Key Takeaways:

• Predictability Matters: Building a predictable environment can significantly reduce stress for neurodivergent teens as they start a new school year.
• Collaborative Support Systems: Engage teens in their support planning, which increases their comfort and trust in their school environment.
• Focus on Emotional Regulation: Prioritise emotional well-being over academic performance to help teens cope with sensory overload and daily pressures.
• Understanding Over Fixing: Embrace a mindset of curiosity and understanding rather than trying to fix perceived problems in teens' behaviors.
• Home as a Safe Space: Ensure home remains a haven for recovery and support after the school day, helping teens decompress effectively.

Notable Quotes:

• "Predictability might look a little bit like getting back into sleep routines like we learned last week."
• "The key is collaboration, not control."
• "When school starts, it's easy to focus on their marks, but for our neurodivergent teens, emotional regulation really comes first."
• "You don't need to turn your teen into someone else to help them succeed at school."
• "When teens feel understood rather than managed, their stress drops and their capacity rises."