SEND Parents & Carers
Emotional support, practical guidance and community for parents navigating the SEND journey.
Speaker | SEND & Inclusion Advocate | Wellness Educator | Cultural Awareness Trainer
Supporting SEND Families, Schools & Communities To Thrive
Holistic wellbeing, lived experience and practical support to help families and professionals move from overwhelm to confidence, connection and clarity.
Current focus
Holistic wellbeing, lived experience and practical support to help families and professionals move from overwhelm to confidence, connection and clarity.
Speaker•SEND & Inclusion Advocate•Wellness Educator•Cultural Awareness Trainer
Lived ExperienceSEND SupportCPD TrainingSpeaking & WorkshopsParent CommunityCultural Awareness
Parents
supported with practical, emotionally intelligent guidance
Schools
equipped with more inclusive SEND language and practice
Teams
invited into deeper conversations around culture and wellbeing
Who I Support
Warm, practical support across the people carrying this work.
Schools & Educators
Training, workshops and consultancy to build inclusive, wellbeing-centred school cultures.
Organisations & Community Groups
Speaking, training and consultancy to support inclusion, cultural awareness and family wellbeing.
How I Can Support You
Support That Feels Human, Practical And Informed.
Support for parents, schools and organisations designed to create steadier people, safer systems and more confident next steps.
Compassionate support when the load feels relentless.
- 1:1 wellbeing sessions
- Emotional resilience tools
- SEND system guidance
- The Parent Tree community
- Support with overwhelm and isolation
Training that strengthens culture as well as practice.
- CPD-accredited training
- Cultural barriers in SEND
- Gut-brain wellbeing
- Inclusive practice
- Support for SENCOs and leadership teams
Speaking and workshops with warmth, authority and clarity.
- Keynote speaking
- Bespoke workshops
- Inclusion consultancy
- Family-centred support
- Community wellbeing events
Meet Sharleen
A speaker, advocate and parent bringing lived experience into every room she enters.
Sharleen DaCosta is a speaker, advocate and parent raising a child with SEND. Through lived experience and a holistic, trauma-informed approach, she helps parents, schools and professionals break down cultural barriers, build understanding and create emotionally safe environments for children with special needs to thrive.
Featured Work
The spaces people most often step into first.
Not Sure Where To Start?
Find your support pathway.
A simple way to see which kind of support may serve you best right now.
1. I am a...
2. My biggest challenge is...
3. I prefer...
Recommended next step
Book a 1:1 wellbeing session
Private, practical support for parents carrying a lot.
Speaking Topic Explorer
Topics that open hearts and move rooms.
Explore the conversations Sharleen is most often invited to lead across schools, organisations and community spaces.
Selected topic
Cultural Barriers in SEND
Who it is for
Schools, family hubs, community organisations, conference audiences
What the audience learns
How stigma, race, bias and silence shape access to support — and what more inclusive practice looks like.
Ideal format
Keynote, panel, staff workshop
Workshop / CPD Enquiry Builder
Plan the right session for your school or organisation.
This is an enquiry request — not an instant booking — so the support can be shaped around your audience, format and goals.
The Parent Tree
A nurturing monthly community for SEND parents to feel seen, supported and strengthened.
Built around safe space, shared lived experience, practical tools, emotional resilience and real community connection.
- Safe space
- Shared lived experience
- Practical tools
- Emotional resilience
- Community connection
Resources / Free Guide
Free Guide For SEND Parents
5 Ways To Support Your SEND Child’s Wellbeing
A warm, practical starting point for parents and carers who need something steady, readable and useful right now.
Testimonials
Trusted because the work feels deeply human.
“Sharleen’s session changed the way our team understood SEND stigma in our community.”
Let's talk
Ready to feel supported or bring this work into your space?
Whether you're a parent, a school leader or an organisation, I'd love to hear where you are and where you'd like to be.
