Kayleigh Fearn

Discovering that your child may be self-harming can feel frightening, confusing, and deeply overwhelming. Many parents immediately ask themselves: Why would my child do this? or What have I missed? But self-harm is rarely about attention-seeking or manipulation. More often, it is a coping strategy, a way for a young person to manage emotional pain that feels unbearable, confusing, or impossible to express. In When Your Child Self Harms, Natasha Devon and contributors explore the emotional...

When a child’s behaviour challenges us, whether it’s aggression, withdrawal, running away, or complete shutdown, it’s easy to feel confused, frustrated, or even personally targeted. But behaviour is almost always about survival, not sabotage. Children are not trying to manipulate, control, or make life difficult. They are responding to something that feels unsafe, overwhelming, or out of their control. When we begin to see behaviour through this lens, our responses and the outcomes can change...

If you’re supporting a child who can’t go to school, you’ve probably heard phrases like: “They just need to go in.” “You have to be firmer.” “They’ll be fine once they’re there.” But what if none of that fits your child? What if the truth is much harder, and much more important to understand? Can’t vs Won’t One of the most important things to understand is this: Can’t and won’t are not the same thing. When a child won’t go to school, it suggests choice.When a child can’t go, it means...