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A practical, parent-focused workshop designed for the busy, curious toddler years. As little ones start to explore, climb, and test boundaries, this session helps you feel calm and confident responding to the bumps, burns, and unexpected moments that come with it. You’ll learn how to manage common injuries and emergencies with clear, simple guidance you can actually use at home - real-life first aid for real-life parenting.

A practical, parent-focused workshop designed for the busy and increasingly independent primary years. As children grow in confidence, spend more time away from home, and take on new activities, this session helps you feel prepared for a wider range of situations. You’ll learn how to respond to common injuries and emergencies with clear, simple guidance you can actually use - real-life first aid for real-life parenting.

A FREE 30 minute discovery call to see if we can help you with your research consultancy needs.

At RECAP, one of our core aims is to make research more accessible to families. Behind every study are passionate researchers working to better understand children, learning, development, and family life. In our Research Spotlight  series, we introduce the people behind the research - sharing their work, insights, and why their findings matter in the real world for parents and carers. Today's work is from: Dr Poppy Gibson, Lecturer in Education, The Open University Dr Sagun Shrestha, Research Associate, The Open University Helena Staszkiewicz, Associate Lecturer, The Open University Did You Know? ➤  Collaborative tasks can lessen feelings of isolation that distance learning sometimes brings (Yu, 2020). ➤ However, Venter (2024) found that students are not always positive about online group work. ➤  Anxiety can be caused by having to be dependent on others to achieve a desired outcome but also students may worry about letting others down (Hilliard et al., 2020). What was the research looking at? Distance learning can be a flexible, more manageable way to study online without the need to attend a campus each day. But how do students feel when group work is introduced and expected as part of their distance learning course? Collaborative activities develop the ability to work as part of a team; this is seen as an important skill in the workplace (Hilliard et al, 2020), and often the hope is that navigating these group dynamics can be a useful tool to take forward into other settings. This project wanted to offer insight into real lived experiences of distance learning students, to find out their perceived benefits and challenges of having to work with others in online spaces, with the hope of gathering understanding to inform planning at module level for those designing learning activities. How did you conduct your research? Funded by The Praxis Scholarship Hub at the Open University, this project explored the experiences of six adult students when collaborating online. After obtaining ethical approval, students were recruited through an email advert. The six students took part in two online group activities where they had to work together to create a presentation and a science activity, and then each student had a 1:1 online interview with the researchers to understand more about their lived experiences of working with peers online. Through an interpretative lens, this research project used thematic analysis to draw out perceived barriers and challenges that students felt when collaborating online with various tools. What are your key findings? The key positives of online group working that emerged from the data are: Students found forum discussions an easy way to build on what others had said in a way that encourages thoughtful interaction. The chance to meet someone new and learn from them. The development of empathy and understanding from hearing other students’ experiences. Issues around collaborative activities that emerged from the data are: Lack of participation from some members. Difficulty in establishing communication. Taking time to decide which tool or platform to use. Any recommendations? The researchers suggest that tutors can help to support distance learners if collaborative work is set, through these strategies: 1. Longer planning in collaborative activities; give students more time for group tasks than independent tasks to factor in the necessary time for the initial communications to happen before the work can begin. 2. The findings suggest students prefer being instructed on which tool or platform to use, rather than having a choice, as this creates another group decision to navigate. 3. Where possible, tutors should give structured guidance and steps as to how the group may want to approach the project, such as ideal deadlines for which different parts of the activity should be completed, which can help things run more smoothly.   Your final word …  Working on projects like this help us advancing inclusive practices and promoting outcomes for our learners. We can only do this if we hear voices of the learners themselves and listen to their lived experiences. What are the skills and values that can be developed through online collaboration in distance learning? Tell us in the comments References and Recommended reading: Hilliard, J., Kear, K., Donelan, H., & Heaney, C. (2020). Students’ experiences of anxiety in an assessed, online, collaborative project. Computers & Education, 143, 103675. Venter, A. (2024) ‘Exploring the downside to student online collaborations’, The Independent Journal of Teaching and Learning , 19(1), pp. 64–78. Available at: https://doi.org/10.17159/ijtl.v19i1.18853 . Yu, E. (2020) ‘Student-Inspired Optimal Design of Online Learning for Generation Z Student-Inspired Optimal Design of Online Learning for Generation Z’, The journal of educators online, 17(1).

