Supporting the
whole child
mind, body & learning.
We believe every child is unique, and their development should be as holistic as their potential. At Whole Child Collective, we provide a nurturing environment where sensory play, mindful parenting, and professional pediatric therapy converge to support your child's journey.
BHSC BED ☼ 15+ Years Experience ☼ Board Certified Holistic Health Practitioner ☼ Neurodivergence Specialist ☼ Twice Exceptional Support
☼ MEET CLARE
Hi, I'm Clare
I've been where you are.
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If you've ever sat in a school meeting feeling like nobody truly understood your child - or watched your child fall apart and wondered what's going on inside their brain - you're in the right place.
I'm Clare, a Clinical Nutritionist (BHSc) and Education Learning Support Specialist (BEd), Board Certified in Holistic Health and Nutrition, with a specialism in neurodivergence. For over 15 years I've worked at the intersection of nutrition and education - because that's where the answers actually live.
Most families get half the picture. The diet improves, but the classroom doesn't change. Or the school puts supports in place, and the child still fails to get the grades and has behaviour problems. I look at both simultaneously, building treatment plans grounded in current research and evidence-based practice - because you can't fix one without the other, and guesswork isn't good enough for your child.
I work with families navigating neurodivergence, giftedness, and twice-exceptional profiles, and with schools ready to build environments that genuinely support every child.
Things can change. Let's find out how together.
☼ BHSc - Bachelor of Health Science
☼ BEd - Bachelor of Education
☼ Board Certified Holistic Health & Nutrition Practitioner
☼ Education Learning Support Specialist - Neurodivergence
Parent Hub
1:1 Support for Families
Educator Hub
For Schools & Educators
Clare delivers evidence-based professional development and nutrition support directly to schools, childcare centres, and education settings - tailored to your team, your context, and your students. All sessions are available in-person (Gold Coast & SE Queensland) or via teleconference nationally.
1:1 CONSULT
01
Nutrition Consultation
Personalised, evidence-based nutrition and treatment plan tailored to your child - supporting healthy growth, development, and wellbeing, with a specialisation in neurodivergence.
View fees, timings & what's included →
1:1 CONSULT
02
Education Consultation
Specialist advocacy and learning support for families navigating the childcare or schooling system - helping neurodivergent children get the right support, in the right environment, at the right time.
View fees, timings & what's included →
01
Combined Consultation
Nutrition and education support in one integrated service - the most complete picture of your child's health and learning. Because the two are deeply connected, addressing both together produces stronger, faster outcomes.
View fees, timings & what's included →
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MOST POPULAR
SCHOOLS
01
PD for Schools
Evidence-based professional development for school educators - built on the latest neurodivergence research and focused on practical classroom strategies, including the thoughtful use of assistive technology.
Half-Day Session (3 hrs) $950
Full-Day Session (6 hrs) $1,650
Team Workshop (90 min) $550
Ongoing Retainer (termly)
From $600/term
WHAT THIS PD COVERS
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Understanding ADHD, autism, dyslexia & sensory processing - latest 2024–25 research
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Strengths-based, neurodiversity-affirming classroom practice
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Regulation-first & trauma-informed approaches
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Behaviour as communication - function-based responses in school settings
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Assistive technology - text-to-speech, AAC, focus & planning apps
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Ethical use of AI tools with neurodivergent learners
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Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in practice
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Sensory environments - low-arousal spaces & movement breaks
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ILP / IEP / ICP development that actually drives progress
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Gifted & twice-exceptional identification and programming
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Building whole-school consistency of approach
DELIVERABLES INCLUDED
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Customised slide deck and facilitator notes
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Take-home resource pack for all participants
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School-specific recommendations document post-session
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Q&A time built into all sessions
EARLY CHILDHOOD
02
PD for Childcare
Specialist professional development for early childhood educators - focused on early identification of neurodivergence through observation, creating inclusive environments, and having confident, compassionate conversations with families.
