Talk to Jessie
A free 30-minute call about your child, your family and what has been hard.
Home: what changed in this update. The menu is now Families | Schools | Organisations | About plus Get in touch, with dropdowns. In Squarespace the standard dropdown is a plain list of links in this order; the version with the short descriptions needs custom code (the optional extra). The two-tier pricing section is replaced by the single £50 founding offer, and the line saying document review and EHCP drafting are included is removed. The reviews carousel now has three new reviews; the third review already on the live site is not in this wireframe, so copy it across. [Alex to confirm the pricing wording.]
Expert support for you, your neurodivergent child, and the whole family
A membership for parents of neurodivergent young people. Former head teachers, senior SENCOs and specialists, all of them neurodivergent themselves, who will explain what's happening, tell you whether your child's support is good enough, and negotiate on your behalf when it isn't.
Book a free 30-minute call
Which of these sounds like you?
School attendance has become a struggle
Mornings have become a battle just to get your child into school. Perhaps they haven't attended for weeks, months or even years, and you've run out of ideas. We'll help you understand what's getting in the way and build a realistic plan forward. Start here.
We've just had a diagnosis. What happens now?
A diagnosis can bring answers, but it often brings a whole new set of questions too. We'll help you understand what it means for your child, decide what to do next and find the right support for your whole family. Start here.
The support my child is getting doesn't feel right
You know your child best. If their needs aren't being met, or you feel that nobody is listening, we'll help you understand what good support should look like and work with you to secure the right help. Start here.
How the ThriveND method works
1. We talk
Start with a free 30-minute conversation with Jessie. You'll tell her about your child: their strengths, challenges and special interests, as well as their experience of education, whether they are attending school, struggling to attend or learning outside school. We'll also talk about friendships, family life and anything else affecting your child.
2. You receive a personalised plan
If you decide to become a member, Jessie will create a plan tailored to your child and your family's circumstances. It will bring together everything discussed during your call and set out clear priorities and practical next steps, so you know what to focus on now and what to do next.
3. We're with you all the way
You'll have access to our Ask Jessie email helpline for urgent concerns and everyday questions, as well as support from our team of experienced specialists. We'll review your plan with you regularly, track progress and adapt it as things change, so your family never has to navigate the journey alone.
Why our approach works
Your specialist's advice was absolutely bang on, realistic, practical, and delivered with real empathy. Hannah even drafted a letter for us to send to school, which made a huge difference. We came away not just feeling understood, but with a clear plan.
— Clare, York
ThriveND was started by Jessie Hewitson. Jessie writes the SEND agony aunt column for The Times and The Sunday Times, and she wrote the best-selling Autism: How to Raise a Happy Autistic Child and ADHD: How to Raise a Happy ADHD Child. She was diagnosed autistic in later life and has dedicated the past decade of her career to increasing understanding and making the world a happier and kinder place for neurodivergent people.
The specialists she works with are senior neurodivergent people in education. Former head teachers, SENCOs with decades in the system and who sit on SEND Panels. People who know exactly what needs to be said, and what will move things along.
They are also, every one of them, neurodivergent. They have been the child in the school struggling as well as the adult negotiating on behalf of their family.
What it costs, honestly
Founding member offer
£50 a month. Full price £75 a month.
One membership: a free thirty-minute call with Jessie, a plan written down afterwards, a forty-five-minute session with Jessie every three months, the Ask Jessie email service, and access to our specialists at member rates. No contract. Cancel any time.
If your plan needs a specialist, you pay them separately, at member rates. Part of our job is telling you honestly whether you need one yet. Sometimes the answer is not yet. See exactly what you get for your money.
Why Jessie started ThriveND…
Parents started finding her. Every week someone would write or ring, usually at the end of their tether. She helped as much as she could, but it became clear they needed more than a reply could carry.
It was also clear that nobody was coordinating the support and care. School, home, sleep, the health appointments, the paperwork, so the parent ends up doing that job too, on top of everything else, with no training and not much sleep.
That's what ThriveND is for.
Jessie didn't do it on her own. Alex Ardizzone is our director of operations. She ran projects in companies a great deal bigger than this one, which is why nothing and nobody gets dropped. Alex and Jessie have been best friends since childhood (pictured together as children) and are both parents of fantastic neurodivergent young people.
Behind them is a crack squad of specialists: former head teachers, senior SENCOs, talented mentors. Neurodivergent people who work with neurodivergent young people every day and passionately care about getting their support right.
Come with your problems, leave with a plan.