When we talk about neurodiversity in education, the conversation often centres around policies, diagnoses, or support plans. But behind every policy discussion are families navigating the day-to-day realities of school life. While writing my upcoming book, Neurodiversity Through the Educational Years (Due to be released by Emerald Publishing later this year - more details soon!) , I spoke with families whose experiences span early years, primary school, secondary school, alternative provision, and transitions into adulthood. Their stories reveal something important: The challenges neurodivergent children face in education are rarely about ability. They are far more often about the fit . Here are a few of the patterns that emerged. When Struggle Is Invisible One of the most prevalent themes across the stories was how often children’s difficulties were missed in the early years. Many children appeared to be coping on the surface. They were quiet, compliant, or academically able. Teachers saw children who were working hard and behaving well. But families often saw a different picture at home. Children came home absolutely exhausted. They experienced anxiety, meltdowns, or shutdowns after holding everything together at school. This phenomenon is often described as masking  - when a child suppresses their natural responses in order to fit into an environment that feels difficult or overwhelming. The problem is that masking can make children appear to be coping, which delays understanding and support. The silence they present can be mistaken for being fine . Compliance to the rules at school can be mistaken for being fine . Thriving academically and reaching educational milestones can be mistaken for being... you guessed it... fine ! Behaviour Is Often a Signal, Not a Problem Another theme that emerged repeatedly was how behaviour is interpreted by others. Many families described situations where their child’s distress was seen as defiance or disruption rather than communication. Yet when you look more closely at these situations, the behaviour often made sense. Children were overwhelmed by noise. They struggled with unpredictable routines, and they were navigating sensory overload or social confusion. When behaviour is treated purely as something to correct, the underlying need can remain unaddressed. A neurodiversity-affirming approach encourages us to ask a different question: What is this behaviour telling us about the environment or the child’s needs? Families Become Advocates Across the stories in the book, families often found themselves becoming advocates - sometimes unexpectedly. Parents described learning new terminology, researching support pathways, attending meetings, and navigating complex systems simply to access the help their child needed. This advocacy was rarely something families wanted. It was something they felt they had to do. When support systems are difficult to navigate or slow to respond, families often become the bridge between their child’s needs and the system that is meant to support them. Over time, this advocacy can become emotionally exhausting. Thriving Happens When Environments Change Despite the challenges many families described, there were also powerful stories of success. Children who had struggled in one environment often thrived in another. This might be: a specialist provision an additionally resourced provision within mainstream school alternative education pathways home education flexible or blended timetables What these environments often shared was not lower expectations, but greater flexibility. Smaller class sizes. Staff trained in neurodiversity. A willingness to adapt learning environments and routines. When the conditions changed, many children who had previously been struggling became engaged learners again. Neurodiversity Is Not the Problem Perhaps the most important lesson from these family stories is this: Neurodivergent children do not struggle because they are incapable of learning. They struggle when environments expect everyone to learn, behave, and process the world in the same way. When education systems recognise and accommodate difference, something remarkable happens. Children who once felt overwhelmed begin to participate and their confidence slowly returns. - the learning becomes possible again. Moving the Conversation Forward Supporting neurodivergent learners requires more than awareness. It requires environments that are flexible enough to respond to different ways of thinking, learning, and experiencing the world. That means: earlier recognition of need better training for educators listening to families and designing systems that adapt to children - not the other way around! Because when environments change, outcomes change too. And the stories in this book make one thing clear: Thriving is not about fixing neurodivergent children - it is about creating conditions where they can flourish. Stay connected with RECAP If this topic resonated with you, you can follow RECAP  on social media where we regularly share research-informed insights, practical parenting support, and conversations that bridge the gap between academic research and everyday family life. You’ll also be the first to hear about new resources, podcast episodes, and updates on the upcoming book. 📱 Follow RECAP to stay in the loop: https://linktr.ee/LucieWheeler