Half-Day Session (3 hrs) $850
Full-Day Session (6 hrs) $1,500
Team Workshop (90 min) $490
Centre Consultation (60 min) $210
WHAT THIS PD COVERS
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Early signs of ADHD, autism, sensory processing & developmental delays in the under-5 setting
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Observation-based documentation that supports referral and diagnosis pathways
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How to have honest, compassionate conversations with parents about developmental concerns
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Understanding the diagnosis journey - what happens after a referral
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Regulation-first strategies for toddlers and preschoolers
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Sensory-aware room design and daily routine structure
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Inclusive practice & reasonable adjustments under the EYLF and NQS
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Function-based, relationship-centred responses to complex behaviour
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AAC and visual communication supports in early childhood
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Building a culture of early identification and genuine family partnership
DELIVERABLES INCLUDED
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Customised session resources and handouts
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Observation checklist and documentation templates
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Parent conversation guide and script examples
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Post-session centre recommendations
01
Menu Reviews
Evidence-based tuckshop and menu reviews for schools and childcare centres - with a specific focus on how food directly affects behaviour, focus, and learning capacity, particularly for neurodivergent children.
Childcare Menu Review $350
School Tuckshop Review $450
Full Review + Staff Brief $650
Review + Parent Lunchbox
Workshop $850
WHAT THE REVIEW COVERS
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Full audit of current menu against brain health, allergen & nutritional benchmarks
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Blood sugar and energy regulation - how meal timing affects classroom behaviour
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Identifying food dyes, additives & preservatives linked to hyperactivity
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Key nutrients for learning - omega-3, iron, zinc, protein & slow-release carbohydrates
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Allergen and food sensitivity protocols
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Practical, budget-friendly menu recommendations
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Alignment with ACECQA / Education Queensland food policy
DELIVERABLES INCLUDED
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Written review report with scored audit and prioritised recommendations
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Revised menu suggestions (brain-friendly swaps)
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Staff brief on the food–brain connection (optional add-on)
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Lunchbox education pack for families (optional add-on)
SCHOOLS & CHILDCARE
Delivery: In-person (Gold Coast & SE Queensland) or teleconference nationally · Travel: Travel fees may apply outside the Gold Coast region · Cancellation: 5 business days notice required for booked sessions
Not sure which service is right for you? A free 20-minute Discovery Call helps!
- FOR SCHOOLS & EDUCATORS
Bringing specialist support
directly to your school
Clare works directly with schools, childcare centres, and homeschool families - providing tailored education consultancy, educator training, and nutrition support to create better outcomes for neurodivergent students.
School Consultancy
Neurodivergence inclusion audits, behaviour support planning, ILP development, gifted & 2e guidance
EDUCATION
TRAINING
Educator PD & Workshops
Customised PD days, understanding ADHD & autism, regulation-first classroom strategies
NUTRITION
Tuckshop & Menu Reviews
Canteen menu audits, brain-friendly food policies, lunchbox education for families
BEST VALUE
Whole School Package
Staff PD + canteen review + parent education - one comprehensive engagement
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TRAINING
Educator PD & Workshops
Customised PD days, understanding ADHD & autism, regulation-first classroom strategies
EDUCATION
Advocacy, Strategy & Understanding
CLINICAL NUTRITION
Fuelling Focus, Regulation & Growth
You're doing everything right -
so why is it still so hard?
Whether you're a parent navigating the system at home, or an educator supporting neurodivergent students every day - these frustrations are real, they are valid, and they are not your fault.
😔
"We've tried everything and nothing sticks."
You've done the research, bought the supplements, tried the strategies. But without a cohesive, personalised plan, even well-intentioned efforts don't compound into results.
📋
"We have a stack of reports and no idea what to do with them."
Assessments and diagnoses tell you what the problem is. They rarely tell you what to do Monday morning. The gap between a report and a real-world plan is enormous - and usually left to parents to bridge alone.
💊
"Medication was supposed to fix it. It didn't."