Book a free 30-minute callLet's Keep in Touch
Have a question, or just want to get in touch? Fill in the form below and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.
My child isn't going to school
It rarely starts as refusal. It starts as a stomach ache. A child who can't get out of the car. A morning that takes two hours and ends with everyone in tears. Then a day off. Then a week. Then the letters arrive, and suddenly you are the problem.
You are not the problem. And your child is certainly not the problem. They are telling you that things have got too difficult for them, and their nervous system can't take it any more.
Read the transcript
[Transcript to be added. It also gives us captions for anyone watching without sound.]
Wireframe note: Alex's video now sits here on Not at school, under the intro and before "It affects the whole family". It only plays when someone presses play, with nothing starting on its own. Moved off the homepage so the testimonials there stay clean. Still needed: who she is, her written agreement to it being on the site, and a transcript for captions.
It affects the whole family
It doesn't only affect your child. Mornings set the tone for the whole day. You're juggling work, messages from school, and brothers or sisters who are getting less of you than they need. Arguments start over things that never used to matter. You stop making plans, because you can't predict what tomorrow will look like.
Somewhere along the way, you lose your bearings. You've tried everything you can think of and taken advice from everyone who offered it. Now you're no longer sure what's helping and what's making things worse. It doesn't happen all at once. It creeps up a little more each week, until the whole family feels caught in it.
That's where we start. Not with a quick fix, but with a plan that takes the pressure off and breaks the cycle. Then we help you rebuild, one step at a time: your child's relationship with learning, your routines at home, and your own confidence that you know what to do next.
What happens in your first fortnight
- We talk. We'll look at the details: what has gone wrong, the sensory environment, what the school is doing, which teachers your child feels safe with, whether demand avoidance is part of the picture.
- You get a plan. What to say to the school and in what order. What to put in writing. What you are entitled to ask for. And, just as importantly, what to stop doing.
- I bring in whoever it needs. A former head teacher who can negotiate directly with the school on your behalf. A senior SENCO who can draft the letter for you, and tell you exactly what to say at your next school meeting. You'll know what it costs before anything happens.
Being honest about this…
When a child reaches the point where they can't go in, they are very often in burnout. Recovery from that takes time, and anyone promising you a quick fix is selling something.
What we can do is support the whole family through it: help your child back into learning in a way and at a time that's right for them, and help you manage the considerable stress that lands on everyone at home.
Get in contact
In this situation membership is usually the right choice, because the email support is more intensive. It is £50 a month while the founding offer is open.
Book a free 30-minute callWireframe note: every "Book a free 30-minute call" button opens the booking page. In the build it points to ThriveND's Calendly link, which is still to come from Alex. The three "cross-links" to the other audience pages (Right support, New diagnosis) are not in the mockup; I'd add a short line under the button so this page doesn't dead-end.
Is my child getting the right support?
There's a vague plan. There's "support in place". There may even be an Education, Health and Care Plan that took you a year and most of your energy to get. Everyone keeps telling you it's fine.
You're not sure it's fine. You can't say exactly why. And every time you raise it, you're made to feel like the difficult parent.
What a review looks like
You send us what you have. The EHCP, the reports, the emails, the notes from the last annual review. (If you don't have an EHCP, that's worth talking about too.)
Jessie reads it properly, and where it needs a specialist eye, she brings in a former head teacher or a senior SENCO who has written and delivered hundreds of them. If it needs taking up with the school, they can do that directly, or draft the letter and tell you what to say.
You get a straight answer. What's solid, what's vague, what's missing, and what's worth challenging. Plus what to say, to whom, and in what order.
Support should grow with your child
A plan describes your child as they were when it was written. But children change. They move up a year or change school. They make friends or lose them. Some things get easier and others get harder than anyone expected. A plan that fitted well two years ago can quietly stop fitting, and often no one notices until things start to slip.
So it's worth coming back to it and asking: Is it still aiming at the right things? Is what's written down actually happening? Does it describe who your child is now?
If your child has an EHCP, it must be reviewed at least once a year, and you can ask for an earlier review if things change. We can help you get ready for that review, so you go in knowing what to ask for. If there's no EHCP, the same questions apply to whatever support is in place.
And if it turns out to be fine?
Then Jessie will tell you it's fine, and you can stop lying awake about it.
Membership suits this best: it's mostly documents and questions, and those are handled well over a few weeks by email. Reading longer documents, such as EHCPs and reports, is charged separately for the reading time, and Jessie will tell you the cost first. Membership is £50 a month while the founding offer is open.