This innovative project has ten team members, and uses a co-researchers model with four students as researchers. The team is composed of: 1.      Anna Judd-Yelland (PI) 2.      Dr Paula Addison-Pettit 3.      Mel Green 4.       Dr Carlos Montoro  5.      Catherine Carden 6.      Dr Poppy Gibson 7.      Eunice Acheampomaa (student co-researcher) 8.      Joanne Sandhu (student co-researcher) 9.       Ricky O'Connor (student co-researcher) 10. Catherine Newport (student co-researcher) Did You Know? ➤ The hidden curriculum in education has been shown to most impact racially minoritised students. ➤ Nguyen, Rienties and Richardson (2019) analysed the learning analytics of students and found that Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) students were 19-79% less likely to complete, pass or gain an excellent grade in comparison to white students despite spending 4-12% more time studying. ➤ Uneven levels of or a total lack of assessment support and preparation, when accompanied by different modes of assessment, often left racially marginalized students unprepared. What was the research was looking at? Have you heard about the idea of a ‘hidden curriculum’ in education? ➤ The hidden curriculum refers to the unintended lessons, values, and norms that students learn through social interactions and the overall environment of the school, rather than through formal teaching from an agreed curriculum. ➤ This research project, funded by PRAXIS Scholarship, explores how the Campbell and Duke’s  Racially Inclusive Practice (RIPIAG) framework can be used to support university students who enrol in distance learning . The framework has been designed to address the hidden curriculum of assessment and uneven levels of assessment preparation in studying that has been found to most impact racially minoritised students.  ➤Gutman and Younas (2024) have highlighted the importance of adopting holistic approaches to supporting students online.  This project responds directly to this call by working with the learning design team to investigate what racially inclusive practice looks like, and explore what works in terms of student experience, engagement, progression and retention. ➤Through the application of elements of the RIPIAG framework and other methods of revealing the hidden curriculum throughout the student experience of a module at university level, the project will strengthen student-tutor partnerships and contribute to equitable outcomes.  ➤The project aims to contribute to the reduction in the Black awarding gap through improving the retention, assessment submission, assessment scores, pass rates and positive student experiences for Black students in an online distance learning context. How did you conduct your research?   This mixed-methods project combines qualitative ‘Listening Rooms’ data, quantitative Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) dashboard data, and survey data from surveys sent to university students. ➤The Listening Rooms methodology (Parkin and Heron, 2022) is a qualitative research approach, especially in higher education, where friends have recorded conversations about their lived experiences using researcher-designed prompts, capturing authentic, peer-to-peer insights on themes like belonging or success. These conversations are recorded and transcribed by the researchers, using thematic analysis to draw out themes. ➤One strength of this method is that we can see how Listening Rooms offer the opportunity to reveal true participant voices outside power dynamics such as in a 1:1 interview between researcher and participant. Listening Rooms focus on generating rich data by creating a safe, private space for deep, personal sharing, often revealing nuanced perspectives on challenges like student support or diversity. ➤Through combined analysis of the survey responses, the listening room transcriptions, and the dashboard data from the university, insight and understanding will be gained. What are your key findings? This project is still in process, until Summer 2026. Any recommendations? ➤ One key takeaway for researchers we would like to highlight is the value of students as co-researchers. Having four students on our team has offered great value when designing survey tools, for example, and checking that questions are fit for purpose and have the clarity for participants. ➤ The Listening Rooms methodology is a creative way to gather student opinions and experiences without the need for direct interviewing; consider this as a tool in your next qualitative project!     Your final word …  Working on projects like this help us advance inclusive practices and promote outcomes for our learners. We can only do this if we hear voices of the learners themselves and listen to their lived experiences. How can we continue to ensure that the nuances of the ‘hidden curriculum’ do not disadvantage students? Tell us in the comments References & Recommended reading: Addison-Pettit, P., Green, M., and Henry, F. (2025), An exploration of staff perspectives about anti-racist and inclusive assessment (ARIA) in ECYS,  PRAXIS,    Aggleton, J. (2025), Optionality in assessment on E209, PRAXIS,  Breeze & Rizvi, (2023), Exploring the study journey of level three female students from South Asian backgrounds, PRAXIS,  Bell, D. (1995). ‘Who's afraid of critical race theory?’.  University of Illinois Law Review , 1995(4), 893-910.  Bonilla-Silva, E. (2018).  Racism without racists: Color-blind racism and the persistence of racial inequality in America  (5th ed.). Rowman & Littlefield.  Campbell, P., & Duke, B. (2023). An Evaluation of the Racially Inclusive Practice in Assessment Guidance Intervention on Students’ and Staffs’ Experiences of Assessment in HE: A Multi-University Case Study (Version 1). University of Leicester.  