For many families, medication helps. For others, side effects outweigh the benefits, or results plateau. In either case, nutrition and environment have almost never been addressed alongside it.
🍽️
"Mealtimes are a battle every single day."
Your child eats fewer than 20 foods, gags at textures, or refuses anything new. You worry it's affecting their focus and behaviour - because it is. But no one has helped you address it clinically.
🏫
"The school says they're supporting my child. I can see they're not."
ILP meetings produce documents. Documents don't change what happens in the classroom on a Tuesday. You're being told the right things but seeing none of them in practice - and you feel like you can't say it.
📱
"Screen time is completely out of control and I don't know how to address it."
Transitions away from screens trigger meltdowns. Your child uses technology to regulate - so removing it creates a crisis. You know something needs to change but you don't know where to start without making things worse.
🌟
"My child is clearly gifted — but the school isn't seeing it."
Your child asks complex questions, has extraordinary knowledge in areas of interest, and thinks in ways that leave adults stunned - and is also failing, disengaged, or chronically unhappy at school. Nobody is serving both sides of who they are.
😤
"The medical system keeps adding medications without looking at causes."
Every specialist treats their piece. Nobody is looking at the whole child - gut health, nutrition, sleep, environment, education. You keep asking about underlying causes and keep getting prescriptions.
🌀
"Home feels like a tornado. I've lost myself in managing the crisis."
The meltdowns, the school calls, the sleepless nights, the constant research - it is relentless. You are exhausted, depleted, and often feel completely alone in carrying this. You need support, not just information.
📚
"I have neurodivergent students in every class but no real training."
Up to 14 students in a class of 25 may be neurodivergent - most undiagnosed. The classroom was designed for the neurotypical majority. You are doing your best with almost no preparation for the students who need the most.
😡
"I'm managing behaviour all day and getting nowhere."
The same behaviour management systems that work for neurotypical students don't work for neurodivergent ones -and often make things worse. You're applying the wrong tool to a neurological difference and blaming yourself for the result.
🕐
"The 2pm crash in my classroom is real — and I can't fix it."
Every afternoon, a predictable wave of dysregulation hits. Students who were managing in the morning are now falling apart. Nobody has connected this to what they ate at lunch - but you've noticed the pattern.
💻
"Screen use is increasing and regulation is getting worse."
Classrooms are becoming increasingly screen-based and sedentary. For neurodivergent students - particularly those with ADHD - this is disproportionately dysregulating. You're seeing the effect but don't have the framework to address it systemically.
🎯
"I have a gifted student who is completely disengaged and I don't know what to do."
They finish everything in minutes and then cause disruption, opt out entirely, or quietly disappear into their own world. Standard differentiation isn't cutting it - and you don't have the tools for what they actually need.
🔄
"I suspect a student has undiagnosed needs but don't know how to approach the family."
You've been observing patterns for weeks. You know something is different. But the conversation with a family about developmental concerns is one of the most difficult things you're asked to do - and you've had almost no training or support for it.
📄
"Support plans exist but nothing actually changes in the classroom."
Documents are produced at meetings. Goals are written. But there's no consistent language across the school, no follow-through between classrooms, and no real shift in what students with additional needs experience day to day.
🍱
"The school canteen is serving food that is undermining everything we're trying to do."
You can see the afternoon spike in behaviour and dysregulation. You know it's connected to what students are eating. But the canteen has never been considered part of the wellbeing or learning strategy - and nobody has made the case for it clearly.
😔
"I care deeply about these students - but I'm burning out."
Supporting neurodivergent students well takes more than good intentions - it takes specific knowledge, school-wide systems, and genuine leadership support. Without those things, the effort falls to individual teachers who are already overextended.
1:1 CONSULTATION DETAIL
What each service can include, depending on your specific needs
Education Consultancy
Specialist advocacy and learning support for families navigating the childcare or schooling system - helping neurodivergent children get the right support, in the right environment, at the right time. Clare brings both clinical expertise and lived experience to every consultation. A formal diagnosis is not required to access this service.