"The ThriveND expert was calm, clear and reassuring, and able to cut through the noise to focus on what really mattered for our family. We left the call with concrete next steps and a way forward that finally felt manageable."
— Eddie and Claire, Lancashire
Wireframe note: testimonial is now live, cleared by Alex, using her exact quote wording with "NeuroUniverse" swapped for "ThriveND" as she asked. Byline is my best reading of "Eddie and Claire's testimonial is cleared" as one joint quote — flag it if that's wrong, or if you'd rather quote Eddie's original wording exactly.
[Photo]
Wireframe note: photo to be chosen from Jessie's gallery unless Alex has one in mind.
Your child has a diagnosis, now what?
Most people expect to feel one thing and find they're feeling several. Relief that there's an explanation. Something heavier underneath it that they feel guilty about. And running through both, a low hum of what now.
A starting point, not a finish line
That relief is real, and it matters. After months or years of wondering, being told to wait, or being told it's nothing, you finally have an answer, and something to work with.
But a diagnosis is the start, not the end. It tells you what, but it doesn't tell you what to do on Monday morning, what to ask the school, or what your child needs from you now.
That's where we come in. We help you make sense of what the diagnosis means for your child. Then we build a plan around what works for them, for you and for the rest of the family. The aim is simple: a happy neurodivergent child, and a family that feels on top of things again.
What happens in your first fortnight with us
A call. What this actually means for your child, in your house, at your school.
A plan. The three things worth doing this term, and the action points that can wait until next year.
The right information. And permission to ignore the rest of it.
If you'd like to read around it, Jessie's books, Autism: How to Raise a Happy Autistic Child and ADHD: How to Raise a Happy ADHD Child, are a good place to start, and you don't need to be a member to read them. What a book can't do is know your child, your school, or the particular person in your local authority who decides things. That's what the membership is for.
Get the ball rolling…
Book a free 30-minute callWireframe note: this short books paragraph replaces the longer "About my books" section, as Alex marked in the mockup.
Membership (redesigned). One membership at £50 a month as a founding member offer (full price £75). The £14.95 tier is removed. Join now uses the new Stripe link from Alex. Offer wording: I have left out an end date and kept "Open to the first 1,000 families". [Alex has not confirmed no end date yet.] The FAQ says reading longer documents is charged separately, as Alex asked.
Families / Membership
ThriveND membership
One membership. Jessie in your corner.
Every membership starts with a free 30-minute call with Jessie and a written plan. After that, you have Jessie and her specialist team to turn to as things change, at home and at school.
Founding member offer
£50 a month
Full price £75 a month. Save a third.
- A free 30-minute call with Jessie to start
- A written plan: what to do, in what order, and what to ask for
- A 45-minute session with Jessie every three months
- The Ask Jessie email service, with replies within 24 hours on weekdays
- Specialist sessions at member rates
- No contract. Cancel any time
Open to the first 1,000 families. Join while the offer is open and keep £50 a month for as long as you stay a member.
How membership works
Clear advice, a plan you can act on, and someone to ask when things change.
Get your plan
A written plan setting out what to do, in what order, and what to ask for.
Ask as you go
Use the Ask Jessie email service whenever a question comes up, and get a reply within 24 hours on weekdays.
Review every three months
A 45-minute session with Jessie to review the plan, and bring in a specialist if one would help.
Our specialist team
Former headteachers, senior SENCOs and people who work with neurodivergent young people every day. Members book them at member rates, and only if Jessie thinks you need one.
- School difficulties and EBSA
- Home education
- Demand avoidance (PDA)
- Sensory differences and emotional regulation
- Burnout and emotional wellbeing
- Parenting support and family coaching
- Mentoring for young people
- Eating, ARFID and nutrition
See Work with a specialist for how it works.
Questions people ask
What happens when the offer closes?
If you join while the offer is open, you keep £50 a month for as long as you stay a member. New members after that pay £75 a month.
Is there a contract?
No. You can cancel at any time.
Do I need to be a member to see a specialist?
No. Non-members can book specialists too, at the member rate plus 15%.
I'm not sure membership is right for us.
Start with the free call. Jessie will tell you honestly whether membership would help.
What if things are urgent?
Say so when you book your call, and Jessie will see you as soon as she can.
Is reading documents included?
Reading longer documents, such as EHCPs and reports, is charged separately for the reading time. Jessie will tell you the cost first.