https://doi.org/10.25392/leicester.data.23579565.v1  (Accessed: 21 January 2026). Campbell, P. I. Hawkins, C. & Osman, S. (2021)  Tackling Racial Inequalities in Assessment in Higher Education: A Multi-Disciplinary Case Study .  Available at:  https://researchportal.port.ac.uk/files/80673353/Tackling_Racial_Inequalities_in_Assessment_in_HE_May_21.pdf   (Accessed: 17 June 2025).  Carbajal, G. (2024). Deconstructing Standard English Ideology: Elements of Equitable and Inclusive Language and Literacy Education for Our Times, Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations. 1918.  https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd/1918   Cross, S. and Brasher, A. (2021) Differences in assessment experience between Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) students and White students: An initial review using IET’s SEFAR2 dataset.  PRAXIS . Available at:  https://hdl.handle.net/10779/ou.se.24352966.v1  (Accessed: 13 May 2025).  Cushing, I. (2020) ‘The Elephant in the Room: Standard English and the Politics of Language in the Curriculum’, Language and Education, 34(4), pp. 321–338.  Delgado, R., & Stefancic, J. (2017). Critical race theory: An introduction (3rd ed.). New York University Press.    Freire, P. (2000).  Pedagogy of the oppressed  (30th anniversary ed.). Continuum. (Original work published 1970)  Green, M. and Malcolm, C. (2023), ‘Degrees of change: the promise of anti-racist assessment’,  Frontiers in Sociology , 8, DOI: 10.3389/fsoc.2023.972036, Available at:  https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsoc.2023.972036/full   Gutman, L. M. & Younas, F. (2025). Understanding the awarding gap through the lived experiences of minority ethnic students: An intersectional approach.  British Educational Research Journal , 51, 990–1008.  https://doi.org/10.1002/berj.4108     Gillborn, D. (2008 ) Racism and Education: Coincidence or Conspiracy?  London: Routledge.  hooks, b. (1994).  Teaching to transgress: Education as the practice of freedom . Routledge.  Inoue, A. (2015). Antiracist writing assessment ecologies: Teaching and assessing writing for a socially just future. Fort Collins, CO: WAC Clearinghouse/Parlour Press, Available at:  https://wac.colostate.edu/books/inoue/ecologies.pdf   Ladson-Billings, G., & Tate, W. F. (1995). Toward a critical race theory of education.  Teachers College Record , 97(1), 47-68.  Parkin, H. and Heron, E. (2022) Innovative methods for positive institutional change: The Listening Rooms Project and student and staff ‘voice’. Educational Developments, 23 (3), 13-17. Nguyen, Q., Rienties, B. & Richardson, J.T. (2020) Learning analytics to uncover inequality in behavioural engagement and academic attainment in a distance learning setting. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 45(4), pp. 594-606.  Thomas, L. and Quinlan, C. (2021) ‘Why we need to reimagine the curricula in higher education to make it more culturally sensitive’,  Widening Participation and Lifelong Learning , 23(3), pp. 37–47. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5456/WPLL.23.3.37 .    Xuereb, S (2022), Final Report - The Experience of BAME Students on DE300.PRAXIS. Report. Available at:  https://hdl.handle.net/10779/ou.se.24353695.v1  (Accessed: 13 May 2025).  Yosso, T. J. (2005). Whose culture has capital? A critical race theory discussion of community cultural wealth.  Race Ethnicity and Education , 8(1), 69-91.

RECAP Ltd offer a range of First Aid training packages to suit your needs. Whether you are looking for face to face, online or a blended version of the two, we can help you. Consultancy & Strategic Support RECAP offers bespoke consultancy for organisations looking to embed evidence-informed practice in meaningful, practical ways. We work collaboratively with education settings, local authorities, charities, and organisations to understand your context, identify priorities, and design tailored support that creates real impact. Rather than offering one-size-fits-all solutions, our approach is responsive, thoughtful, and grounded in both research and real-world practice. At the core of this work is a commitment to bridging the gap between evidence and implementation. We take time to explore what is already working within your setting, where there are opportunities for development, and how this can be translated into approaches that feel achievable, sustainable, and relevant to your team and community. Support may include reviewing existing provision, shaping strategic direction, developing evidence-informed resources, or supporting workforce development through training and guidance. Whether you are at an early exploratory stage or looking to refine and strengthen existing practice, consultancy is designed to meet you where you are. What to Expect A collaborative, partnership-led approach tailored to your setting Insight grounded in research, professional expertise, and lived experience Practical, realistic recommendations that can be embedded over time Support with strategy, provision review, and resource development A focus on sustainable change and long-term impact Areas of Focus Consultancy can be shaped around your priorities, including: Evidence-informed practice and research translation Parenting and family engagement Neurodiversity and inclusive practice Education and alternative provision Wellbeing and holistic support approaches Let’s Work Together If you’re looking to strengthen your approach, develop your provision, or embed research in a way that feels meaningful and manageable, we’d love to work with you. Get in touch to start a conversation about how RECAP can support your organisation. First Name Last Name Email Message Send Thanks for submitting!

