SmallTalk Speech & Language Therapy

25/01/2026

It can be wearing but its important

🤔Have you ever wondered why neurodivergent young people need to know “why?” so much?🤔

They’re not being awkward ❌
They’re not trying to challenge you ❌
They’re not being oppositional❌

They’re trying to understand 🙏🏼🤔

So many of the young people I work with ask “why?” because they’re trying to:

Make sense of what’s happening ✅

Work out why they’re being asked to do something ✅

Understand how something relates to them ✅

Figure out why other people behave the way they do ✅

Because, honestly?
The world can feel confusing, chaotic and unpredictable 😣🤯

When your nervous system is already working overtime, not understanding what’s going on can feel really unsafe 😓

When we take a few moments to explain the why, we’re not just being kind, we’re helping their brain and body cope ☺️👍🏼

💡They need predictability to feel safe. Sudden changes or unexplained rules can send anxiety through the roof. Knowing why something is happening helps their nervous system settle😌

💡Social rules often aren’t obvious. What other people ‘just get,’they often have to work out step by step. Asking “Why?” is how they try to decode hidden rules.

💡Their brains often work in a very logical, pattern-seeking way. Understanding how and why something works makes the world feel more organised and less overwhelming

💡And because autistic and non-autistic people often communicate very differently, misunderstandings happen easily. Explaining the ‘why’ helps bridge that gap

So when a young person asks “Why?”try to hear what they’re really saying:

“I’m trying to make sense of this.”
“I’m trying to cope.”
“I’m trying to feel safe.”

💡Help your young person by:

Words are transient. Accompany with, writing/ drawing, when there are connections to be made- when one thing relates to something else, or where perspective’s needed.
This makes it visual, ‘concrete’ and easier to process/understand 👌🏼✨

When we give them the ‘why,’ anxiety softens, resistance eases, and trust grows. They feel supported and respected 🙌🏼🙏🏼☺️

And let’s be honest, we ALL want to know why, right?

Patsy x💜💙

24/01/2026

Quick if youre interested apply now

ONLY 48HRS LEFT TO APPLY
📣 We are really excited to be hiring new staff to join our Self-directed Learning Community Team!

We are looking for a 💚 Learning Community Facilitator 💚
Supporting up to 12 autistic young people to to reclaim their natural desire to learn in a non-judgemental, non-coercive, democratic learning space.

30 hrs per week - term time only (negotiable)
To include Tues - Thurs 9.15am-3.45pm in Bury, Greater Manchester.

You can find out loads of further information about the roles, salary and next steps by visiting our website - https://www.spectrumgaming.net/join-our-team
CLOSING DATE Sun 25th Jan at 9pm

24/01/2026

This is so well said!

If we supported safety like we chase attendance, fewer kids would break. 💔

Because attendance isn’t the measure of success — safety is. When a child is scared, burnt out, or emotionally flooded, forcing them back into school doesn’t rebuild trust. It reinforces trauma.

So many families are living this reality right now — navigating threats of fines, letters, and pressure — while their children are silently falling apart.

If we want attendance to improve, we need to start with safety. And that means understanding why a child can’t attend, not punishing them for it.

Safety first. Always.

Because learning only happens when a child feels safe enough to stay.

If you’re currently in this position there is help available.

Drop the word RESOURCE below for my free EBSA & school avoidance guides — with information to help you advocate for your child’s needs and next steps, as well as what to do if you’re being threatened with fines.

24/01/2026

Links to all Sally Cat’s books

No pressure from me for you to purchase, but here's a list of universal links to my books:

The Insider Guide to PDA: https://mybook.to/YhGoV

PDA by PDAers (the first book to describe adult PDA): https://mybook.to/MOiuYA

Pathological Demand Avoidance Explained (75 full color, child-friendly memes): https://mybook.to/JCztBJ

Sleep Misfits (a compendium of non-24 and delayed sleep phase syndrome): https://mybook.to/bWxkc

Calendar Girl (my mini memoir of early childhood): https://mybook.to/2gCe53r

Stella Noctella (a fully illustrated fairy story explaining delayed sleep phase syndrome for children): https://mybook.to/yMVKJqi

23/01/2026

So many have told me how this course has helped them

🩷 ONE WEEK TO GO 🩷

There's just one week left to join The RADICAL Parenting Programme at the early bird price of £99!

This is a gentle reminder for anyone who’s been quietly watching, wondering if this might be the right support for your family this year.

If calmer, more connected parenting rooted in safety and co-regulation feels like something you’re working towards, RADICAL is waiting.

Pop a 🩷 below and I will share the link!

23/01/2026

This looks good

For Parents, Teachers & Professionals

23/01/2026

Free printable from the dynamic duo!

As part of my and No Pressure PDA's soft launch, we've created a free printable PDA Q&A designed for medical and other professionals to take seriously

Here's the link: https://pda-insiders.com/en-gbp/pages/pda-q-a

23/01/2026

So many people are asking what happens in a tribunal so i thought Id write something:
What happens at a SEND Tribunal?

A SEND tribunal is a formal meeting, but it is not a courtroom drama and you are not on trial. Its purpose is to decide what support your child needs so they can be properly helped.
Before the hearing
You will send in written evidence (reports, letters, your views). The local authority does the same. The tribunal panel will read everything in advance, so you are not expected to explain your whole case from scratch.

On the day
The hearing will be online. You need to be in a quiet room.
You will be asked to log on between 9.30 and 9.45am. The clerk will take your name and make sure he can hear and see you. You log off and on again just before 10am. Do not worry if you are not admitted at 10am or if they keep you waiting.

Present will be:
• A judge (who leads the process),
• A specialist panel member or 2 (often an education or health professional),
• You (and anyone supporting you) such as advocate/solicitor and witnesses
• A representative from the local authority plus any witnesses they bring.
The judge will explain what will happen and make sure everyone understands. They are usually calm, respectful, and focused on your child.

What parents are asked to do
You may be asked:
• to clarify points from your written evidence,
• to explain how things affect your child day to day,
• or to respond to what the local authority has said.
You are not expected to know legal language. You can speak plainly, take your time, and refer to notes. If you become upset, that is okay — the panel is used to this and will allow breaks.

The tone of the hearing
The panel’s job is to understand your child’s needs, not to catch you out. Many parents say it feels more like a structured conversation than an argument. Any arguments will be with the witnesses.

After the hearing
You will not usually be told the decision on the day. A written decision is sent later, clearly explaining what has been decided and why. This should be within 10 working days.

Reassurance for anxious parents
• You are there because you know your child best.
• You are allowed to be nervous, emotional, or need support.
• You do not have to be “good at speaking” to be believed.
• The panel’s focus is your child’s needs, not your performance.

Hope thats helps!

23/01/2026

I met with the amazing Dean Beadle yesterday to record the next podcast. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Dean focusing on the intersection of autism and OCD. If you want to hear him share his personal experiences and insights, the podcast will be out on Feb 1st.

23/01/2026

This looks great from the amazing Eliza Fricker

Sometimes really bad things happen.
I’ve felt consumed that I cannot make it better.
I cannot fix what is hurting or confusing.
I cannot change that person or those people, no matter how many ways I try and move the pieces in my head.
I wake up with conversations of how I would say it so they could hear me this time.
But what it comes down to is a feeling that I am trapped, we are trapped.
And then I call it the spill over, when it gets too much and so I put it out there, all the upset, all the frustration with an email or a meeting when I cry, show my anger/upset.
But then I’ve given it to someone else, exposed myself.

Illustration from Can’t Not Won’t by Eliza Fricker

Join me next week when I will be offering a space to process our feelings through drawing and writing exercises that will comfort and clarify in times of uncertainty.
For times when there is no magic wand, perhaps we can find ways to make our minds and bodies feel a little less unsettled.

Wednesday 28th January 11am
Processing on Paper.
No drawing or writing skills necessary.
See you there x

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/parenting-on-paper-processing-your-journey-through-drawing-writing-tickets-1976898616980?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

22/01/2026

My copy came yesterday! Already half way through 😄