Start with a call
Free, 30 minutes, with Jessie. No obligation to join.
Book a free call
Or email: hello@thrivend.co.uk
About (Who we are). Redesigned from Alex’s About mockup; the menu item is called About. Alex’s photo is still needed. [Jessie bio to be confirmed by Jessie.]
About
About ThriveND
Who we are
ThriveND helps neurodivergent children thrive, at home and at school. We work with families who need clear, honest advice and a plan they can act on, with schools that want to get inclusion right, and with organisations that want to support neurodivergent people well.
What we believe
Neurodivergence is a difference, not a disorder. A child who is struggling is usually telling you that something around them isn't working, not that something is wrong with them.
So we start with your child's happiness, look at the whole family, and give you straight answers, including when things are fine and when there's no quick fix.
The people behind ThriveND
CO-FOUNDER
Jessie Hewitson
Jessie is the SEND agony aunt for The Times and the author of Autism: How to Raise a Happy Autistic Child and ADHD: How to Raise a Happy ADHD Child. She leads ThriveND's work with families: the first call, the plan, and deciding which specialist, if any, a family needs. [Bio to be confirmed by Jessie.]
CO-FOUNDER
Alex Ardizzone
Alex leads ThriveND's operations, project delivery and strategy. She has more than 20 years' experience leading strategy and change programmes, including delivering projects alongside consulting firms, and founded the advisory practice Savvy Accounting in 2016. She oversees how ThriveND runs, from bookings to school projects.
Our specialist team
Behind Jessie is a team of specialists: former headteachers, senior SENCOs, and people who work with neurodivergent young people every day. Between them they cover:
- EHCPs, school and social care
- School difficulties and EBSA
- Home education
- Demand avoidance (PDA)
- Sensory differences and emotional regulation
- Burnout and emotional wellbeing
- Parenting support and family coaching
- Mentoring for young people
- Eating, ARFID and nutrition
You don't need to work out who you need. Jessie will introduce you to the right person, and only if you need them. See Work with a specialist.
Who we work with
The same team and the same approach, for everyone around the child.
Start with a conversation
Every family starts with a free 30-minute call with Jessie.
Book a free call
Or email: hello@thrivend.co.uk
Inclusion strategy (live page, updated). Squarespace page /inclusion-strategy. Changes from the live version: Jessie card in the hero, people-behind-ThriveND section for both co-founders (replaces the older Led by Jessie block), tighter spacing, and the page now sits under Schools in the real menu. Remove the custom nav section and the header-hiding CSS from this page once the new menu is live.
Schools / Inclusion strategy
Inclusion strategy support for schools, trusts and local authorities
Your inclusion strategy, ready early.
The Schools White Paper proposes that every school publishes an annual Inclusion Strategy, replacing the SEN Information Report, and is inspected on how it is put into practice. We work alongside school leaders to review what is in place, shape a strategy that fits your setting, train staff to deliver it, and measure whether it is making a difference for pupils.
Why start now: the proposed timeline
Schools that start early have time to build a strategy staff actually use.
2026/27
Updated guidance, staff training and early rollout begin.
2028
National Inclusion Standards expected to be in place.
Sept 2029
Individual Support Plans for every child with SEND.
Timeline and requirements are proposals in the DfE Schools White Paper, Every Child Achieving and Thriving, and remain subject to consultation and legislation.
Four stages, one joined-up approach
A strategy on paper is only the start. We support you through each stage, or at the point where you need us most.
Review
We look at your current inclusion strategy and SEND provision: how it is organised, who delivers it, what training staff have had, and what it looks like in lessons.
You receive: a written review with a prioritised action plan.
Co-create
We work with your leadership team and staff to develop or refine a strategy that reflects your pupils, staffing and priorities.
You receive: an agreed strategy and delivery plan your team owns.
Embed
We train staff to put the strategy into practice, through whole-staff sessions and focused work with the teams that need it.
You receive: a training programme matched to your plan.
Measure
We agree at the outset how progress will be judged, then return to review it.
You receive: a follow-up visit and a progress report against your strategy.
Anchor. In Squarespace set Edit section > Anchor link to how-it-works on this section, then link the hero button to it. Test on the live page, not in the editor.
Where most schools start
Provision Review and Action Plan
A focused, independent review of your inclusion and SEND provision, ending in clear priorities you can act on. It is the foundation for any further work with us, and a useful piece of evidence in its own right.
