Mindroom

It's ADHD Awareness Month. In 2026, let's turn awareness into action. Here are three things many children and young people with ADHD find helpful:

1️⃣ Clear routines and visual reminders. Picture charts, checklists and timers can make the day feel more predictable.
2️⃣ Breaking tasks into smaller steps. "Get ready for school" becomes "shoes, coat, bag" one step at a time.
3️⃣ Time to move. Short movement breaks can help with focus, whether that's a walk, a stretch or a fidget toy.

Every child is different, so start by asking them what helps.

What works in your family? Share your tips below 👇

Thinking about getting in touch with Mindroom but not sure what happens next?

Whether you’re looking for support, have a question about neurodiversity, or want to find out more about what Mindroom does, there are a few different ways to get in touch.

You can contact the Direct Help and Support Service by:
📧 [email protected]
📞 0131 370 6730
💬 07961 399080

You can also get in touch if you’re a professional looking for more information, interested in training, or would like to find out how you can support Mindroom.

Our team is here to listen, answer questions and help you find out what support might be available.

👉 Find all our contact details and ways to get in touch: www.mindroom.org/contact-us/

One of the most meaningful parts of our work is hearing directly from the families we support about the difference that having someone to turn to can make.

A grandparent who contacted Mindroom on behalf of their granddaughter shared their experience in our recent Impact Report. After her granddaughter’s autism and FASD diagnosis, the family were struggling to understand what she needed and how best to support her.

They told us: “I had no real idea what to expect when I contacted your service on behalf of my granddaughter, but we were struggling.”

With support, their granddaughter found her voice, embraced her neurodivergence and was able to re-enter education after a long time away. Her journey continues, but as her grandparent told us, she now knows she can reach out for support if and when she needs it.

Thank you to this family for sharing their experience with us.

A big thank you to Catriona at The Scotsman and Scotland on Sunday for speaking with our CEO Alan Thornburrow and helping to share the findings from our recent Holding It All Together research into the workplace experiences of parents and carers of neurodivergent children.

As Alan says in the article: “We heard increasingly this story of parents and carers who were juggling a whole lot of unseen issues under the waterline, and that was becoming increasingly loud. What we have found has been quite alarming in terms of the extent of the challenges people are facing. This is a body of people who, in a workplace context, are not heard or understood yet.

"Our research highlights the experiences of parents and carers who are balancing employment alongside caring responsibilities, and the need for greater understanding and support in workplaces."

Read the full article in The Scotsman and visit our website to read the Holding It All Together report: www.scotsman.com/education/nearly-all-working-parents-caring-for-neurodiverse-children-say-their-mental-health-has-suffered-8922348

Are you a parent or carer of a neurodivergent child/young person?

Mindroom, the University of Edinburgh and NHS Lothian have partnered on a project to improve access to support for neurodivergent children and young people (including those on assessment waiting lists). As part of this, we're gathering information about support that is currently available.

Please share a support that’s helped your child/family - maybe a sleep app, a neurodiversity podcast, or a group to help anxiety. Sharing a support only takes a few minutes and will help improve what’s available for others. Tell us about it here: https://edin.ac/4q9cFS2

Join the Mindroom team as we enter an exciting new stage of development to reach even more neurodivergent children, young people, and their families across Scotland. If you are passionate about delivering person-centred support, we want to hear from you!

Our Whole Family Support Fund programme will establish seven Mindroom hubs in Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Dundee, the Lothians, Dumfries and Galloway, and the Highlands and Islands. As part of our dynamic team, you will play an essential role in delivering our strengths-based, trauma-informed support services to families with neurodivergent children. Our work is grounded in lived experience, mutual respect, and evidence-backed practice.

We are currently recruiting for the following roles:

- Family Advisors

- Senior Family Advisors

- Regional Team Leaders

- Money Advisor

- Group Facilitator

- Training and Consultancy Manager

Visit our website to find out more: https://www.mindroom.org/about-us/careers/

We welcome applications from candidates with lived experience of neurodivergence and/or as carers of neurodivergent children.

What does an inclusive classroom look like? ✏️

For neurodivergent pupils, small changes in the learning environment can make a meaningful difference to how comfortable, confident and able they feel at school.

Inclusive education can involve things like clear communication, flexibility around how pupils learn and take part, access to appropriate sensory support, and creating an environment where different ways of thinking and communicating are understood.

It’s also about recognising that every pupil is different. What helps one young person may not work for another, which is why listening to pupils and understanding their individual needs is so important.

This National Inclusion Week, with this year’s theme “Build Trust. Navigate Change.”, we’re highlighting the importance of creating learning environments where all kinds of minds can participate and thrive.

If you’re a teacher or education professional, explore Mindroom’s resources and support for neurodivergent children and young people: www.mindroom.org/help-and-support/professionals/

In 2025, Mindroom’s Parent and Carer Service received 1,051 initial enquiries from families looking for guidance around education, health, mental health, rights and transitions.

While families came to us with a wide range of concerns, education was the most common reason for contact, with 1,077 enquiries relating to navigating schools, support plans and rights.

Health was the second-largest area, with 544 enquiries. These weren’t simply general health questions, but included families looking for support around mental health, emotional wellbeing and understanding what neurodivergence means for their child and their family.

Our team provides one-to-one guidance at every stage, from that first uncertain phone call to challenging decisions and preparing for important meetings.

If you’re a parent or carer looking for support, find out more about our Parent and Carer Services: www.mindroom.org/help-and-support/parents-and-carers/

We’d love to hear from you! 💭

Everyone's experience of neurodiversity is different, and hearing from families, carers and neurodivergent people helps us understand what matters to the people we support.

Maybe there’s something you wish you'd known earlier, a piece of support that made a difference, or something you’d like others to understand about your experience.

What would you like to share?

Tell us in the comments or get in touch with the Mindroom team: www.mindroom.org/get-involved/share-your-story/