RECAP Consultancy and Research works with clients to provide research consultancy and advice on projects as well as delivering specific aspects of research such as survey design, conducting fieldwork, analysing data and evaluation. Collaborations & Partnerships At RECAP, collaboration sits at the heart of everything we do. We believe that the most meaningful, impactful work happens when research, lived experience, and practice come together. That’s why we work closely with researchers, parents, educators, organisations, and community partners to translate evidence into something real, relevant, and accessible for families. Whether you’re generating research, supporting families on the ground, or navigating parenting yourself, there is a place for your voice within RECAP. We don’t take a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, we build partnerships that are thoughtful, ethical, and grounded in shared values - ensuring that everything we create is both evidence-informed and genuinely useful in everyday life. Through collaboration, we aim to: Bridge the gap between research and real-world practice Amplify diverse perspectives and lived experiences Co-create resources, content, and conversations that truly support families Build a trusted, evidence-based community around parenting and child development Get Involved as a Parent At RECAP, parents are at the heart of everything we do. By sharing insights, experiences, and reflections you can help to shape meaningful, relatable content Organisational collaborations RECAP works in partnership with schools, local authorities, charities, and businesses to develop resources, training, and evidence-informed practice that make a meaningful difference. Get involved professionally If you’re a researcher, educator, or practitioner passionate about sharing knowledge that supports families, there are several ways you can contribute to RECAP’s growing community. Media, Content & Campaign Collaborations We collaborate with organisations, researchers, brands, and community partners to translate important messages into engaging, accessible formats that resonate with real audiences. Whether you’re looking to raise awareness, share research, or connect with families and professionals, we design content that is both impactful and grounded in evidence. Research partnerships Working with clients to provide research consultancy and advice on projects as well as delivering specific aspects of research such as survey design, conducting fieldwork, analysing data and evaluation. Let’s Work Together If you’re interested in collaborating with RECAP, we’d love to hear from you. Whether you have a clear idea or just want to start a conversation, get in touch to explore how we can work together to make research more accessible - and more impactful - for families. Contact us First Name Last Name Email Message Send Thanks for submitting!

RECAP Ltd offer a range of First Aid training packages to suit your needs. Whether you are looking for face to face, online or a blended version of the two, we can help you. Consultancy, Events & Research At RECAP, we partner with organisations, education settings, and networks to bring research to life through consultancy, events, and collaborative research projects. We offer talks, workshops, and keynote presentations - delivering engaging, evidence-informed sessions that translate complex research into clear, practical insights. Whether it’s a conference, staff training day, parent event, or panel discussion, our sessions are designed to be accessible, thought-provoking, and immediately applicable. Alongside this, we offer bespoke consultancy, working closely with teams to develop provision, shape strategy, and embed evidence-informed approaches across practice. We also design and lead research projects and partnerships, supporting organisations to explore key questions, gather meaningful insights, and create outputs that drive real change. Our work spans a range of interconnected areas, including: Parenting and family life Home and alternative education Neurodiversity and SEND Mental health and wellbeing Inclusive and family-centred practice Research translation and evidence-informed approaches Workforce development and training Early years through to adolescence Every piece of work is grounded in RECAP’s core mission: making research accessible, relevant, and impactful for real-world contexts. If you’re looking to book a speaker, collaborate on a project, or explore consultancy support, we’d love to work with you. What we offer Event Speaker / Workshop From keynote talks to interactive workshops and panel contributions, sessions are designed to be engaging, accessible, and grounded in real-world application. Whether you’re hosting a conference, staff development day, or parent-focused event, we can tailor each session to your intended audience. Find out more Research Partner / Consultant RECAP work with clients to provide research consultancy and advice on projects as well as delivering specific aspects of research such as survey design, conducting fieldwork, analysing data and evaluation. Find out more Bespoke Consultancy Bespoke consultancy for organisations looking to embed evidence-informed practice in meaningful, practical ways. We work collaboratively with education settings, local authorities, charities, and organisations to understand your context, identify priorities, and design tailored support that creates real impact. This might include reviewing provision, shaping strategy, developing resources, or supporting workforce development. Find out more If you are interested, please contact us for more information. First Name Last Name Email Message Send Thanks for submitting!