Jack’s family connected with Learning Space while he was waiting for an autism assessment. At age nine, he was finding it hard to manage his emotions because his Autism and ADHD had not yet been identified. Following several exclusions, Jack had begun to believe he was “a bad boy”, while his parents felt blamed and alone.

“The Learning Space team have been a massive part of our lives… your support and guidance has been a small light in a very dark tunnel.” — Jack’s parent

How we helped

We built trust through playful, sensory and strengths-based sessions tailored to Jack’s neurodivergent needs. These included Question Jenga, strength cards and sensory salt jars linked to his personal qualities.

Jack had previously learned to think of his body as a train engine: “engine high” when fast, overwhelmed or overstimulated; “engine low” when tired, flat or shut down; and “engine just right”. This gave him a helpful way to notice what was happening in his body without seeing emotions as “good” or “bad”.

Together, we used this familiar language to help Jack identify early signs of dysregulation, understand how Autism and ADHD can affect body cues, and practise strategies to help his engine return to “just right”.

We also created a personalised regulation toolkit, including movement and sensory breaks, fidget tools, chewing and oral sensory input, cool water and cold drinks for grounding, and predictable routines with visual supports. Jack’s mum joined every session, helping the same approaches to be used at home.

Working together with school

We worked closely with Jack’s school so that everyone could use the same language and strategies. Jack created puppet-made “good day/bad day” videos, giving him a playful and accessible way to share his needs with teachers.

Alongside staff, we identified points in the school day where sensory breaks, transition support and engine-check strategies could help prevent overwhelm. This brought greater consistency across home, school and Learning Space.

The difference it made

Using Goal Based Outcomes, a simple 1–10 scale showing how well things are going from the child’s perspective  (10 being the best things can be) Jack reported:

• Self-esteem improved from 3 → 9
• Emotional regulation increased from 2 → 7

Jack now has a better understanding of himself, feels calmer and more confident, and can express what he needs. His parents feel supported, informed and connected, while school staff have clear strategies to help his day go more successfully.

“After being told for years it was my parenting, I finally feel hopeful for the future.” — Jack’s parent