Safe Enough to Thrive: Supporting Neurodivergent Young People

What drives anxiety in neurodivergent young people, and what actually helps? This session introduced a practical framework for understanding what they need to feel genuinely safe and regulated. We explored five domains (physical, emotional, social, cognitive, and sensory safety) with concrete strategies for each, alongside the critical question of what it means to be the calm, regulating adult they need. This wasn’t about adding more to anyone’s plate; it was about creating conditions where anxiety is less likely in the first place, reducing what goes into the invisible backpack of accumulated stress that neurodivergent young people carry throughout the day.

Learning outcomes:

• Understand what drives anxiety in neurodivergent young people
• Create physical, emotional and social safety through practical adjustments and routines
• Support cognitive safety by making mistakes feel safe and reducing fear of failure
• Meet sensory needs in ways that support regulation and reduce overwhelm
• Be the calm, regulating adult neurodivergent young people need
• Work together across your setting or service to create consistent safety