Ask about a reviewWhat's included
- Half-day fact-finding with leaders and your SENCO
- A day observing across classrooms
- Written review with a prioritised action plan
- Whole-staff twilight feedback session
Who we work with
Support can be commissioned by an individual school or across a group of schools.
Schools
Headteachers, senior leaders and SENCOs who want an independent view of their provision and practical help putting their strategy into action.
Multi-academy trusts
Trust leaders looking for a consistent approach to inclusion across their schools, while respecting each school's context.
Local authorities
Teams commissioning inclusion and SEND support for schools in their area, who need delivery they can track and report on.
The people behind ThriveND
CO-FOUNDER
Jessie Hewitson
Jessie is the SEND agony aunt for The Times and the author of Autism: How to Raise a Happy Autistic Child and ADHD: How to Raise a Happy ADHD Child. She leads ThriveND's work with families: the first call, the plan, and deciding which specialist, if any, a family needs. [Bio to be confirmed by Jessie.]
CO-FOUNDER
Alex Ardizzone
Alex leads ThriveND's operations, project delivery and strategy. She has more than 20 years' experience leading strategy and change programmes, including delivering projects alongside consulting firms, and founded the advisory practice Savvy Accounting in 2016. She oversees how ThriveND runs, from bookings to school projects.
Work is delivered by Jessie's team of former headteachers and experienced SEND consultants.
Book an initial conversation
No obligation. Tell us about your school and we'll talk it through.
SENCO support (new page). Alex confirmed the scope is final, so the Draft banner from the mockup is left off. She asked for the co-founders section at the bottom instead of the older Led by Jessie block, so there is no Jessie card here.
Schools / SENCO support
Support for SENCOs and SEND teams
Support for your SENCO, so they aren't carrying it alone.
SENCOs hold a wide brief, often with limited time and few people to think it through with. We give your SENCO and SEND team experienced support from former headteachers and SEND consultants, on the issues in front of them right now.
How we can help
Support is agreed with your headteacher and SENCO, and focused where it makes the most difference.
One-to-one sessions
Regular sessions with an experienced SEND consultant to plan, prioritise and talk through complex cases.
Putting plans into practice
Help turning the actions from your Provision Review or inclusion strategy into day-to-day practice.
Inspection and reporting
Support preparing for inspection and reporting to leaders and governors.
Cover during change
Short-term support during a change of SENCO or a period of absence.
How it works
We agree the focus with your headteacher and SENCO at the start, then provide support as a fixed number of sessions or a termly package.
Many schools add SENCO support after a Provision Review, to carry the action plan forward.
The people behind ThriveND
CO-FOUNDER
Jessie Hewitson
Jessie is the SEND agony aunt for The Times and the author of Autism: How to Raise a Happy Autistic Child and ADHD: How to Raise a Happy ADHD Child. She leads ThriveND's work with families: the first call, the plan, and deciding which specialist, if any, a family needs. [Bio to be confirmed by Jessie.]
CO-FOUNDER
Alex Ardizzone
Alex leads ThriveND's operations, project delivery and strategy. She has more than 20 years' experience leading strategy and change programmes, including delivering projects alongside consulting firms, and founded the advisory practice Savvy Accounting in 2016. She oversees how ThriveND runs, from bookings to school projects.
Work is delivered by Jessie's team of former headteachers and experienced SEND consultants.
Book an initial conversation
No obligation. Tell us about your school and we'll talk it through.
Staff and parent support (new page). Replaces the earlier Independent schools mockup, so do not build that page. The mockup title is "Training and parent talks". The parent coffee mornings are free for every school.
Schools / Training and parent talks
Training and parent talks for state and independent schools
Support for your staff, and for your parents.
Practical SEND and neurodiversity training your staff can use the next day, and informal talks with Jessie that give parents somewhere to bring their questions. Book a single session, or build them into your year.
Three ways we can help
Choose one, or combine them.
Staff training
INSET days, twilights and sessions for teaching assistants on autism, ADHD and SEND, focused on practical adjustments in the classroom.
Help with your SEND training
Support planning and delivering the SEND training the DfE expects schools to run for their staff, so it fits your setting and sticks.
Parent coffee mornings and talks
Informal sessions with Jessie on raising happy neurodivergent children, with time for parents' questions.
Staff training
Every session is shaped around your pupils and your staff. Topics are drawn from:
- Understanding autism, ADHD and other neurodivergence
- Practical classroom adjustments
- Sensory needs and regulation
- Emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA)
- Demand avoidance (PDA)
- Working well with parents
- The role of teaching assistants
- Putting your inclusion strategy into practice
Training is delivered by our team of former headteachers and experienced SEND consultants, in school or online.
