent of a child diagnosed as Autistic.

I came out of retirement 2 years ago to co-found The Fidget Project as a CIC, determined to raise awareness of - and improve provision for- children who have sensory processing differences. And their families.

The sensory profile of a child is fundamental to the way the child experiences themselves and the world. And this is centrally important to neurodivergent children - those who might go on to get a diagnosis of Autism, ADHD, AuDHD, Dyspraxia, Dyslexia.

I live in rural south Devon with my wife and youngest son and two cats. Our dog died nearly three years ago now and we all still miss him.

https://thefidgetproject.co.uk

Check out their website for activities to mark sensory processing month in October!

This October, The Fidget Project is bringing a brand new kind of festival to South Devon: a sensory-aware festival series designed for neurodivergent and sensory-sensitive children and their families.

No overwhelming crowds you have to brace for. No "just try to sit still." Just spaces built from the ground up to be welcoming, inclusive and genuinely sensory-aware.

Across Torquay, Totnes, Dartmouth, Kingsbridge and Ivybridge, families can expect a full month of experiences including sensory play and fidget tools, creative workshops, music and performance, movement and yoga, forest school activities, family workshops and community events.

Follow along as we reveal dates, venues and providers over the coming weeks, and be part of a festival built for families who deserve places where everyone can take part.

Sign-up to the newsletter to make sure you don’t miss out!

www.thefidgetproject.co.uk/fidget-fest-2026

[email protected]

Join me talking to Lynne Tarrob-Snooks.

The Fidget Project website calls me a veteran educator, (which I guess means I've worked at every level within the system, teacher, advisor, inspector), a School Improvement and Wellbeing Consultant and a co-founder / creator of The Thrive Approach (TM). (which was one of the first training approaches to bring the insights of developmental psychology, neuroscience and research on learning together to address the high numbers of children being excluded from schools ).

I’m a retired Integrative Psychotherapist and trainer of psychotherapists.

More importantly, I am a proud parent of two grown up children, three grandchildren and delighted to be, more recently, the doting parent of a child diagnosed as Autistic.

I came out of retirement 2 years ago to co-found The Fidget Project as a CIC, determined to raise awareness of - and improve provision for- children who have sensory processing differences. And their families.

The sensory profile of a child is fundamental to the way the child experiences themselves and the world. And this is centrally important to neurodivergent children - those who might go on to get a diagnosis of Autism, ADHD, AuDHD, Dyspraxia, Dyslexia.

I live in rural south Devon with my wife and youngest son and two cats. Our dog died nearly three years ago now and we all still miss him.

https://thefidgetproject.co.uk

Check out their website for activities to mark sensory processing month in October!

This October, The Fidget Project is bringing a brand new kind of festival to South Devon: a sensory-aware festival series designed for neurodivergent and sensory-sensitive children and their families.

No overwhelming crowds you have to brace for. No "just try to sit still." Just spaces built from the ground up to be welcoming, inclusive and genuinely sensory-aware.

Across Torquay, Totnes, Dartmouth, Kingsbridge and Ivybridge, families can expect a full month of experiences including sensory play and fidget tools, creative workshops, music and performance, movement and yoga, forest school activities, family workshops and community events.

Follow along as we reveal dates, venues and providers over the coming weeks, and be part of a festival built for families who deserve places where everyone can take part.

Sign-up to the newsletter to make sure you don’t miss out!

www.thefidgetproject.co.uk/fidget-fest-2026

[email protected]

Rhiannon Gogh FPFS is an award-winning Chartered Financial Planner, Fellow of the Personal Finance Society, and founder of PlanIt Future Financial, The Carers Academy, and co-founder of SENDA. She specialises exclusively in planning for families of disabled children and young adults, combining more than two decades of professional experience with lived experience as a parent carer.

Rhiannon is the author of the Amazon #1 bestseller Planning With Love and was named Financial Adviser of the Year 2025 at the FT Adviser Diversity Awards. She has spoken internationally, including for EFPA Europe, and regularly trains financial and legal professionals in special needs planning. Her work has been featured in the Telegraph, Guardian, Investor’s Chronicle, FT Adviser, and Citywire.