Parent Advocacy
Clare supports parents at school meetings, reviews, and planning days - helping them understand their rights, ask the right questions, and ensure their child's needs are accurately heard and documented.
Report Interpretation
Psychologist, paediatrician, speech pathology, occupational therapy, and specialist reports explained in plain language - with a clear breakdown of what the findings mean for your child's learning, daily life, and school support.
ILP / ICP / IEP Guidance & Planning
Support with understanding, reviewing, and developing Individual Learning Plans, Individual Curriculum Plans, and Individual Education Programs - ensuring goals are specific, meaningful, and actually reflected in classroom practice.
Behaviour & Learning Support
Practical strategies for managing learning and behaviour difficulties at home and at school - grounded in an understanding of what is driving the behaviour, not just managing the surface presentation. Includes executive function, emotional regulation, and sensory processing strategies.
Gifted & Twice-Exceptional Support
Specialist guidance for families of children who are both intellectually gifted and neurodivergent - a combination that is frequently misunderstood and underserved. Includes identification, advocacy, differentiation strategies, and emotional support for the child and family.
Homeschool Planning & Support
Tailored curriculum planning, assessment design, and learning structure for families educating at home - with a specialisation in designing approaches that work with a neurodivergent child's strengths, sensory needs, and regulation profile.
Transition Planning
Support for key transitions - from childcare to prep, primary to secondary school, or mainstream to specialist settings. Includes documentation, school communication, and preparing both the child and the receiving school for a successful transition.
School Communication Support
Guidance on how to communicate effectively with teachers, learning support staff, and school leadership - including help drafting emails, preparing for difficult conversations, and understanding your rights under the Disability Standards for Education.
Clinical Nutrition
Every child has a unique biochemistry. Clare's approach identifies the specific nutritional drivers behind your child's symptoms - gut health, deficiencies, food sensitivities, and brain nutrition - and builds a personalised plan around what your child actually needs. No generic protocols. No guesswork.
Personalised Nutritional Assessment
A comprehensive look at your child's diet, digestion, behaviour, sleep, and symptom history to identify the root nutritional causes - not just the surface presentation. Every recommendation flows from a thorough understanding of your individual child.
Gut Health & the Gut-Brain Connection
The gut directly affects brain function, mood, and behaviour. Clare assesses gut integrity, microbial balance, digestive enzyme function, and gut-brain communication - then builds targeted protocols to heal the gut-brain axis. Improving gut health often produces visible changes in focus, regulation, and mood.
Functional Lab Testing
Testing for iron, zinc, omega-3, magnesium, B vitamins, vitamin D, food sensitivities, allergens, methylation (MTHFR), and inflammatory markers - so every recommendation is based on your child's actual results, not assumption. Clare guides you through exactly what to test and why.
Therapeutic Dietary Protocols
Matched to your child's specific symptoms - this may include gluten-free/casein-free (GFCF), low-salicylate, low-oxalate, SCD, GAPS, low-sugar, or additive-free approaches. Introduced step by step, not all at once, and always practical for real families.
Brain Nutrition & Neuroplasticity Support
Targeted nutrients - omega-3, zinc, magnesium, active B vitamins - directly fuel the brain's ability to form new connections. Clare designs nutrition plans that actively support neurological development and the brain changes other interventions are working to create.
Food Allergies & Sensitivities
Identification and management of food allergies, intolerances, and sensitivities - including hidden triggers that may be contributing to behaviour, gut symptoms, skin issues, sleep disturbance, or mood instability. Includes guidance on elimination and reintroduction protocols.
Fussy Eating & Selective Diets
Low-pressure, sensory-informed strategies to gently expand food variety while reducing deficiency risk - practical, non-battle approaches that respect your child's sensory experience and work within your family's real life.
