Sunshine Support

07/03/2026

That statistic stops you in your tracks, doesn't it?
And if you’re living this, it probably doesn’t surprise you at all.

When a child cannot attend school, it is rarely about defiance, laziness or poor parenting. For so many families, this is about neurodivergence, unmet needs, anxiety, overwhelm and nervous systems in distress. It is about children doing the very best they can with the support they have.

If school mornings feel heavy, if attendance meetings feel blaming, or if you are constantly explaining that this is not a choice, please hear this clearly:

👉 You are not imagining it.
👉 You are not failing your child.
👉 And you are not alone.

On 12th March at 8pm, we are running a live School Avoidance webinar where we will explore what sits beneath non attendance, what helps and what often makes things worse. It is practical, compassionate and grounded in real life experience.

🎟 Book your place here:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1921996085029

And if you need support beyond one evening, School Avoidance Awareness Week content is available on demand 24/7 inside the Sunshine Academy. Webinars, tools and guidance you can return to whenever you need it.

🌱 Access the Academy here:
www.sunshine-support.org/academy

There is hope. There is understanding. And there is a way forward that centres safety, dignity and wellbeing for your child and for you.

06/03/2026

If SEND has been leaving you feeling stressed, panicked or constantly second guessing yourself, you are not alone - despite how it may feel.

Week of SEND was created to meet you where you are and help you feel steadier, clearer and more confident about what comes next. Support first. Learning second. Always human.

Sign up here:
https://sunshineacademy.sunshine-support.org/course/week-of-send-26

06/03/2026

This was one of the best mediation sessions we’ve ever attended.

Clear communication. No tension. No games. Just a Local Authority finally listening.

The parent was heard.
The mediator held the space beautifully.
And at the end?
✅ B, F and I agreed
✅ Special school consultation moving ahead
✅ Full support for the family’s preferred placement

Even more rare - the Local Authority thanked us. Apologised to the parent. Complimented our position statement. Well done Michelle!

It’s how mediation should be!! Let’s keep fighting to make that the norm!

Wishing you a weekend of good energy - and if you ever need help, just message us.

06/03/2026

Here it is. The full schedule for Week of 'SEND'!! Have you signed up yet?!

Five days of specialist webinars designed to take you from confused to confident in the world of SEND.

From understanding how to apply for an EHCP, to expert witness reports, appeals, tribunals, draft EHCPs, referral pathways and myth busting. Every session is designed to give parents and professionals the clarity they need to navigate the SEND system with confidence.

With so many changes being discussed nationally, understanding the system has never been more important.

If you want to feel informed, prepared and empowered in your next SEND conversation, this week is for you.

Secure your place now:
https://sunshineacademy.sunshine-support.org/course/week-of-send-26

06/03/2026

School avoidance is rising. And too many children are suffering while adults are left confused, blamed or overwhelmed.

There are so many reasons a child may struggle to attend school. Anxiety. Neurodivergence. Trauma. Unmet needs. Policy misunderstandings. Legal myths. And until we understand the truth, we cannot support them properly.

This webinar is designed to empower parents and teachers with clarity. We will cover the why, the early signs, the legal framework, the policies that matter, and the practical options available. Because attendance at a specific school is not the only path. There are other routes and your child’s wellbeing must come first.

🗓 12th March
⏰ 8pm
🎥 Live or catch up. All ticket holders receive the recording.

Book your place here:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1921996085029

If you’re on Instagram, comment SCHOOL AVOIDANCE and we will send you the link.

06/03/2026

What people see is “refusal”.

What you’re living is fear, anxiety, overwhelm, trauma, isolation, rejection sensitivity… and a child whose nervous system has simply run out of capacity.

School avoidance is never just about attendance. And it is not a parenting failure.

If this image feels uncomfortably familiar, our webinar with Kayleigh is here to help you understand what’s happening beneath the surface and what you can do next. Knowledge brings relief. Relief brings change.

You deserve support in this, and your child deserves to be understood.

🎟 Book your place here:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1921996085029

Come and sit with parents who get it, and leave with clarity, confidence and a plan. You are not alone.

05/03/2026

When inclusion stops feeling inclusive... 💔

Sometimes what’s meant to support a child can end up silencing them instead. This new blog explores what happens when the idea of inclusion forgets to listen to the child at the centre of it all.

If you're a parent or professional who's ever felt uneasy about a placement or provision that "ticks the box" but doesn't feel right - this is for you.

🧠 Real insight
💛 Real children’s voices
🌱 Real change begins with listening

👉 Read now:
https://sunshineacademy.sunshine-support.org/blog/when-inclusion-stops-feeling-inclusive-listening-to-the-child

This blog explores what happens when inclusion stops feeling inclusive, highlighting the importance of listening to children and sharing responsibility across families, schools, and systems.

05/03/2026

🌻 You’ve got one hour left to secure your ticket for tonight’s live webinar PAPs (Pre-Action Protocol Letters) with Jess Douglas. 🌻

When progress stalls and you’re not being heard, a Pre-Action Protocol (PAP) letter can be a powerful tool for challenging unlawful decisions and holding services to account. But when is it the right time to use it?

Join Sunshine Support for a clear and empowering webinar that demystifies PAP letters, helping you understand the legal framework, your rights, and the steps you must take before pursuing judicial review. Whether you’re tackling issues in education, SEND, health, or local authority decision-making, this session will equip you to take action confidently and lawfully.

🎟️ Tickets close at 6pm: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1851915151069

05/03/2026

Some weeks feel heavy. And then there are weeks like this.

This family have faced ongoing stress, uncertainty and a real lack of transparency from their Local Authority. Communication was patchy. Decisions felt fragile. Nothing ever felt secure.

Last year, our brilliant Emily secured a strong EOTAS package for their first child. But as Phase Transfer approached, anxiety crept back in. Would it be reduced? Removed? Rewritten?

After careful preparation and strategic advice, confirmation came through this week:
The EOTAS package will continue.

And as if that wasn’t enough…

Their second child’s EHCP has now been finalised with the parental preference of an independent specialist school named. The originally proposed placement wasn’t meeting need. A clear letter outlining statutory duties shifted the conversation - and panel agreed.

Two children.
Two complex situations.
One week.

A massive double win.

It shouldn’t feel this hard to secure appropriate education. But when families persevere - and get the right support - things can move.

Wishing everyone a steady, hopeful weekend ahead.
And if you ever need a sounding board, just message us.

05/03/2026

You should not have to become an expert just to get your child supported.

Week of SEND supports parents and carers by explaining SEND systems clearly and compassionately. You can attend live, ask questions, or watch on catch up when life allows. One week. One place. Real clarity.

Sign up here:
https://sunshineacademy.sunshine-support.org/course/week-of-send-26

05/03/2026

If school mornings feel heavy in your house, this episode is for you.

Chrissa talks openly about **school avoidance** in our latest *Sip of Sunshine* podcast episode - the fear behind it, the guilt parents carry, and the reality that this is not defiance or bad parenting. It’s a stress response, and understanding it changes how we respond to our children and to ourselves.

This conversation is validating, practical and deeply reassuring. The kind you listen to and think, *“finally, someone gets it.”*

If you’re in this season right now, put your headphones on, take a breath and let this episode sit with you. And if it resonates, please follow and subscribe so more families can find the support too.

🎧 Listen on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2PLJZJI27uXTJavWm3bg4w?si=gJnQb39mRdi4kr9oyn_-eg

You are not alone in this.

Sip of Sunshine - Sunshine Support · Episode