Subscribe

First of all: breathe. This is a lot, and it’s okay to feel overwhelmed.

Hearing that your child isn’t quite “on track” can feel like a punch to the gut — especially when you thought things were going okay.  Kinders and Schools often refer to professionals when they notice a child is finding parts of the day consistently challenging — whether that’s communication, transitions, emotions, play, or learning. This doesn’t mean your child is broken — it just means their brain might need a different kind of support.

Whatever it is, it’s okay to feel that wave of uncertainty (and even grief). And it’s okay to not know what to do next.

Start with listening — to your child, to your gut, and to the professionals who know what to look for. Getting support doesn’t mean something’s wrong. It means you’re paying attention.

We’ve created simple ways to help with those first steps. Whether you need a folder to keep all the paperwork in one place, someone to help you decode what kinder actually means, or tools to support your child right now — come have a chat, we’ve got you.

Occupational Therapist (OT)

What they do: Helps your child regulate emotions, manage sensory input, and build independence with everyday tasks like dressing, eating, handwriting, and focus.
What to expect: Observational sessions, play-based tasks, parent questionnaires, and real-world strategies (e.g., sensory diets, calming routines, movement breaks).
How to find one:

• Ask your GP or pediatrician for a referral 
• Search on directories like Occupational Therapy Australia, also talk to other parents for recommendations
• Or book through your NDIS plan (self- or plan-managed)

🟡 Swings support: Visuals and Sensory Resources, Creating Calm Workshop, Therapy Coordination Folder
 

💬Speech Pathologist/Therapist

What they do: Supports your child’s communication — how they express themselves, understand others, and socially connect. Some also help with feeding/swallowing.
What to expect: Play-based assessment of speech sounds, language understanding, social skills, and sometimes feeding habits. May recommend AAC (*sidenote - AAC stands for augmentative and alternative communication. It refers to tools and strategies that can enhance speech or provide completely different means of communication) or visuals.
 

How to find one:

• Ask kinder, GP or school for recommendations 
• Use Speech Pathology Australia’s Find a Speech Pathologist tool 
• Contact local private clinics or therapy hubs

🟡 Swings support: Robot Communication Cards, Custom Visuals, Parent Workshops

🧠Psychologist

What they do: Helps with emotional wellbeing, behavioural challenges, anxiety, and learning profiles. Some also conduct formal diagnostic assessments.
What to expect: Intake chat with parents, play- or talk-based sessions with your child, possibly questionnaires or structured assessments.
How to find one:

• Get a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP for Medicare rebates 
• Search APS or via NDIS provider lists 
• Ask school if they have an educational psych available

🟡 Swings support: Understanding Your Neurodivergent Child Workshop, Parent Workbook, Support Group

👶Pediatrician

What they do: Medical doctor specialising in child development and health. Often involved in Autism, ADHD, or developmental diagnoses and medication support.
What to expect: Shorter appointments focused on health history, development, and referrals to therapists. May write NDIS-supporting reports.
How to find one:

• Ask your GP for a referral (Medicare item required) 
• Be prepared for long waitlists — private and public

🟡 Swings support: 

• Essentials Toolkit Folder to collect reports, plans, and history for referral, 
• Whilst you are on a waitlist, book an Assessment with us to start collecting all your information, develop a better understanding your needs and create a single point of reference for all of the team to work from day 1.

🧩Allied Health Assistant (AHA)

What they do: Works under supervision of an OT, speech therapist, or physio to deliver consistent, low-pressure sessions. Helps your child practice therapy goals in real-life settings.
What to expect: Fun, hands-on sessions at home, kinder, or in the community. AHAs follow a plan and give feedback to the supervising therapist.
How to find one:

• Ask your therapy provider if they offer AHAs
• Use Facebook/NDIS networks to connect with sole traders

🟡 Swings support: Therapist Support Tools, Sensory Go Go Bag
 

🧑‍🏫Educational Psychologist/Learning Support Coordinator

What they do: Helps assess and support learning, cognitive ability, attention, and school-based behaviours.
What to expect: School observation, psychometric testing (e.g., WISC), and reports that help guide classroom supports or funding applications.
How to find one:

• Ask the school for an internal referral 
• Book privately for learning assessments 
• Use your NDIS plan for goal-based sessions (if plan- or self-managed)

🟡 Swings support: School Advocacy Prep Session, Custom Visuals and Toolkits
 

Swings and Roundabouts

What we do: We support you, help you make sense of what’s happening, figure out who you need on your team, and build the routines and supports that actually work in your home.

What to expect: Real talk. A listening ear. Resources that help. Gentle guidance. Space to breathe.
How to find me:

• Right here → 🟡 Book a consult 
• Join our 🟡 Parent/Carer Support Group
• Explore our 🟡 Workshops and 🟡 Toolkits 

This is one of the most common — and confusing — experiences for parents. 

