In this episode of the All Aboard ADHD podcast, Claire is joined by Children’s Sleep Consultant Fay Smith, who prides herself on evidence-based practice. Fay and Claire discuss the importance of sleep for all children, but particularly those who are neurodivergent - not to mention the importance for their parents! Fay explains what causes sleep issues for kids with ADHD, describing the intricate role of melatonin and circadian rhythms in sleep regulation. Along with sharing some practical strategies parents can adopt to help their children get a better night’s sleep.

In this episode of the All Aboard ADHD podcast, Claire is joined by Caroline Hanson, to discuss compassionate inquir how can it help us better support our children with ADHD. Caroline is a Conscious Parenting Therapist, trained by Gabor Maté in the Compassionate Inquiry Therapeutic Approach, and mum to four neurodivergent children. Listen as Caroline discusses why its important to support children as they are and, as parents, to focus on the emotional responses behind a child's behaviour, rather than the behaviour itself.

In this episode of the All Aboard ADHD podcast, Claire is joined by Kirsti Nicole Hadley - Brand Consultant, Neurodiversity Advocate and mum to a child with ADHD. After a lifetime of feeling misunderstood, Kirsti finally received a life-changing diagnosis of ADHD with autistic traits and dyscalculia, following her son's diagnoses of ADHD, autism, and OCD. She describes some of the early signs of ADHD and autism in her son, and how her own parallels with her son’s traits delayed the initial identification of her son's conditions. Kirsti also shares insight into emotional-based school avoidance along with some helpful strategies for parents.

In this episode of the All Aboard ADHD podcast, all your SEN questions will be answered - and more! Claire is joined by Lauren Lambert - a current serving school SENCO and mother to two neurodivergent children. Lauren has worked across a range of schools from infant to sixth form over her 20-year career as a teacher. They discuss the educational tensions in providing the right support for pupils with special educational needs, and how parents can best navigate school systems.

This ADHD Awareness Month, we’re talking about ADHD in women and how it impacts, empowers, and exhausts us as parents. Until only very recently, ADHD in women was misunderstood, misdiagnosed, and woefully under-researched. And for a lot of mums, like me, the journey of discovering their own ADHD often only begins when their children are diagnosed.

How can we best support our children with ADHD? In this episode of the All Aboard ADHD podcast, Claire is joined by expert guest Professor, Stephen Scott to discuss ADHD treatments and why parenting matters. Stephen is a Professor of Child Health and Behaviour at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King's College London, and the Director of the National Academy for Parenting Research. He is also a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist at the Maudsley Hospital, where he specialises in ADHD and challenging behaviour. Claire and Stephen explore why proper assessment and treatment is so important for children with ADHD; the power of stimulant medication; and the importance of a holistic approach, including positive parenting.

In this episode of the All Aboard ADHD podcast, Claire is joined by Emily Snape - a mum to 3 children, one of whom has ADHD. Emily is a children's author and illustrator, working with young people celebrating and supporting their amazing, creative neurodivergent minds. Emily first noticed signs of her son struggling in Year 6, including challenges with friendships and taking SATs, culminating in him refusing to go to school. Emily shares her personal experiences as a parent of a child with ADHD, inspiring her wonderful book "My Amazing ADHD Brain."

ADHD is a superpower. It gives boundless energy, intense focus – and the creativity to adapt at lightning speed. Maybe that’s why ADHD is a common thread among so many Olympians. Maybe it’s a competitive advantage – the superpower that unlocks the highest levels of competition. And not just in Olympic sports. Neurodiversity is a common thread that ties the highest performing athletes together, from footballers to swimmers to gymnasts. But why?

Why is there such a large disconnect between the research and practice with adopted children? In this episode of the All Aboard ADHD Podcast, Claire is joined by expert guest, Dr Mark Kennedy to discuss the link between early adversity and ADHD in adopted children. Dr Mark is a Senior Lecturer program lead and a researcher on the English and Romanian adoptees study at King's College London. His PhD focused on modern applications of attachment theory and his postdoctoral work has focused on the developmental outcomes of extreme early adversity, including ADHD, neurodevelopmental disorders, attachment, and mental health. 