Growth, Weight & Chronic Conditions
Nutritional support for children with growth concerns, weight difficulties, or chronic health conditions - including guidance on caloric density, micronutrient support, and dietary approaches that complement medical management without conflicting with it.
Targeted Supplementation
Practitioner-grade supplements recommended only from testing results - never guesswork. Designed to fill real nutritional gaps, support the body's own healing processes, and provide building blocks for neurological repair and regulation.
Methylation & MTHFR Testing
In-depth assessment of the methylation cycle - a biochemical pathway critical for gene expression, neurotransmitter synthesis, detoxification, and neurological development. Particularly relevant for children with ADHD, autism, anxiety, and mood difficulties.
The Integrated Package - education + nutrition together
When we look at the whole child - how they learn AND how they're nourished - outcomes are consistently stronger. This is the most comprehensive support Clare offers.
Combined Assessment
Education profile + full nutritional review in one comprehensive intake
Behaviour–Nutrition Link
Identify how diet is directly affecting focus, mood & regulation
School Advocacy +
Nutrition Plan
Both plans developed in parallel and designed to complement each other
Functional Testing
Methylation, allergen & deficiency testing where indicated
Gifted & 2e Support
Holistic understanding of complex, twice exceptional learners
-NUTRITION FOR NEURODIVERGENT CHILDREN
What you eat shapes how you learn
Iron, zinc, omega-3s, gut health, blood sugar - the right nutritional support makes a measurable difference to focus, mood, sleep, and behaviour.
WHOLE FOODS FOR BRAIN HEALTH
GUT-BRAIN CONNECTION
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PRACTICAL, FAMILY-FRIENDLY PLANS
- ATTENTION & REGULATION SUPPORT
Before medication - or alongside it
For some families, this work reduces the need for medication. For others, it helps medication work more effectively. Either way, we're supporting your child at the root level.
Behaviour isn't random - it's driven by underlying physiology. Blood sugar instability, protein deficiencies, iron and zinc levels, gut health, sleep and cortisol patterns all directly influence how a child focuses, regulates, and copes. This service identifies and addresses those drivers in a practical, family-friendly way.
"This is not about replacing medical advice. It's about making sure your child's body and brain are fully supported - before or alongside any decisions around medication."
KEY DRIVERS CLARE IDENTIFIES & ADDRESSES
· Blood sugar instability → attention & meltdowns
· Protein deficiency → focus & satiety
· Iron / zinc / omega-3 → cognition & behaviour
· Gut health → mood & sensory tolerance
· Sleep & cortisol patterns → regulation
· Sensory eating → limited nutrient intake
WHAT THIS SERVICE INCLUDES
Focus Breakfast Framework
Protein + fat + slow carbs strategy - not just toast. Builds the foundation for a regulated school morning.
School Day Regulation Plan
What to eat, when to eat, and why - timed around school demands, focus windows, and crash prevention.
After-School Reset Strategy
Prevents post-school meltdowns and supports nervous system recovery through targeted nutrition timing.
Low-Pressure Food Expansion
For selective eaters - gradual, sensory-sensitive food expansion without stress or battle.
Unsure about medication?
If you've been told medication is the next step but want to explore a holistic approach first - this is your starting point.
Already on medication?
Nutritional support can help medication work more effectively and reduce side effects. This works alongside, not against, medical treatment.
Want to optimise first?
Many families want to understand their child's physiology and address nutritional gaps before any medication decisions are made.
- WHY BOTH MATTER
Education & Nutrition work together
A child who is under-nourished, mineral-deficient, or managing undetected food sensitivities cannot fully access learning strategies - no matter how good they are. The two disciplines are deeply connected.
Education Support
Strategies, advocacy, and frameworks for learning and behaviour
+
Education Support
Strategies, advocacy, and frameworks for learning and behaviour
- HOW IT WORKS
A simple, caring process
Whether you're seeking education support, nutritional guidance, or both - the process is thoughtful, evidence-informed, and centred on your child.