Your child might hold it together all day at school, only to come home and completely unravel.

What you’re seeing is the mask dropping. Home is safe. Home is where they don’t have to work so hard to fit in. That meltdown? It’s not manipulation — it’s release. It’s their nervous system finally letting go.

It’s not your parenting that’s the problem. It’s that your child trusts you enough to show you what they’ve been holding in.

Often your Occupational Therapist will be able to assist you create after-school decompression routines, use tools that help with regulation, and even build language around why this happens — for you, your child, and the school.

 It’s something so many of us carry quietly — the guilt of feeling stretched too thin. When one child needs a lot of support, siblings can sometimes feel left behind. And you might feel like there’s just not enough of you to go around.

You’re not doing it wrong — you’re doing something really complex. Even noticing it means you’re already showing up with intention.

Small, meaningful moments go a long way: a one-on-one walk, a bedtime story, a “just us” activity. And when you can, involving siblings in the support — without making them responsible — can help foster empathy and connection.

We talk about this in our workshops and support groups. You’ll also find reflection prompts in our parent workbook that can help you explore this more deeply and gently.

Regulation is the ability to recognise, manage, and recover from big feelings. And it doesn’t just happen — it’s taught, modelled, and supported over time. For neurodivergent children, emotional regulation can take more scaffolding, more co-regulation, and more recovery.

You might see dysregulation as screaming, hiding, crying, running away, hitting — or going silent. It’s a child saying, “I don’t feel safe, and I don’t know what to do.”

Our job isn’t to make them feel better right away — it’s to be their calm. To ride it out with them. To help them feel seen, safe, and supported — and to give their nervous system time to come back online.

We offer tools that help you and your child name, notice, and move through these moments. Social stories, emotion cards, and gentle routines can build confidence and connection in emotional moments.

It’s incredibly disheartening when you feel like you’re constantly having to explain your child over and over — and still not being heard. Sometimes school teams are open but don’t know how to help. Other times, you hit resistance, minimisation, or worse — blame.

You’re not imagining things. And you’re not overreacting. You’re advocating. And that can be exhausting.

Start small. Document what you see. Ask for a meeting. Bring someone with you if you can. You don’t need to walk in as the expert — just as the person who knows your child best.

We can support you with practical advocacy tools, communication templates, and resources that make it easier to show what's needed — not just say it. Our folders and coaching sessions are built for exactly this.

You’re not alone. Meltdowns can feel overwhelming — for everyone. They’re not about control or discipline; they’re about your child feeling unsafe, overwhelmed, or out of capacity.

Sometimes just being nearby and calm is enough: “I’m right here. You’re safe. I’ll stay with you.”

Afterwards, rather than focusing on what went wrong, shift to recovery. “That was a big feeling. Let’s take a breath together.”

If you’re looking for gentle tools, visuals can help kids express what they’re feeling without words. Social stories can also help them understand what to do next time.

 This can be really hard — especially with people who mean well but don’t understand. You might try:

“My child’s brain works a bit differently, and that means they sometimes need things other kids don’t. They’re not being difficult — they’re doing their best.”

It’s okay to keep it simple and kind. You don’t have to go into details unless you want to.

And if you need something to hand over (to a teacher, family member, support worker), one-page summaries or communication tools can help make your child’s needs clear without needing a long explanation.

 This one stings — and sadly, it’s common. If you’re up for it, you might say:

“What you’re seeing is my child doing their best in a world that isn’t always set up for them. We focus on connection, not punishment.”

Or, if you don’t have the energy: a shrug and “We’re doing what works for our family” is more than enough.

You’re not responsible for educating everyone — especially not when you’re tired. Come back to your values, your child’s needs, and your own peace.

No — your child is likely deeply aware of the world around them. Sensitivity isn’t a flaw — it’s information. It helps us understand what’s too much, what needs adjusting, what might help them feel safe.

Instead of trying to toughen them up, we can soften the world around them. And that’s powerful.

 You are not alone in this fear. This was a big one for me, many of us hesitate — not because we don’t want to help, but because we don’t want to reduce our child to a list of challenges. The word you're reaching for might not be “pathologising” — it's the worry of turning concern into a label that feels heavy.

But here’s a different perspective: seeking answers isn’t about putting your child in a box. It’s about opening doors. When we understand the “why” behind the behaviours, we can respond with compassion and strategy instead of confusion and blame.

You can still celebrate your child for exactly who they are while exploring whether there’s a different framework that might make life a little easier for them — and for you.

If you're sitting in the uncertainty, we can help you hold that space gently. Our starter tools, information folders, and 1:1 conversations can help you explore options without pressure.