Planning with Love: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Planning-Love-Parents-Children-Special/dp/1068592575

Website: https://www.planitfuture.co.uk

Rhiannon Gogh FPFS is an award-winning Chartered Financial Planner, Fellow of the Personal Finance Society, and founder of PlanIt Future Financial, The Carers Academy, and co-founder of SENDA. She specialises exclusively in planning for families of disabled children and young adults, combining more than two decades of professional experience with lived experience as a parent carer.

Rhiannon is the author of the Amazon #1 bestseller Planning With Love and was named Financial Adviser of the Year 2025 at the FT Adviser Diversity Awards. She has spoken internationally, including for EFPA Europe, and regularly trains financial and legal professionals in special needs planning. Her work has been featured in the Telegraph, Guardian, Investor’s Chronicle, FT Adviser, and Citywire.

Planning with Love: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Planning-Love-Parents-Children-Special/dp/1068592575

Website: https://www.planitfuture.co.uk

A candid conversation around carer mental health.

Today I am joined by Tracey, the CEO of the choice and wellbeing service

Tracey Huggins, A parent first and foremost to three wonderful children and four dogs, a carer, a wife, a proud northerner, a counsellor, the CEO of Choice Wellbeing Service - a parent carer mental health and wellbeing organisation, a advocate, a blogger, but one thing she’s often mistaken for but is not….

is superhuman.

A candid conversation around the lack of information for parents and carers around mental health

If you are struggling, please reach out to:

https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/

https://www.choicewellbeingservice.org

https://www.cruse.org.uk

[email protected]

One of the most anticipated episodes of the whole season - ARFID.

Join me, where I will be talking to Dr Karen Street, a consultant Paediatrician and Deana Dumbreck an advanced Specialist Dietician, both of whom are based at Epic Solutions (Exeter Paediatric Integrated Care Solutions) in Exeter

www.epicsolutions.org.uk

https://www.epicsolutions.org.uk/services/eating-disorders/arfid-assessment/

Karen is a Consultant Paediatrician with 30 years of NHS general paediatric experience. Her specialist interest developed in eating disorders and the overlap of physical and mental health conditions. She has designed and delivered clinical pathways, also supported regionally and nationally to develop services for eating disorders across the age range 0-25yrs. Since 2020 she has founded and has grown EPIC Solutions (Exeter Paediatric Integrated Care Solutions) alongside a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatry colleague, we are now a multidisciplinary team of professionals offering fully integrated assessment and support for children and young people 0-25yrs with a range of emotional, behavioural and developmental difficulties including ARFID.

Deana is a registered dietitian with over 15 years of experience, currently working with Epic Solutions and within the NHS. Her background is in paediatric dietetics, and over the past seven years she has specialised in eating disorders and disordered eating, including ARFID.

She has completed additional training in the assessment and management of ARFID, as well as in supporting eating differences in autistic individuals, navigating disordered eating in autism, and nervous system–informed dietetics. This has enabled her to better support young people and their families.

One of the most anticipated episodes of the whole season - ARFID.

Join me, where I will be talking to Dr Karen Street, a consultant Paediatrician and Deana Dumbreck an advanced Specialist Dietician, both of whom are based at Epic Solutions (Exeter Paediatric Integrated Care Solutions) in Exeter

www.epicsolutions.org.uk

https://www.epicsolutions.org.uk/services/eating-disorders/arfid-assessment/

Karen is a Consultant Paediatrician with 30 years of NHS general paediatric experience. Her specialist interest developed in eating disorders and the overlap of physical and mental health conditions. She has designed and delivered clinical pathways, also supported regionally and nationally to develop services for eating disorders across the age range 0-25yrs. Since 2020 she has founded and has grown EPIC Solutions (Exeter Paediatric Integrated Care Solutions) alongside a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatry colleague, we are now a multidisciplinary team of professionals offering fully integrated assessment and support for children and young people 0-25yrs with a range of emotional, behavioural and developmental difficulties including ARFID.

Deana is a registered dietitian with over 15 years of experience, currently working with Epic Solutions and within the NHS. Her background is in paediatric dietetics, and over the past seven years she has specialised in eating disorders and disordered eating, including ARFID.

She has completed additional training in the assessment and management of ARFID, as well as in supporting eating differences in autistic individuals, navigating disordered eating in autism, and nervous system–informed dietetics. This has enabled her to better support young people and their families.