Understanding your child’s development

Are you concerned about your child’s development?

Want to understand more about how you can help them?

Are you concerned that your child is not developing like other children their age? Whatever your concerns or questions are, we will support you in laying a firm foundation to understanding your child’s needs. This is a three-week evidence-based course – each session will be about three hours – allowing plenty of time for questions and conversation. Ideally, you attend all of the sessions as we will build on our knowledge each week as we go through the sessions.  We will look at:-

Communication  

What do we mean by communication?

• Parent and child interaction.
• Play.
• Intensive interaction.
• Improving Attention.
• Getting started with Visual Aids.

Understanding your child’s sensory needs

Our senses explained.

• What is sensory processing?
• Our eight senses.

What do we mean by sensory differences? 

• Self-regulation. 
• Strategies that may help if you feel your child is struggling.

Understanding your child’s behaviour

• What is behaviour?
• What is it’s purpose?
• Knowing your ABCs.
• Building on strengths.
• Realistic expectations/emotions.
• Strategies.
• Rewards.

Understanding your child’s sleep

• Why sleep is important.
• How much sleep do we need?
• Circadian rhythms.
• Sleep cycles.
• Developing good sleep habits.
• Common problems.
• Sleep improvement ideas.

Next Steps

• Toilet training.
• Local services to support you and your family.
• SEND support nationally and locally. 
• Will your child need support at nursery or school?
• Who is your team?

At the end of each session, you will be provided with a brief summary of topics that were discussed and links to other resources that may help you.

If opting for a day time course, this will be run over three weeks, combining sessions 1&2 and 3&4. If opting for an evening course, this will be run over five weeks.

If you feel that this will benefit you and your child, then please contact Nicky Bourne or Libby Butcher, SEND Health Practitioners 0-19 Service (Health visitors and school nurses) by emailing [email protected].  Please include your child’s name and date of birth so that we can ensure that we are able to record your interest.

Course dates 2026