My name is Sonia. I know what it feels like to walk into a school meeting as a parent — nervous, prepared, hoping this time they'll really listen. I also know what it looks like from the other side of that table — the pressures teachers are under, the language they use, the things they don't always say out loud.  That dual perspective is what makes ND Proud different. I'm not just offering empathy — though there's plenty of that. I'm offering inside knowledge. And I want to put it entirely in your corner. 

My daughter is neurodiverse. Our journey together has taught me more than any professional qualification ever could — the exhaustion of fighting for a child who experiences the world differently, the grief, the joy, the moments of absolute wonder, and the fury when systems designed to support children fail them instead.  But it also showed me what's possible when parents are informed, empowered and not afraid to take up space.  Our daughter was preverbal. We found our way to connection and communication together — through real-life photo communication boards I made myself, through storyboards built around her daily world, through PECS, play-based approaches and learning to read her sensory signals and behaviour as the language they truly are. 

She is also a Gestalt Language Processor — she acquires language in chunks and scripts rather than word by word. Once I understood that, everything shifted. Personalised social stories, written around her real world and her own phrases, became one of the most powerful tools we found. They still are. 

Over 20 years working inside the education system — as a teacher, a senior school leader, and an education consultant in inner London secondary schools — I've seen what good looks like, and I've seen the gaps. I know how schools make decisions, what they respond to, and how parents can advocate powerfully without burning themselves out.  I've worked with other families navigating the same journey, sharing those strategies and co-creating practical solutions that respect each child's unique profile.

What I offer is not a one-size-fits-all checklist. It's pragmatic, lived expertise: tools you can use tomorrow in the classroom meeting, at IEP time, in the grocery store, and at bedtime.  If you're tired of feeling unheard, ND Proud is here to help you advocate with clarity and confidence. I'll walk with you, share the exact strategies that worked for my daughter, and help you build an approach that fits your child. 

Because every child's pathway to connection and learning deserves respect, understanding, and practical support. 

Sonia

Founder, ND Proud