Roots & Wings

Children and young people’s Behaviour support, Coaching and Mentoring services

Roots and Wings Mentoring exists to support children and young people to feel safe, understood and capable of growing - and to support the adults around them to feel less alone in that journey.

Grounded in years of frontline experience working with children affected by trauma, neurodiversity and emotional overwhelm, Roots & Wings offers, calm, consistent mentoring that prioritises trust, regulation and connection.

This work is not about quick fixes or labels - its about meeting children and young people where they are, helping them build strong foundations and walking alongside them as they develop confidence, self-understanding and resilience.

Whether you are a parent seeking safety and guidance, an organisation needing consultation and external support, or a child in need of a safe and supportive presence, Roots & Wings is rooted in commitment, compassion, and the belief that every child deserves both security and freedom to grow.

Strong roots create safety. Strong wings allow growth.

This is the support that stays - for the children and young people, and for the people that care for them.

Below is the work I deliver and the way I show up for the children and young people you care about.

Therapeutic approach

At the heart of my work is relationship. Real, human connection built on safety, trust and feeling truly heard.

Families often come to me feeling overwhelmed by the everyday moments that feel the hardest. Bedtime battles, anxious or explosive transitions to school, mealtimes filled with tension, emotional outbursts, withdrawal, or ongoing struggles with friendships and social situations which can leave parents and carers feeling unsure, exhausted and worried about getting it wrong.

My work focuses on supporting children, young people and their families through these real world challenges by understanding what is driving the behaviour and what the behaviour is communicating. By seeking to understand the ‘why’ beneath the surface, we can create positive, lasting, and meaningful change.

I work from a PACE informed approach, Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity and Empathy - because meaningful change doesnt happen when children feel managed or ‘fixed’. It happens when they feel safe enough to be themselves.

My focus is on slowing things down, listening carefully, and meeting the children and young people where they are rather than where others expect them to be.

This is a calm and consistent space where emotions are welcomed, behaviour is understood in context, and relationships come before expectations.

I dont arrive with assumptions or quick answers - I arrive ready to listen, to notice, and to walk alongside each child and family with patience and care.

I will ‘see’ your child. I will listen. I will stay.

Working with trauma.

Behaviour makes sense when the story is understood

Working with trauma means understanding that a child’s behaviour is often a response to experiences that have left them feeling unsafe, overwhelmed, or unheard. Rather than focussing on ‘fixing’ behaviour, I work to understand what sits beneath it. My approach prioritises emotional safety, trust and connection, helping children and young people make sense of their feelings and develop ways to regulate them with support.

Through consistency, predictability, and compassionate guidance, children are supported to move out of survival mode and into a space they can feel calmer, more secure and better able to engage with the world around them.

Every piece of the work is tailored to the individual child, recognising their story, their strengths, and their need to feel safe before they can grow.

ADHD Coaching.

ADHD coaching is not about fixing a child or trying to make them fit into systems that were never designed with their brains in mind.

It is about understanding how a child’s mind works, recognising their strengths, and helping them develop strategies that support focus, regulation, confidence, and self belief.

Many children with ADHD are bright, creative, intuitive and deeply thoughtful - yet spend much of their time feeling misunderstood or ‘too much’. When ADHD is misinterpreted or unsupported, children often grow up carrying labels that do not belong to them - ‘lazy’ ‘disruptive’ ‘unmotivated’. Over time, repeated experiences of correction, failure, or misunderstanding can quietly shape how a child sees themselves. Confidence can erode, anxiety can develop, and many children begin to believe that something is wrong with them rather than recognising that their brain simply works differently. Without the right support these patterns can follow children through adolescence and into adulthood, impacting self-esteem, relationships and emotional wellbeing.

ADHD does not look the same in every child - in particular in girls there is a quiet struggle, masking difficulties and internalising their stress. often leading to misdiagnosis of depression and or, anxiety disorders.

ADHD and its impact changes as children grow, expectations increase and demands shift and this is why often we see beavioural and emotional difficulties present more intensely during high schol and again, for girls, hormonal changes can have a profound impact on neurodiversity.

