Meet our team

Olivia has come to this work through her lived experience of parenting two neurodivergent boys.

Olivia enjoys working with parents. The moment you realise you are parenting a differently wired child can feel incredibly daunting. The ground shifts under your feet, and everything you felt you knew about parenting is called into question. Olivia’s skill lies in helping parents find their way, and to decode their child (and themselves) as they discover the new landscape of their life.

Olivia had an unorthodox childhood, spending her formative years immersed in a spiritual community with her mother and brothers, staying in ashrams in the UK, America and India. This experience ignited a fascination in people. She went on to study Anthropology at university and then furthered her study of the mind through the study of yoga. She taught yoga for 12 years in London and Oxford. Although she no longer teaches yoga, the knowledge and understanding of the subtilise of the human condition inform her work with families and children.

More recently, she has completed a Level 2 qualification in Special Educational Needs (SEN) & Disability and is currently studying Mental Health at Level 3.

If you are coming to Autism Champions as a parent looking for answers, you probably already know your child doesn’t fit the ‘standardised criteria’ of other children of their age.

Parenting a neurodivergent child will ask more of you than you ever thought possible. It will require resilience, imagination, flexibility, patience, and more than anything kindness….to yourself and your child, who is doing the best that they can. Olivia’s goal is to help you understand your child better, to cultivate greater connection between you, to ignite the joy that can be found in the smaller moments, and ultimately bring your family in to greater harmony.

As Maya Angelou said “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”

That is all you can ask of yourself, and of your child. Learn together, grow together, and move forward together.

“Olivia came out to us today and spent an hour with our son and us. She was amazing and absolutely lovely and just what we needed. We would like to book another one for next Thursday.”​

“Olivia has been fantastic, very informative and helped us to understand our daughter more, enabling us to improve how we deal with certain situations for much better outcomes.”

“My husband and I had a virtual consultation with Olivia. Olivia had clearly read the information we had shared with her before the call and in the call she proceeded to share thoughts and ideas.

We had booked the call to talk about our daughter's behaviour, but to be honest we spent most of the call talking about our reaction to our daughters behaviour and the impact that our reaction had. Olivia helped us see what we couldn't see before. She gave us clear strategies which we were able to implement straight away and that has been game changing for us. She also gave my husband and I a new way of understanding where each other are and that has been really helpful.

We now feel like we are more of a team working together to do the best for our children even when we are exhausted after another day in the office. Before it felt like we were two individuals with different and sometimes conflicting ideas about the best way forward. Olivia was calm and thoughful.

It was a lovely hour, but I did come away emotionally drained! She gave us some great reading to do, which has subsequently been really useful, in again helping us see things differently. I would highly recommend Olivia to any parent to be honest. Whether there is neurodiversity or not in your family.”

Lawrence is a practicing Occupational Therapist, who works in a very holistic and person-centred way. Working collaboratively which each young person, in order to meet their personal needs, is an ethos Lawrence endorses. As is the importance placed in the development of a meaningful therapeutic relationship.  

Lawrence is personable and approachable. He is aware of the importance of considering the views of all involved, whilst protecting the confidentiality of each client. 

As well as working as an Occupational Therapist in a specialist secondary school, Lawrence is training to become a qualified counsellor. Listening and understanding the needs of each client is crucial when developing any ongoing interventions and understanding what is important to them. 

With a background in mental health Lawrence is fully aware of the value in being kind to yourself. Developing a range of coping mechanisms which enable this is key to constructing purposeful interventions. Working in a proactive way to give a child the best chance of succeeding, is central to any success achieved. 

As well as this, it remains fundamental that each young person is treated as an individual without judgement. Each young person will be different and offer their own strengths. Harbouring their interests and motivations can be a source for good and ultimately helps to achieve any changes, or shared goals, they see as appropriate.

Kitty has worked with children and young adults in different settings for 10 years. She meaningfully connects with children, parents and schools alike with warmth and humanity, creating platforms of mutual understanding and equity of voice. Her insightful and malleable approach to individuals, meeting each child where they are at that moment, means she can create non-judgemental spaces for safe and authentic self-expression and development, thus enabling children to better understand themselves and their environments. Kitty uses creative arts-based practices and collaborative craft projects to engage children, reducing masking behaviours through enriching interaction, which allows them the space and freedom to explore and develop unique tools for greater self-reliance and social integration without compromising their personal integrity.  

With an honest and relatable approach, Kitty nurtures relationships with children that bolster their self-worth and supports their problem-solving skills. Kitty's open and approachable communication style sets up a person-centered connection within which children can feel safe to learn, challenge themselves and thrive. Children trust Kitty to advocate on their behalf with their school, and in turn Kitty simultaneously develops strong working relationships with teachers and schools to mutually integrate and implement the best strategies to support their students. Children are then able to thrive at school and in their personal lives. 

Oxfordshire; preference south Oxfordshire.

“Thanks to Kitty and other situations that occurred, our son’s mental health is very satisfactory at this point. I would love to say a massive “thank you” to Kitty for her help, enthusiasm, optimism and also the fact, that her cheerfulness was able to pull our son out of the abyss in which he found himself. “

Sarah Phelan is a qualified social worker of 9 years after completing the masters in social work. Sarah also has a degree in Law which has been useful within her professional life. Since qualification she has worked within adult mental health services up to senior management level.

Mental health and wellbeing are her passion and she is committed to working with those who require support. Sarah has worked with a wide range of individuals, professionals and organisations including the neurodivergent community during her career focusing on promoting autonomy and independence.

Sarah is an approved mental health professional and a Best Interests Assessor. These have increased her expertise on the law and her clinical knowledge. Her extensive knowledge of adult social care and the Care Act which add to the legal obligations can assist and support with a variety of situations including CTR’s, Mental Health Act Assessments, Mental Health Act Tribunals, s117 entitlement and Care Act assessments as well as much more.

“Sarah from Autism Champions came to see me about my son after he got diagnosed. From the first initial Teams call I found Sarah warm and friendly and she made me feel at ease straight away. I felt comfortable enough to approach any subject and nothing felt too much for her. Sarah is extremely knowledgeable about mental health and she gave me the confidence to tackle things I felt were out of reach. I was sad to see Sarah go at the end of our sessions as her presence is really missed.”

"You were inspirational, empowering and held the room! The information you provided in 35 minutes was the most I've ever leant about neurodivergence. I will share this all with my line manager and hope we get to work together soon."

Vicki is a qualified primary school teacher, trained Family Links facilitator, qualified coach and a DfE’s Senior Mental Health practitioner.

With vast experience in the education sector, she has a passionate focus on enabling children and young people to engage in learning and thrive in themselves. Vicki develops genuine relationships with and between individuals as well as ensuring positive mental health.

In her spare time, she is a keen triathlete, competing for GB in her age-group.

“Thank you for the last 6 weeks you were excellent at delivering the course and I am so relieved to hear that you as a professional have seen and accepted that I do understand my boys and ADHD and Autism etc and I put a lot of time and effort into working with them not against them. It’s the first time I have been told that I get it. Thank you.”