FREE FOR EVERY SCHOOL
Parent coffee mornings with Jessie
A relaxed session for parents on how to raise happy children, whether their child has a diagnosis, is waiting for one, or they simply have questions. It is a simple way to show families the support around them.
Book a coffee morningWhat's included
- An informal talk from Jessie
- Time for parents' questions
- Information on further support for families
- In school, at a time that suits your parents
For independent schools
Inclusion that parents can see
Families choosing a school ask more and more about how neurodivergent pupils and children with SEND are supported. Independent schools often come to us for three reasons.
Parents
Families expect SEND support they can see and trust before they commit.
Inspection
Clear evidence for ISI and your Equality Act duties, in one place.
Admissions
Confident decisions on meeting needs, and families who stay.
Alongside training and parent talks, we offer one-to-one specialist sessions for parents who need more, and an independent Provision Review and Inclusion strategy (see Inclusion strategy).
Easy ways to start
Open to every school, state or independent.
- A parent coffee morning or talk with Jessie
- An INSET or twilight session for staff
- A Provision Review with a prioritised action plan
- Mix and match, from one session to a full year
The people behind ThriveND
CO-FOUNDER
Jessie Hewitson
Jessie is the SEND agony aunt for The Times and the author of Autism: How to Raise a Happy Autistic Child and ADHD: How to Raise a Happy ADHD Child. She leads ThriveND's work with families: the first call, the plan, and deciding which specialist, if any, a family needs. [Bio to be confirmed by Jessie.]
CO-FOUNDER
Alex Ardizzone
Alex leads ThriveND's operations, project delivery and strategy. She has more than 20 years' experience leading strategy and change programmes, including delivering projects alongside consulting firms, and founded the advisory practice Savvy Accounting in 2016. She oversees how ThriveND runs, from bookings to school projects.
Work is delivered by Jessie's team of former headteachers and experienced SEND consultants.
Book an initial conversation
No obligation. Tell us about your school and we'll talk it through.
Training for organisations (new page). Sits under Organisations in the menu. The "recently delivered" line is Alex’s own statement from the mockup, so keep it as written.
Organisations / Training for organisations
Neurodiversity training for employers, charities and public bodies
Neurodiversity training for managers and teams.
Most teams already include neurodivergent colleagues, whether or not anyone has said so. We run practical, live workshops that help managers and teams understand neurodivergence, have better conversations, and make the everyday adjustments that let people do their best work.
When organisations come to us
Training usually starts with a specific need. We shape the sessions around yours.
Building awareness across a team
A shared, practical understanding of neurodiversity, so colleagues work well together and know what helps.
Supporting a colleague
Following a diagnosis or an occupational health referral, helping the team and manager understand what support looks like day to day.
Giving managers confidence
Handling adjustments, one-to-ones, feedback and performance conversations well, and knowing when to seek further advice.
Teams who serve the public
Staff whose role involves supporting customers, clients or service users who may be neurodivergent or have other accessibility needs.
What we cover
Every programme is tailored. Topics are drawn from:
- What neurodivergence is: autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia and more
- Masking, burnout and wellbeing
- Sensory needs and the working environment
- Reasonable adjustments in practice
- Communication, feedback and one-to-ones
- Recruitment and onboarding
- Performance conversations
- Supporting working parents of neurodivergent children
How it works
From a first conversation to follow-up, with your team at the centre.
Scoping call
We talk to you, and the team lead or head of department, about what has prompted the training and what you want to change.
You receive: a proposed outline and format.
Tailored programme
We design the sessions around your team, your sector and the situations they actually face, from a single workshop to a series.
You receive: an agreed programme and dates.
Live delivery
Interactive sessions online via Microsoft Teams or in person, with plenty of time for questions. Sessions can include a speaker with lived experience of neurodivergence.
You receive: live, interactive workshops.
Follow-up
We share resources for the team and a short summary of the themes and questions raised, so you can decide what to do next.
You receive: follow-up resources and a summary.
A popular format
Workshop series for managers
A short series of live online workshops that builds from understanding neurodiversity to putting support into practice, giving managers time to try things between sessions and bring back real questions.
Ask about a workshop seriesWhat's included
- Scoping call with your L&D or HR lead
- Programme tailored to your organisation
- Live sessions online or in person
- Speaker with lived experience, where it fits
- Follow-up resources and summary
Who we work with
We work with whole organisations or a single team.
Employers
HR, people and L&D teams building neurodiversity into how they recruit, manage and support staff.
Charities
Organisations whose staff and volunteers support people who may be neurodivergent, as well as each other.
Public sector
Teams delivering services to the public who need practical, accessible approaches they can use straight away.
We recently delivered a series of neurodiversity workshops for managers at a national charity.
The people behind ThriveND
CO-FOUNDER
Jessie Hewitson
Jessie is the SEND agony aunt for The Times and the author of Autism: How to Raise a Happy Autistic Child and ADHD: How to Raise a Happy ADHD Child. She leads ThriveND's work with families: the first call, the plan, and deciding which specialist, if any, a family needs. [Bio to be confirmed by Jessie.]
CO-FOUNDER
Alex Ardizzone
Alex leads ThriveND's operations, project delivery and strategy. She has more than 20 years' experience leading strategy and change programmes, including delivering projects alongside consulting firms, and founded the advisory practice Savvy Accounting in 2016. She oversees how ThriveND runs, from bookings to school projects.
Training is delivered by Jessie alongside experienced facilitators and speakers with lived experience of neurodivergence.
Talk to us about training
No obligation. Tell us about your team and we'll talk it through.
Household staff training (new page, priced as its own line). The updated mockup is identical to the earlier one. Buttons say "Book a private conversation" and go to the same free call link. [Confirm with Alex whether private enquiries should use the Calendly link or hello@thrivend.co.uk.]
Organisations / Household staff training
Training for private household staff
The whole household, prepared.
Nannies, governesses, house managers, drivers and security teams all spend time with your child. We train them together, around your child and your home, so everyone responds in the same calm, consistent way.
Who we train
Everyone who cares for, travels with or looks after your child.
Childcare
Nannies, governesses, maternity nurses and tutors.
Household
House managers, housekeepers, chefs and drivers.
Security and travel
Security teams and staff who travel with the family.
How it works
Four steps, shaped around your family.
Listen
A private conversation about your child, your routines and what has been hard.
Tailor
Training built around your child and your household, not an off-the-shelf course.
Train
Practical, scenario-based sessions for the whole team, at home or online.
Review
A follow-up to check what is working, and refreshers as needs or staff change.
What your team will learn
One consistent approach, at home and on the move
Training covers:
- How autism, ADHD and anxiety present
- Preventing and calming meltdowns
- Transitions, routines and school runs
- Mealtimes, sensory needs and travel
- One approach across the whole team
Handled in confidence, from the first conversation onwards.
Book a private conversationThe people behind ThriveND
CO-FOUNDER
Jessie Hewitson
Jessie is the SEND agony aunt for The Times and the author of Autism: How to Raise a Happy Autistic Child and ADHD: How to Raise a Happy ADHD Child. She leads ThriveND's work with families: the first call, the plan, and deciding which specialist, if any, a family needs. [Bio to be confirmed by Jessie.]
CO-FOUNDER
Alex Ardizzone
Alex leads ThriveND's operations, project delivery and strategy. She has more than 20 years' experience leading strategy and change programmes, including delivering projects alongside consulting firms, and founded the advisory practice Savvy Accounting in 2016. She oversees how ThriveND runs, from bookings to school projects.
Training is delivered by Jessie’s team of experienced specialists, including former headteachers and SEND consultants.
Book a private conversation
No obligation. Tell us about your family and we'll talk it through.
Work with a specialist (new page). Replaces the earlier Support for families mockup, so do not build that. Per Alex: no booking links for now, every button goes to the free call with Jessie. The line "Membership starts at £14.95 a month" is removed and only the See membership button stays, so the price lives on the Membership page only. The NEW label in the menu mockup is not shown on the site.
Families / Work with a specialist
One-to-one specialist support
The right specialist for your child, without the search.
Sometimes a family needs more than advice: time with someone who has deep experience of exactly what your child is facing. Jessie will introduce you to the right person from our specialist team, and only if you need them.
What our specialists cover
Sessions can be for you, for your child, or for the whole family.
Emotionally based school avoidance
When anxiety is making school feel impossible.
Demand avoidance (PDA)
Approaches that lower pressure and rebuild cooperation.
Sensory differences and regulation
Understanding sensory needs and what helps your child stay regulated.
Burnout and emotional wellbeing
Recognising burnout and supporting recovery at home.
Parenting support and family coaching
Practical strategies for routines, behaviour and family life.
