Today is the sixth birthday of Speros Consulting. We are a bespoke education and neurodiversity consultancy based in the UK but serving families worldwide.
My work is also focused on building authentic partnerships with parents and schools which stems from my doctoral research so that I can gain a deep understanding of the family and school systems within which the young person lives and grows. My focus is never on ‘fixing’ the young person as they do not need fixing. Rather, it is the environments around them which often require assistance and adjustment, and that is what I am here to help navigate and refine.
Whatever the educational challenge or dilemma which parents and young people bring, restoring calm and joy to life and learning is the goal.
What I couldn’t have anticipated was that the launch of the company would coincide with the first of the lockdowns, and initially I thought that interest in my work would be very quiet for a while. However, as weeks and months went by, more young people than before were struggling and so were parents, many who were witnessing their children’s struggles for the first time. In the end, this time led to many referrals with families asking for advice about what could be going on for their children and how to best support them.
Six years on, the word continues to spread and the scope and reach of the work continues to grow.
When families have educational dilemmas, questions or concerns, they are usually referred by leading specialists and schools but also by other parents. Often there may be confusion about what is going on for a young person and how to move forward. Perhaps their child has difficulty attending school, there is a school move or transition on the horizon, or they are struggling to show what they know in tests or exams. Perhaps the young person may have ADHD, be dyslexic, and/or is autistic, but there needs to be a more bespoke plan in place to support them at home and/or school. Very often too I see young people in complex situations where mental health challenges and known or suspected neurodivergence intersect. I also work alongside young people to enable them to thrive at university. Increasingly too, families are in touch who are seeking a different way for their child to learn, one which prioritises curiosity, engagement and is built around their strengths and interests.
The work is always bespoke and the number of cases I take on continues to be intentionally small. Yet it remains powered by the same unwavering belief in the potential of every young person, switching the focus to bring their strengths into the light – they are always there when you care to look – whilst gently scaffolding areas of need or misunderstanding. And it continues to genuinely be a privilege.
