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The Nurturing Consultancy Programme

The Nurturing Consultancy Programme is bespoke and tailored to your individual needs. Working directly with you and the services you are accessing; this programme helps you personally to get the provision your child is entitled to. Jodie Isitt teams up with Karen Stepanova (trained in SEN law) and Laura Kerbey to offer this unique wrap-around service.

Who are we?

Jodie Isitt
Autistic Advocacy Consultant
  • Personal experience navigating & battling the education and health system successfully for her disabled children & partner
  • Founder of The Nurture Programme designed to reach as many families as possible and help them advocate for their own children
  • Runs worldwide programmes including The Nurturing Advocacy Programme with Laura Kerbey & The PDA Nurture Programme with Harry Thompson
  • Public speaker and author of children’s book series ‘Autism with Lola'
  • Level 2 certificate in Supporting PDA children, teenagers, and young adults
What I can help with...
  • Advocacy & Support within meetings
  • The Nurturing Advocacy Programme
  • The PDA Nurture Programme
  • EHC Plan advice and support
  • Advocacy support for Assessments, Benefits, Respite care, Direct Payments, Disabled Facilities Grant applications & housing arrangements
  • Sensory Processing Disorder support and advice for schools or educational setting
Laura Kerbey
Learning & Provision Consultant
  • I am the founder of Positive Autism Support and Training (PAST)
  • In August 2016 I set up Healthy Happy Me
  • I have a degree in Psychology, a Post Graduate Certificate in Special Education Autism) a PCGE in Lifelong Learning and hold NPQH (National Professional Qualification for Headship)
  • In March 2020 I spoke at the first ever conference on PDA in the United States and I now work as an advisor for PDA North America
What I can help with...
  • Advice r.e. PDA Specific Support approaches for schools and/or parents who are home educating
  • Bespoke training packages for schools, educators, tutors, parents etc · Accredited training package
  • School observations and feedback sessions
  • Bespoke online or face-to-face tutoring using a learner led approach
  • Curriculum / Programme oversight for children on EOTAS (Education Other Than At School) or home education programme
  • Whole team support for children on EOTAS
Karen Stepanova
Special Educational Needs Consultant
  • Background in teaching in adult and further education
  • Personal experience as a parent of 2 neurodivergent children, one with a PDA profile
  • Send Link governor at local mainstream academy.
  • Non exec Director at Parental Engagement Network with a focus on inclusivity and diversity, developing resources for schools to promote best practice and improving the outcomes for all children and their families.
  • Works as a trainer delivering PAST accredited PDA training to professionals
  • Legally trained in SEN law
What I can help with...
  • EHC Plan advice and support. From requesting a needs assessment to ensuring the provision and outcomes are in place
  • Annual reviews
  • Working document support
  • Guidance and support through the process
  • Advocacy and support within meetings

What's included?

The Nurturing Consultancy Programme offers a two tiered service where you can choose between a full 60 minute consultation for specific support with either Karen Stepanova – Special Educational Needs Consultant or Jodie Isitt an Autistic advocate, for your child’s educational or other needs, or book a 20 minute discovery consultation so that we can help you decide on the bespoke package that you may need moving forwards with education and local authority related difficulties. 

Tier 1 –  This will include a 20-minute discovery consultation where we will help you explore the direction that you wish to take with your child’s education and preparation of a package for support that we can put in place to make the process easier, less stressful and more manageable. We can work alongside you offering support and advice whilst you navigate the system yourself, being there for you to scaffold support and give you the encouragement you need to advocate confidently. We are also able to advocate on your behalf so that we can release that pressure from your family so that you are able to enjoy being first and foremost a parent. We have worked with many families who have not been confident enough to advocate on their own and throughout the process have gained knowledge and restored that confidence to begin to need less and less emotional and practical support. Our aim is to NURTURE your confidence so that you are able to fully trust in yourself to get the support that your children are entitled to. 

Tier 2 – This is a 60 minute consultation which you can utilise in whichever way you feel is most beneficial. This can include a wide variety of things such as Education Health & Care Plan advice or support for Child In Need meetings. You can also use the time to ask advice about the difficulties that you or your child may be facing.

Consultancy packages are bespoke and Tier 1 consultations are essential to be able to build the support that will be tailored to your individual needs. 

 

Our packages will include, consultations, report and paperwork research, meeting & appointment advocacy services, provision support & advice, Education Health & Care Plan input & support. Signposting to other agencies, advice on next steps whilst also acting as a buffer between families and professionals where the communication has broken down and there are barriers in working together successfully to ensure the correct support and provision is in place for each individual child.

Our team

Jodie acts as a buffer between parent/carers and other professionals creating a seamless and supportive dialogue of communication so that all parties are understood, supported and heard.

Karen Stepanova helps navigate the system of support, funding and referrals. Karen will also attend meetings via Zoom where parents feel out of their depth. Karen is there to ensure that children are getting the access to an education that they are entitled to in law.

We also work in collaboration with Laura Kerbey – from KITE Therapeutic Services. 

Because this is a unique, bespoke package, prices vary depending upon the individual’s needs. This bespoke support may include all 3 of us, 2 of us or sometimes even just 1, based on your needs. Our packages are totally itemised to allow you to add or remove services as required and we will never add in services which we think you don’t need.

Book a 60 Minute Consultation

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Week 3: Worrier to Warrior

In this final session, we will help you and those you support to find ways to reframe negative thoughts so that it is possible to “think better and feel better.”  We will also cover practical strategies to help you manage your anxious self, keep calm and turn you from a worrier, to a warrior, ready to battle everything that life throws at you.

Week 2: Differences I May Experience

We will also be joined by Harry Thompson who has PDA and ADHD.  In his brilliantly humorous and unique way Harry will discuss his own insight into living with ADHD, from diagnosis in his childhood years and into adulthood. We will explore the impact that ADHD can have on children and young people in terms of both physical symptoms and mental health. 

Week 2: Nurturing Advocacy Confidence

The aim of this session is to break down attendees’ advocacy skills, then rebuild them so that facts and controlled emotions are used successfully.

Laura and Jodie share their experiences of advocating for their children – both good and bad and demonstrate how to use assertiveness skills effectively and remove emotive language.

They also share their “Top Tips” before, during and after transitions to ensure that all objectives are achieved.  

Week 3: Reasonable Adjustments

The pathway of SEN / EHCP’s / Reasonable adjustments and so forth can be a scary and bewildering place. But knowledge is POWER and this session aims to provide members with this power. 

Attendees will be given clear information and knowledge so they will be able to navigate these pathways armed with confidence. This will include basic law and children’s rights including ideas about what reasonable adjustments vs unreasonable adjustments are. We give examples of our own reasonable adjustments, how to ensure these adjustments are put in place and ideas on how to approach the professionals in your children’s lives to ensure that their needs are met. 

Members will also be equipped with ideas for “reasonable adjustments” versus “unreasonable adjustments”. A guest expert speaker – Karen Stepanova – SEN Consultant is arranged for this week who will give her very own presentations on the basics of SEN Law.

Week 4: Mental Health

In this session we look at how Imposter Syndrome can cause people to doubt their abilities.

The toll of advocating for children with additional needs can be detrimental to a parent or carer’s health. Our aim is to build up confidence and restore the mental health of parents or carers so that they have the inner strength to fight as hard as they can for their children.

This week focuses on changing negative thoughts to positive ones and helps restore the mental health of attendees. Jodie and Laura provide ‘Top Tips’ to staying mentally well during tricky times.  

Week 5: No-one can help me

What can I do? By week 5 we hope that all attendees will feel more confident, less stressed and have the skills and facts that they need to successfully advocate for their children. But we know that sometimes this is not enough.

The system can be fraught with challenges, and no matter how skilled you are, it can feel like your journey keeps being taken off track. In this session, an expert speaker will join to give fantastic advice on where to turn next when you feel you have exhausted all avenues. Practical advice regarding matters such as benefits, grants and additional sources of advice is also given, leaving the attendees feeling well equipped in their journey ahead.  

The Anxiety Nurture Programme

Join the waitlist to be notified when the programme opens for bookings

The ADHD Nurture Programme

Join the waitlist to be notified when the programme opens for bookings

The Autism Nurture Programme

Join the waitlist to be notified when the programme opens for bookings

Week 1: Introduction to ADHD

We will explore the positive aspects of ADHD, some of the challenges that living with ADHD can cause and also some of the lesser-known symptoms of this condition.  This first week will lay the foundations for the rest of the 5 week programme.

Week 3: Advocacy for ADHD

Sadly, many children and young people with ADHD are often very misunderstood within the education system.  In this session we will cover the basic legal rights of a learner with ADHD within school and college settings.

We will equip you with a comprehensive list of reasonable adjustments that schools and colleges can and should be using to ensure that learners with ADHD are able to meet and even surpass their amazing potential within the education system.  Most importantly in this session we will help equip you with essential advocacy skills to help you get the support you and your ADHD child deserve.

Week 1: Understanding Your Anxious Self

In this first session, Laura and Jodie gently introduce what anxiety can look and feel like with a real and tangible understanding that all participants come from a variety of experiences. Together, we will look at the impact anxiety can have on how we behave and interact with different people as well as the internal struggles it can bring.  By offering an invitation to reflect on and recognise our own anxiety and the negative internal voices that drive it, they begin to consider ways to quieten those voices and fears both for ourselves and those we wish to support. 

Week 4: Support for Siblings

At times living with ADHD can be challenging for the whole family. In this third session we will explore the impact ADHD can have on families and siblings.

We will discuss lots of helpful approaches to ensure that the negative impact of ADHD is minimised within the family environment.  We will also discuss how to support siblings of individuals with ADHD using empathy and understanding.

Week 5: The ADHD Experience

We will focus on techniques that can provide invaluable support for individuals with ADHD within the home and educational environment.  In this session you will also be able to ask us all questions relevant to this topic.  Finally, we can signpost you to other helpful organisations and sources of information related to ADHD.

Week 1: Introduction to ASC

We will explore the many aspects of being autistic or having an autistic family member. Jodie will share her road to diagnosis for her three children and finally herself and her own diagnosis in 2020 at 35 years of age.  This first week will lay the foundations for the rest of the Five week programme. 

Week 2: Differences I May Experience

Focussing on the saying, “When you have met one autistic person you have met one autistic person” we will take a deeper dive into the way that autism effects everyone individually.  During this session we will look at sensory needs in more detail and provide some ideas to help keep autistic children more regulated.

Week 3: Advocating For My Autistic Child

Laura and Jodie feel that “small changes make a big difference” for autistic individuals – and during this session we will discuss helpful tips for parents and reasonable adjustments for schools and colleges. 

In this session you will also be able to ask us questions relevant to this topic and we will signpost you to other helpful organisations and sources of information related to Autism. 

Week 4: Sibling Support

There is no doubt that an autism diagnosis can affect the whole family.  In this fourth session we will explore the impact autism can have on families and siblings.

We will discuss lots of helpful approaches to help you support your whole family and explore the positive aspects of an autism diagnosis.  We will also discuss how to support siblings of autistic individuals using empathy and understanding whilst also covering the importance of looking after your own mental health as parents.

Week 5: The Autistic Experience

Chloe, Jodie and Laura will discuss the medical model of autism and some of the theories of autism which are now proven to be out-dated and detrimental to autistic individuals.

Chloe will talk using her personal insight as an autistic adult, will discuss effective ways to support the mental well-being of autistic individuals and answer questions from attendees.

Week 2: Nurturing Anxious Minds

Whilst it is true that many children suffer from anxiety at any one time, those who are neurodivergent (ie are autistic, with or without PDA; have ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia etc) are more likely to have anxiety to varying degrees as part of their experience.  In this session, the anxiety experienced by any child is approached with understanding and acceptance and is jam-packed with practical ways to support children in a positive and nurturing way.

Week 1: Managing Transitions

In this first week, Jodie and Laura introduce themselves and discuss their journeys and experiences which have led them to develop this programme. Guidance for the programme is set to make sure that everyone participating feels comfortable and confident in sharing information and personal experiences. 

The basic laws and rights pertaining to all children are explained before moving on to discuss transitions. All children have varying levels of tolerance to transitions – moving from one task to another – and in this session we discuss how important it is to be prepared for even the smallest ones.

Laura and Jodie will share their “Top Tips” that parents and carers can use to ensure that the many transitions that need to be navigated when you have a child with additional needs run as smoothly as possible.