Belonging Begins Here: A Neurodiversity-Affirming Journey in the Early Years

By Cheryl Warren

I am currently working with nurseries and early years settings in a range of ways, including training and consultancy, as well as an ongoing relationship as their SEND consultant. Sharing my passion, commitment and experiences from 30 years in early years education and as a parent of two neurodivergent children. I work across the UK and internationally and have won a national award for my work. I have a podcast and am currently writing a book with Routledge Education.

There is a real movement to empower all those who care for children who may present difference, to grow to be neurodiversity affirming educators and I cannot wait to work with you.
My passion is to inform and enable acceptance of all our children no matter their strengths or differences. We need to enable them to become who they want to be, removing barriers and meeting them where they are. I credit my two amazing young sons who show me everyday that life is for living and being who you truly are, in order to reach for the stars.

Every child deserves to feel safe, seen, and celebrated for who they are. Yet for many neurodivergent children, early years settings can still feel confusing, overwhelming, or even unsafe, not because educators don’t care, but because the world has so often misunderstood difference.

As early years professionals, we’re in a powerful position to change that story. The way we see and respond to children, the language we use, the environments we create, and the goals we set, can make all the difference between a child feeling misunderstood and a child feeling they truly belong.

That’s what my upcoming Neurodiversity in the Early Years Webinar Series is all about: helping educators, childminders, and leaders build the understanding, confidence, and compassion needed to create spaces where every child can thrive just as they are.

Block 1: Understanding Neurodiversity and Creating Sensory-Safe Spaces

Our first block of webinars focuses on laying the foundations, understanding what neurodiversity really means and how it shows up in everyday early years life.

We’ll begin with An Introduction to Neurodiversity in the Early Years & Becoming a Neurodiversity-Affirming Educator, exploring how we can move away from a “what’s wrong” mindset towards one of genuine curiosity and celebration of difference. It’s about shifting from seeing behaviours as problems to seeing them as communication, a child’s way of showing us how they’re experiencing the world.

From there, we’ll journey into Our 8 Sensory Systems. Most of us were taught about just five senses, but our sensory world is far richer and more complex. Understanding proprioception, vestibular input and interoception helps us see why some children seek certain sensations while others avoid them and how we can support them to feel calm, safe, and regulated throughout the day.

Finally, we’ll bring everything together in Creating Safe Sensory Environments & Understanding Neurodivergent Behaviours. This is where the “why” meets the “how.” You’ll gain practical strategies for designing inclusive spaces that reduce overwhelm, support self-regulation, and nurture genuine connection.

So often, when we begin to make these shifts, we notice that children start to relax, engage, and flourish and because they feel understood. And once they feel safe, everything else, learning, play and communication, begins to unfold naturally.

Block 2: Building Connection and Collaboration

The second block of webinars is all about deepening connection, with children, colleagues, and families.

We’ll start with Play, Connection, Interaction and Engagement with Neurodivergent Children, exploring how play can become a bridge for communication and co-regulation. When we slow down, follow a child’s lead, and join their world with respect and joy, we create the conditions for trust and growth.

Next, we’ll look at Creating Neuroaffirming Goals and Targets. Too often, targets focus on fixing or normalising children rather than honouring who they are. In this session, we’ll reimagine what meaningful progress looks like, focusing on connection, autonomy, and emotional wellbeing as measures of success.

Our final webinar, Effective Collaboration with Parents and Families of Neurodivergent Children, brings everything full circle. Families are the experts on their children. When we work in true partnership, listening without judgement, sharing insights, and walking alongside, we create powerful support networks around every child.

How does this link to the EEF Evidence Store

The Neurodiversity in the Early Years Webinar Series aligns closely with the EEF’s evidence-based priorities for high-quality early years practice, particularly in the following areas:

1. Feeling Safe, Seen and Understood

The EEF highlights that emotional security and relationships are central to children’s ability to learn.

Children thrive when adults build warm, responsive relationships that make them feel safe and valued.
The Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED) evidence stresses the importance of trust, emotional attunement, and belonging for engagement and wellbeing.
When children feel secure and understood, they are more likely to explore, communicate and engage in learning — echoing your message that “once they feel safe, everything else unfolds naturally.”

2. Understanding and Supporting Behaviour

EEF evidence on self-regulation shows that supporting children’s ability to manage emotions, attention and behaviour leads to improved learning and wellbeing outcomes (+3–5 months on average).
The most effective approaches combine adult modelling, co-regulation, and consistent routines — aligning closely with your focus on seeing behaviour as communication and designing calm, sensory-safe spaces.
Approaches that reduce stress and overstimulation improve self-regulation and attention, particularly for children with sensory differences.

3. Communication and Connection

The EEF’s Communication and Language strand shows very strong evidence (+7 months additional progress) for high-quality adult–child interaction, shared attention, and responsive talk.
When practitioners “follow the child’s lead” in play, it mirrors the EEF’s recommendation for interactive, child-centred communication, especially beneficial for children with communication differences.

4. Inclusive, Reflective Practice

The EEF’s implementation guidance stresses that the quality of adult understanding and reflection is key.
Professional development that builds practitioners’ confidence to adapt environments and language to children’s individual needs has the strongest, most sustained impact.
This aligns with your series’ focus on reflective, compassionate educators who rethink goals and environments rather than trying to “fix” children.

Learning That Inspires Real Change

Each webinar is live, interactive, and full of reflective discussion. You’ll come away with not only practical strategies but also a renewed sense of purpose, a reminder of why you came into this profession and how much impact you can have simply by showing up with empathy and curiosity.

A Movement Towards Belonging

Neurodiversity-affirming practice isn’t about getting everything perfect overnight. It’s about small, meaningful shifts, a gentler tone, a rethought environment, a new perspective on behaviour, that ripple outwards and create lasting change.

The more we understand, the more compassionate we become. And when compassion leads, connection follows. I’d love for you to join me on this journey, to deepen your understanding, spark fresh reflection, and help every child in your care feel safe, valued, and understood.

Hear more from Cheryl by signing up to our ‘Neurodiversity in Early Years Network’