01
Discovery Call
A free 20-minute conversation to understand your situation and identify the right support.
02
Deep Dive Consult
A thorough assessment - education, nutrition, or both- to build a complete picture.
03
Your Personalized Plan
A clear, practical plan tailored to your child and family - with real strategies you can use.
04
Ongoing Support
Follow-up sessions, advocacy attendance, and flexible check-ins as your needs evolve.
- FOR SCHOOLS & EDUCATORS
Supporting the whole setting
Tailored consultancy and professional development for schools, early childhood services, and home educators working with neurodivergent children.
Education Consultancy
Specialist consultancy to help schools and childcare settings better understand, support, and include neurodivergent learners.
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Neurodiversity-affirming classroom frameworks
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Behaviour support planning for education settings
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ILP/IEP development support
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Gifted & twice exceptional program guidance
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Homeschool curriculum consultancy
Tuckshop
Menu Review
Lunchbox Help
Educator Training
Professional development workshops designed for educators working with neurodivergent children in any setting.
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Understanding ADHD, autism & learning differences
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Trauma-informed & regulation-first approaches
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Practical strategies for diverse classrooms
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Sensory-aware environments
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Customised PD days or team workshops
Workshops
PD Days
Team Training
Nutrition for Schools
Evidence-based nutrition support to help education settings promote better food choices and understand the nutrition–learning link.
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Tuckshop & canteen menu review
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Brain-friendly food policy development
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Lunchbox education for families
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Allergy & sensitivity protocols
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Childcare & OSHC menu planning
Tuckshop
Menu Review
Lunchbox Help
Whole-School Approach
A combined education and nutrition engagement for schools wanting to embed both frameworks across their whole community.
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Staff PD + parent information evenings
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School-wide neurodiversity inclusion audit
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Canteen + curriculum combined consultation
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Ongoing school support retainer available
Whole School
Families
Ongoing
- START HERE
Not sure where to begin?
Start with a Discovery Call
A complimentary 20-minute conversation to understand your situation, explore what support would help most, and answer your questions - no obligation, no cost.
Available via phone or video · No cost · No commitment
- WHY SUPPLEMENTATION MATTERS
Neurodivergent children have higher nutritional demands
Research consistently shows that children with ADHD, autism, and related conditions have higher rates of nutritional deficiency than their neurotypical peers - driven by selective eating, gut absorption issues, increased metabolic demands, and the neurological cost of sensory and regulatory processing.
These deficiencies are not trivial. Iron insufficiency impairs dopamine synthesis. Zinc depletion disrupts neurotransmitter regulation. Omega-3 deficiency compromises myelin integrity and anti-inflammatory capacity. Magnesium deficiency increases nervous system excitability. B vitamin depletion limits the methylation cycle - the process that underpins gene expression, mood regulation, and detoxification.
Supplementation is not a replacement for a good diet - but for many neurodivergent children, it is the difference between a brain that is operating at a fraction of its capacity, and one that has the raw materials it needs to focus, regulate, and learn.
Not sure what your child needs?
Don't guess. Every supplement Clare recommends is based on functional testing results - iron, zinc, omega-3, magnesium, B vitamins, methylation markers, and gut health - so your child gets exactly what they need at the right dose. A nutrition consultation includes comprehensive assessment and personalised supplementation guidance.
All supplements are practitioner-grade. Clare recommends functional testing before supplementation wherever possible. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Always consult your healthcare provider before commencing supplementation.
- RESEARCH & RESOURCES - THE BLOG
Food, the brain & neurodivergence
Evidence-based articles written by Clare - drawing on current peer-reviewed research to explain how food, gut health, and nutrition directly shape the brain, behaviour, and learning of neurodivergent children.
Frequently Asked Questions
- GET IN TOUCH
Ready to take the
first step?
Book a free Discovery Call or send an enquiry - I'd love to hear about your child and how I might be able to help.
Location: Queensland, Australia - Telehealth available nationally
Email: