Seeing Sindy

Five-year-old Sindy O’Cock, who has neurodivergent traits, found starting school difficult. Beverly Hunt found out how our Community Neurodiversity Support Team helped her to settle in.

Mum Lucy O’Cock had a niggling feeling Sindy may be different from her peers, when she was just a toddler.

Lucy said: “She struggled with potty training and couldn’t sit still. Then she started self-harming, banging her head against walls and her bedframe when she was frustrated. I was really worried about how she’d cope at school.”

The first term at East Farleigh Primary School in Maidstone was tough. At parents’ evening, her teacher Bethan Collins explained they couldn’t show any of Sindy’s work because she hadn’t been able to complete any. She was often climbing on furniture and engaging in risky behaviours. Sindy couldn’t attend full time, which meant she was missing out on vital time at school.

Recognising the need for urgent support, Bethan suggested completing a This is Me needs summary. After the Christmas break, Lucy, Bethan and Rachel Hodges, who is the school’s SENCO (special educational needs coordinator), came together to begin the process.

“Anything that could help and give her support, I was all in,” said Lucy.

Neurodivergent children process information differently. They may have sensory sensitivities, struggle with sleep or find it hard to adapt to changes in routine. Sitting still, making friends or expressing emotions can be difficult, making school life especially challenging.

This is Me is part of a new approach, which brings health and education together to support neurodivergent children. It focuses on a child’s strengths and needs, helping the adults around them choose strategies which work both at home and in school. Older children and young people can also be involved in the process. The result is a personalised plan designed to provide early, tailored support.

It quickly became clear Sindy had high needs and would benefit from more one-to-one support and Naomi Nice, a neurodiversity family support practitioner, offered tailored advice to Sindy’s teacher and her family after observing her in the classroom.

“Naomi was amazing. She was so easy to talk to,” Lucy said. “She really understood how I felt as a parent.”

One of the most effective tools Naomi suggested was the use of visual aids. Sindy now uses ‘now and next’ boards, drawing each step of her day from getting dressed to arriving at school. These visuals help her manage transitions and understand instructions.

“Sindy is so proud of her drawings,” Lucy said. “She feels more in control now.”

Sindy also has a personalised social story book, which details her family, routine and how to stay safe – for example, why running into the road is dangerous.

The school has also added a sensory circuit into Sindy’s daily timetable. A sensory circuit is a short set of physical activities designed to help children become more alert and able to learn. Activities include throwing or rolling a ball, jumping or stretching.

Advice for mum Lucy has also helped Sindy at home. When her daughter becomes overwhelmed, Lucy knows how to help her regain calm. She said: “We get to a safe space and let her ride it out. When she’s ready, she comes to me and we talk or read a social story to help her understand what happened.”

Lucy is proud of how far they’ve come: “I’ve taken it all on board, learned so much and made changes to help my daughter. It’s a rollercoaster but we’re seeing real progress.”

Naomi agrees: “Small steps have led to real improvements for Sindy. With consistency and a focus on the positives, children with additional needs can thrive. The leap from nursery to school is harder for them, but with the right support, it’s possible to help them settle and make good progress.”

Rachel Hodges, the school SENCO said: “This is Me gives us a more detailed, structured process to follow with parents, leading to a real holistic understanding of each child. We find parents often share more details than they might have before, possibly because they didn’t feel confident to share or didn’t think those details were relevant, but these insights can be incredibly valuable.

“This leads to a detailed plan for each child, which provides a way forward for children. We’ve already scheduled needs summaries for some children in our new reception class in September, following early conversations with parents and preschools. This means those children will get support at the earliest stage."

Sindy has now been referred for a full neurodiversity and global developmental delay assessment to make sure she continues to receive the support she needs.

“All the adults in Sindy’s life are on the same page,” Lucy said. “We know what to do to help her and that’s made all the difference.”

Maidstone is the first area in Kent to roll out the This is Me approach, following a successful pilot in Tunbridge Wells. From Autumn 2025, it will be rolled out in other areas across Kent and Medway.

You can find out more, including support in other areas, at www.ndkentandmedway.co.uk/children-and-young-people/new-projects