Sessions are practical, compassionate and tailored to the individual. We work at the child’s pace, using their interests, strengths and motivations as the foundations for growth.

Understanding ADHD early changes the story a child tells themselves for life

Alongside my professional training, I also bring personal understanding to this work. I have combined ADHD myself, which gives me insight into the internal experience that often sits beneath the behaviour - the racing thoughts, the mental fatigue, the effort it takes to appear ‘fine’. This perspective shapes how I work, ensuring the support is not just informed by theory, but grounded in real understanding.

ADHD does not define a child - but understanding it can change everything

What I Do -

Support that meets children and young people where they are - not where the world expects them to be

I work alongside children, young people and their families, who are struggling with behaviour, emotional regulation or confidence - often as a result of trauma, neurodiversity, or prolonged emotional overwhelm.

In real life this work doesnt look like sitting across a desk asking questions or trying to ‘fix’.

It looks like relationship first.

It looks like slowing down, creating safety and building trust - because meaningful change only happens when a child feels genuinely seen and understood.

In practice -

My work is practical, relational and grounded in real world experience.

Sessions might involve -

  • Talking while walking

  • Playing games or creative activities

  • Supporting routines, transitions or emotional regulation

  • Helping a child make sense of their feelings and reactions

    Working through moments of dysregulation with calm, consistent support.

Behaviour is never treated in isolation. I focus on what the behaviour is communicating, and what the child needs in order to feel safer, more regulated and more confident in themselves.

Who this support is for -

I support children and young people who may -

  • be experiencing behavoural or emotional difficulties

  • have a history of trauma or disrupted attachment

  • Be neurodivergent, including ADHD

  • Feel misunderstood, overwhelmed or labelled

  • Struggle with confidence, regulation or self belief

I also support the adults around them - because children do best when the people caring for them feel supported too.

This isnt therapy - and that is intentional. For some children, that matters -

While therapy can be incredibly valuable, it doesnt suit every child at every stage, some children need support that is less formal, less clinical, less defined by a label and more rooted in real life.

My work sits alongside children in their everyday world, within their own environments, meeting them where they are. I focus on building trust, understanding behaviour and supporting regulation and confidence through relationship, consistency and connection.

Support is tailored to each child, young person or family. It usually begins with an initial conversation to understand needs, goals and whats currently feeling hard. From there support may involve regular sessions, short term focussed work, or consultations with parents or professionals. I dont believe in rigid packages - support is shaped around what is most helpful and reviewed as things evolve.

The heart of my work

Change doesnt come from control, it comes from connection. I show up calmly, I stay consistent, I listen - even when behaviour is loud,

because behaviour makes sense when the story is understood.

How I work -

I dont use one size fits all strategies.

Every child is different, so support is:

  • Individualised

  • Strengths based

  • Trauma Aware

  • Neurodiversity Affirming

I work at the child’s pace, using their interests, personality and motivations as the starting point - not rewards, punishments or rigid expectations.

TESTIMONIAL

Having had the privilige of working alongside her for many years, her constant strength and resiliance continue to amaze me.

She is an incredibly passionate and caring professional who has made a profound difference in the lives of children with trauma and neurodiversity. She has a rare ability to truly see each child for who they are, keeping them at the centre of everything she does.

She is a strong advocate for collaborative systems, working alongside families, schools, and professionals so that children feel understood rather than overwhelmed. Through her gentle mentoring, she helps children make sense of a world that once felt confusing, inspiring them to believe in themselves and giving them the confidence to thrive.

what makes her especially remarkable is how naturally she supports the adults around the child as well. By guiding and empowering parents, carers, and professionals, she creates a safe, consistent environment where children can grow, feel secure, and succeed. Her impact is lasting, heartfelt, and deeply meaningful.

Operations manager, Residential Children’s care.

TESTIMONIAL

I’ve had the privilege of working alongside Claire for many years within children’s residential care, and throughout that time I’ve seen first-hand just how passionate, committed and genuinely caring she is about improving the lives of children and young people.