Mentoring for young people
Sessions for your child or teenager, with someone who gets it.
Eating, ARFID and nutrition
Support with restricted or anxious eating.
Home education
Planning and support if your child is learning at home.
How it works
You don't need to work out who you need. That's Jessie's job.
Talk to Jessie
A free 30-minute call about your child, your family and what has been hard.
Meet the right specialist
If a specialist would help, Jessie introduces you to the right person and sends you their booking link.
Book and pay online
Choose a time that suits you. Sessions last 50 minutes and take place online.
Keep it joined up
For members, specialist sessions feed into your family's plan, so everyone is working in the same direction.
Home and school
We work directly with your child's school
Support works best when home and school are doing the same thing. With your agreement, your specialist can work with the school directly, so you are not left passing messages between the two.
Talking to the school
Your specialist can speak to your child's SENCO, class teacher or head of year about what is happening and what helps.
Joining school meetings
Your specialist can join a meeting with the school online, alongside you, to explain your child's needs and agree next steps.
Strategies the school can use
Practical, written strategies to share with staff, so your child gets the same approach in class as at home.
If the school already works with us
Some schools work with ThriveND directly. If yours does, your specialist can link up with the team already supporting the school.
Time spent with the school is booked and charged in the same way as a session. If you need help checking or challenging an EHCP or the support in place, see Is my child getting the right support?
Rates
Members pay less
Member rates for every specialist.
Non-members
You don't need to be a member to see a specialist. Member rate plus 15%.
Rates vary by specialist session, and Jessie will confirm the rate before you book.
See membershipThe people behind ThriveND
CO-FOUNDER
Jessie Hewitson
Jessie is the SEND agony aunt for The Times and the author of Autism: How to Raise a Happy Autistic Child and ADHD: How to Raise a Happy ADHD Child. She leads ThriveND's work with families: the first call, the plan, and deciding which specialist, if any, a family needs. [Bio to be confirmed by Jessie.]
CO-FOUNDER
Alex Ardizzone
Alex leads ThriveND's operations, project delivery and strategy. She has more than 20 years' experience leading strategy and change programmes, including delivering projects alongside consulting firms, and founded the advisory practice Savvy Accounting in 2016. She oversees how ThriveND runs, from bookings to school projects.
Behind Jessie is a team of specialists, including former headteachers, senior SENCOs and people who work with neurodivergent young people every day.
Not sure who you need? Book a free call
Start with a free 30-minute call with Jessie.
Book a free call
Or email: hello@thrivend.co.uk
Preview only. The live booking page and these questions sit in Calendly, not on the site. This shows Alex's draft as it will look to a parent, after they choose a date and time. The yellow "Suggested cut" tags mark the three questions I'd trim (child's first name, diagnosis, EHCP). Jessie is still reviewing the draft.
Jessie
Free 30-minute call
To help Jessie make the most of your call, please answer a few quick questions. Only share what you're comfortable with, and you can always tell Jessie more on the call.
1Phone number Optional
2Your child's first name OptionalSuggested cut
3Your child's age Required
4What would you most like help with? Required
- My child isn't going to school, or is struggling to go
- We've had a new diagnosis
- I'm not sure the support my child is getting is right
- Something else
5Does your child have a diagnosis? RequiredSuggested cut
- Autism
- ADHD
- Autism and ADHD
- Another diagnosis
- Being assessed or on a waiting list
- No diagnosis
- I'd rather discuss this on the call
6How is school at the moment? Required
- Attending full time
- Attending part time or on a reduced timetable
- Not currently attending
- Home educated
- Other
7Does your child have an EHCP? RequiredSuggested cut
- Yes
- Applied for, or in progress
- No
- Not sure
8In a few sentences, what's happening at the moment, and what would make this call useful for you? Optional
9How did you hear about us? Optional
10Privacy consent Required
- I've read the privacy notice and I'm happy for ThriveND to use these answers to prepare for my call.
Privacy notice
Wireframe note: the existing privacy page is swapped for Alex's new ThriveND version when she sends it. Same page address, so the footer links keep working. It should mention Calendly and the pre-call form.
Terms & cancellations
Wireframe note: swapped for Alex's new ThriveND terms when she sends them. The old NeuroUniverse version is saved before it is replaced.
Safeguarding
Wireframe note: linked in the schools footer in Alex's mockup. No content received yet, so ask whether this page is needed for launch.
Accessibility
Wireframe note: linked in the schools footer in Alex's mockup. No content received yet, so ask whether this page is needed for launch.