Claire taught as a mainstream primary school teacher, before swiftly focusing on Special Educational Needs, and embarking on a passionate career now spanning over 20 years.

She became a SEN Co-ordinator, working in a number of schools, before moving to be a Specialist Advisory Teacher for the Local Education Authority, and finally landing as head of Learning Support at St Faiths in Cambridge, where she lead a team for 12 years, with half of that time working alongside this as the National Prep School Advisor for SEN. She is an experienced advisor and trainer for schools. She is also the current editor of the Learning Development section of ‘Broadsheets’ Magazine, published by SATIPS (Support and Training in Prep, Primary and Senior Schools).

In 2019, she completed and received a Distinction for a Masters in Psychology on the optimum parenting approaches to supporting children with ADHD.

She writes: My career has enabled me to have the privileged position of helping to develop the lives of children, striving to support them to meet their potential and to be confident and proud of themselves, no matter what. Having raised three of my own in that time, there are no barriers to learning or emotional wellbeing that I have not encountered and been determined to remove. I have been able to work alongside incredible practitioners who have supported and enhanced so many children and have taught me so much along the way, and I will continue to share all I have learned, all I am learning and bring in the expertise I know your child may need until they are ready to fly.

In 2021, she left full time work in school to create her own consultancy. Set Up For Success, which continues to help and support parents, school and young people to navigate any barrier to learning and is so proud to now be leading the SEND consulting team at the Cambridge ADHD and Autism Centre, which finally allows a vital and much needed collaboration between clinicians and teachers to give a fully inclusive approach to improving the lives of children and young people swiftly and pervasively.

You can book one of the following initial options:

Option 1
A parent-only initial consultation, when you can discuss your young person together in more detail and you will be given as much advice as possible during that session; we can also decide on the next best steps from there.

Option 2
A longer initial session in which a member of the team meets and spends some time with you and your young person, with follow up strategies included.

We can are then able to offer a range of ways to support going forward, either directly working with your young person, which may include a referral to our recommended Specific Learning Difficulties assessors for formal assessment before we continue you our support, or indirectly working with you, providing ongoing advice and strategies, which includes helping you to liaise with your young person’s school.

We are very pleased to be able to liaise with your child’s educational setting on your behalf as we find this a particularly effective way to collaborate to build the best environment in which your child can thrive.

After any initial session, further support will be bespoke and flexible to suit and meet your young person’s needs.

• Further assessment for a Specific Learning Difficulty

• Indirect work with you as a parent

• Indirect work with your child or young person's education setting

• Individual stage relevant mentoring sessions with children or young person to help them: realise their own potential, find the best study methods for them, feel happier, calmer and safer as young learners and manage their emotional responses at school and home (all with support from you and their school – they must never feel this is their entire responsibility or ever alone)

Adults may also choose to have a neurodevelopmental screening conversation with our experienced  Special Needs Consultant and her team who can advise regarding the value of further detailed assessment.

Both parenting a young person and growing up as a person with ADHD and/or Autism, is as joyous as it is challenging. Both happy times and harder times occur, as they do with all developmental journeys.

The parenting voyage never has and never will be plain sailing, but we recognise that bringing up youngsters who present with unexpected, unpredictable behaviours and emotions, can be very stressful and upsetting.

That first begins with parents and carers of children who overtly show their behaviours, to those who are trying to reveal, help and support their children who are expert maskers, to helping a child or adolescent who has been hiding their troubles…
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We can offer help and advice to any parent or carer on an individual basis or through one of our parenting courses or groups.
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For further information please get in touch with Claire HERE:

If you are a Headteacher, SEND leader, teacher or teaching assistant and you would like some advice for your school, to create a regular connection with our service or would like to book an INSET with us, please get in touch with Claire HERE:

Thinking about embarking on Further Education and possibly taking the University journey is a great point to have reached, where a whole new adventure awaits!

For those who are already aware, or now becoming aware that they may have ADHD or Autism, and any or all of its associated strengths and challenges, the idea of change and how you are going to manage this new adventure, can be daunting.

We can support you with managing applications through to coping with life beyond the structure of school.

Come and talk to us tell us about your plans and we will support you with the detail…whether it is writing essays or cooking eggs, together, we can work out how to manage the everyday.

If you have a diagnosis of ADHD or Autism you are eligible to apply for Disability Living Allowance.  Help if you're a student with a learning difficulty, health problem or disability: Disabled Students' Allowance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
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This brings a financial benefit and it facilitates liaison with student services at your University.  If you would like to discuss this further then the SEND team can advise.

"Claire has been helping us for over a year and over that time she has been an important part of us navigating ADHD and the outside world. From the beginning we felt that we could trust her. She listens carefully and remembers little details that my daughter loves. We would wholeheartedly recommend her to anyone looking for kind practical support with a smile alongside medical diagnosis or care."

"Claire is like a fairy godmother sprinkling lots of magic on any diagnosis..."

“Our introduction to Claire has proven the most significant non-medical support for our daughter in all aspects of ADHD from daily routines and understanding the effects of medication to regulation of eating and sleep-habits through to building organisational skills for education, travel and study. Our teenage daughter now refers to Claire as “my friend” and feels a deepening trust and openness in the relationship. This is very encouraging for us as concerned parents. Claire expertly maintains the confidence and trust of our daughter, whilst providing valuable feedback and advice when appropriate. Claire has been a rock of stability over the turbulent 12 months since our daughters’ ADHD diagnosis, supporting us in every aspect of our ADHD journey, acting as an impartial expert. It feels like we now have a 3rd parent dedicated solely to our daughters well-being and our understanding”.

"Since her ADHD diagnosis when she was 17 my daughter has found her sessions with Claire really useful. Claire has helped her find strategies that work for her to manage her time, meet deadlines and deal with everyday worries. Claire has also helped her to build up her self esteem and feel confident in her ability to deal with situations which make her anxious. Far from telling my daughter what she should do, she works through scenarios with her so that my daughter comes to her own decisions. Claire has helped her see that having ADHD does not have to hold her back and we are very grateful with how much more positive and confident our daughter now feels dealing with things that she finds difficult."

"My son has recently been diagnosed with ADHD and I am very thankful to Claire for all her support and guidance throughout the process. Her extensive knowledge has been essential to liaise effectively with my son’s school so he can receive the necessary support. Her support has also been instrumental to liaise with the Doctor for assessments and diagnosis.
Claire has guided us by taking us by the hand to navigate the several steps that we have overcome to obtain the diagnosis, obtaining the necessary support from school but also to better understand the world of ADHD for someone with no knowledge of it. I thank her for all her patience and kindness. I am very grateful."

• Primary location: Homerton College, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 8PH

• Online appointments are available

• Home visits are possible on request
  

• Book your appointment here