Welcome to SEND Friends
Peer Support
A calm, neuroaffirming space offering peer support, practical guidance, and connection for families navigating the SEND journey. Whether you're feeling overwhelmed, unheard, or simply need someone who truly understands — you're not alone here.
Services
Peer Support for Parents & Carers
A calm, understanding space for parents of neurodivergent children to be heard, supported, and empowered. These peer support sessions are led by an autistic parent with lived experience, offering emotional support, practical ideas, and connection with others who truly understand. Click here to find out more.
School–Family Partnership Support
Bridging the gap between families and schools to improve understanding and communication. Sometimes children and young people can present differently in home and school environments making continuity of support difficult to provide. Click here to see how I can help.
Workshops & Events
The SEND Friends Book Series
Neuroaffirming stories for children to explore identity and emotions through relatable characters. The themes for each book are:
- Tilly Tortoise- situational mutism
- Rosie Rabbit- importance of movement
- Oliver Owl- sleep onset difficulties
- George Goat- ARFID (Selective eating)
- Dean Duck- executive dysfunction
- Flynn and Flo Fox- sensory processing differences
About the Facilitator – Leanne Thompson
I'm fully insured, registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), and committed to GDPR compliance and safeguarding responsibilities. I hold an enhanced DBS Certificate. All support is provided in a confidential, non-judgemental, and neuroaffirming space — centred on trust, respect, and emotional safety.
SEND Friends is built on honesty, empathy, and a deep understanding of how complex and isolating this journey can be. Whether you're at the beginning or in the thick of it, you are welcome here.
Peer-Led Support
Lived experience at the heart of everything — because you deserve to feel understood, not judged.
Many years of experience
A lifetime of lived experience as an AuDHD woman, and many more years of parenting and peer supporting along the way.
Neuroaffirming
We focus on identity, joy, and support that works with your child's unique profile — not against it.
Honest guidance
Clear, compassionate help navigating school, services, and support systems — and signposting when we don't have all the answers.
Testimonials
'Now I feel someone is now in our area that can at least offer support and signposting from a deep knowledge background.'
Anonymous
Parent
'Keep up the great work and thank you for all the support and understanding. I never felt judged or at fault, this alleviated mum guilt.'
Anonymous
Parent Carer
'I would like to thank Leanne for all the advice she gave me and for validating how I was feeling during the process of getting my children into a school'
Anonymous
Parent
As a school SENDCo, I found this book such a good tool for helping children to understand themselves a little more. Through an engaging character, in Tilly, and brought to life with eye-catching illustrations, the children learn what it feels like when situations overwhelm you so much that you lose all of your words. As Tilly comes across a range of situations, she learns that if you: 'Breathe deep and breathe slow' it won't be long until you're ready to go. Alongside Tilly are a range of kind and compassionate characters, who teach all of us that a little understanding of one another can go a long way. Leanne has created a wonderful story for us for our children and I can't wait to see which character she shares with us next.
Nikki
SENDCo
A wonderful short story that leaves you wanting to read the next! It delivers such important messages..
We are each different, and each unique. Diversity is needed, it brings colour to our lives. We can see the future through our children's eyes, and this wonderful little book brings smiles and hope that the world can be an accepting place. Looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
Anon
Verified Purchase
I purchased this book and have been delighted. It has made perfect sense to my autistic son and helped me to understand him as well. I shall be purchasing more of the titles for my preschool.