What does it mean to be a ‘good mum’ to a child with ADHD? In this All Aboard ADHD episode Claire is joined by Dr Tom Nicholson, to talk about the lived experiences of parents, particularly the mums of children with ADHD. Tom is a lecturer at Northumbria University, a neurodiversity and mental health specialist, and keynote speaker specialising in ADHD, mental health, neurodiversity, and neuroinclusion. Tom was diagnosed with ADHD at five years old, experienced an extremely traumatic educational journey due to the lack of awareness, and has since made it his mission to improve the knowledge and skills of as many people as possible so that no other child goes through what he did.

In this episode, Claire is joined by parent guest, Sarah Dixon. Sarah is a mother of two girls, aged 10 and 12, both of whom are dyslexic and have ADHD. Her husband has also been identified with ADHD. In this episode, Sarah shares her journey from the realisation her children thought differently, through the identification stage to where they are now.

In this episode Claire is joined by psychologist and specialist ADHD coach Pippa Simou, to explore the surprising gender disparities for ADHD in girls in this episode of All Aboard ADHD. They discuss how challenging it can be to diagnose girls, to ensure they access the support they need, as girls tend to internalise symptoms (whilst boys tend to externalise them). Pippa shares some important insights on the unique challenges faced by teenage girls with ADHD, including the complex interplay between perfectionism, rejection, and exhaustion, plus some of the greater risks undiagnosed ADHD can cause.

In this All Aboard ADHD podcast episode, Claire is joined by Soli Lazarus - former teacher and SENCO, parent of an ADHD child and author - to bust some myths around ADHD in children and share some of the incredible strengths our ADHD children possess. Claire and Soli discuss what we can do to better support and advocate for our children with ADHD to succeed in school and in life. Soli shares her belief that everyone from teachers to GPs, Judges to the police force, everyone needs training on what ADHD really is and that we should be 'loud and proud' about ADHD, to challenge the negative stereotypes and narratives.

In this episode of All Aboard ADHD, Claire is joined by Georgina Fuller - a freelance journalist, speaker, guest lecturer and mother of three, two of whom are neurodivergent. Georgina’s middle child is diagnosed with autism and ADHD, her eldest was diagnosed with ADHD last year and Georgina herself is self-diagnosed with ADHD, mainly through recognising all the patterns in two out of three of her children, as well as the genetic links to the traits of her late mother.

In this episode, Claire is joined by Leanne Maskell from ADHD Works to answer the all important question: What is ADHD coaching? They discuss what makes ADHD coaching different and the benefits coaching can bring for ADHDers - not least having space to speak to someone who gets it and allows you to unmask and be yourself.

A template letter from All Aboard ADHD, to write to your local MP, and help the Neurodivergent Conditions (Screening and Teacher Training) Bill get proposed again under the new Labour government.

In this All Aboard ADHD podcast episode, Claire is joined by The Rt Hon Matt Hancock, who has represented West Suffolk as Member of Parliament since 2010, to talk about his campaign for the early identification for neurodivergent conditions in schools. This episode was recorded the same day the Neurodivergent Screening and Teacher Training Bill was read and passed in parliament - a huge step forward in better supporting our children in schools, improving job prospects for the next generation, and reducing populations in young offenders institutes and prisons.

In this All Aboard ADHD podcast episode, Claire welcomes interior designer Hannah Hampton - mum to 3 daughters, 2 of whom have been diagnosed with ADHD. Hannah introduces us to two very different presentations of ADHD in her eldest and middle girls and some of their unique strengths, character traits and preferences.

In this All Aboard ADHD podcast episode, Claire explores the link between ADHD and Attachment with expert guest Dr Deba Choudhury-Peters. How do attachment styles in babies and children affect their brains if they have ADHD? Even before diagnosis, early childhood experiences will shape their response to real or perceived threats. With the right understanding of what drives their children’s emotional responses, parents can give them the support they need to better tune into and regulate their emotions.

How can we better support ADHD kids in schools? How do so many ADHD teens and young adults end up in prison? Why does one diagnosis seem to be the point at which things stop, when the co-occurring nature of neurodivergent differences is so high? All these questions and lots more are answered in this All Aboard ADHD podcast episode, Claire is joined by Sarah Templeton - ADHD author, accredited counsellor, coach and founder of Headstuff ADHD Therapy - the biggest ADHD counselling and coaching company in the UK.