Claire has always had an incredible ability to look beyond the behaviour and see the child underneath it. She takes the time to understand each child, their experiences, their individual needs and what may be underlying their behaviour, rather than simply reacting to what is presented. The impact this has had on the children and young people we supported has been significant.

She is someone who will always advocate for the child and ensure their voice and needs remain at the heart of practice. She is patient, consistent and incredibly dedicated, and she never loses sight of the importance of helping children feel safe, understood, heard and valued.

One of the things I have always admired about Claire is her commitment to research-informed and evidence-based practice. She is passionate about understanding the reasons behind behaviours and continually developing her knowledge so that the support she provides is meaningful, informed and genuinely beneficial to the children and young people she works with.

I have also personally turned to Claire for advice and guidance when developing my own childminding business, and her knowledge, experience and willingness to share her expertise have been invaluable.

Claire genuinely cares about making a difference. Her passion and commitment are evident in everything she does, and I have absolutely no doubt that Roots & Wings will make a real and lasting difference to children, young people, families and the professionals supporting them.

Kirstie Mitchell 

Teeny Tiney Kirstie’s Childcare 

Testimonial

It is such a pleasure to write this reference for Claire
The first thing you notice straight away is Claire’s  incredible,bright energy: she brings such a natural, lively warmth and spark everywhere she goes- never draining, always uplifting, contagious in the best way. Alongside that comes an absolute abundance of fun. She is quick witted, loves a laugh and makes even ordinary moments feel enjoyable and light.Claire knows how to perfectly lift spirits,ease tension and bring people together.
Claire has a wonderfully sharp mind, she is observant, perceptive and sees solutions. She is full of fresh ideas,imaginative approaches and is always happy to try something new.
Above all, Claire is truly kind,thoughtful,sincere and caring. She is always ready to listen,support and encourage. Claire treats everyone she meets with real warmth and respect, making her not only someone to work alongside but someone you value deeply as a person.

Manager- residential children’s home

Testimonial

I had the pleasure of working alongside Claire in a residential home supporting children who had experienced significant trauma, neglect and abuse.

Claire was always a pleasure to work with and brought warmth and positivity into the home. Both the children and staff responded incredibly well to her caring, compassionate approach.

Claire’s experience and understanding of supporting children affected by trauma was second to none. What particularly stood out was the effort she put into researching different strategies, approaches and new ways of supporting each child’s mental health and trauma-related behaviours. She was committed to helping children develop the skills to understand and manage their emotions and behaviour, as well as supporting them to navigate and de-escalate conflict.

Claire genuinely cared about understanding the individual child and finding approaches that worked for them. Her knowledge, compassion and commitment to improving outcomes for children were evident throughout the time I worked with her, and I believe these qualities will continue to make a meaningful difference to the children and families she supports.

Team leader - residential children’s home.

Additional feedback will be added here as permissions are finalised

PRICING

Many families find themselves caught in an impossible gap - knowing their child needs support but facing long NHS waiting lists or private services that feel financially out of reach. Roots and Wings was created to bridge that gap.

1:1 Coaching and Mentoring Sessions

  • £50 per session

  • 60 minutes

  • Tailored, trauma informed, ADHD aware support for children, young people or parents

Discovery Session

  • £80

  • Deep-dive session

  • Exploration of needs, strengths, challenges, goals

  • I will write a detailed report, make clear recommendations and a suggested support plan.

    Block Packages (recommended)

  • 5 sessions for £200. (£40 per session - best value)

  • Encourages consistency and progress - change happens through relationship.

  • Ideal for behaviour support, emotional regulation work and ADHD coaching, allows for reflection and plan adaptations and implementation.

  • Flexible scheduling with an agreed timeframe.

flexible payment options are available and I am happy to talk through what works best for your family.

My practice is grounded in accredited training, shaped and strengthened by years of frontline experience within residential children’s care. I bring together evidence based learning, trauma informed approaches and real world understanding to offer support that is thoughtful, ethical and rooted in genuine lived practice.