Nelle Frances Autism Education Consultant & Trainer

06/05/2026

You have 28+ students. Three are spinning in their chairs. One is hiding under the desk. Two keep covering their ears during group work and yelling at others to “shut up!”

You don’t need more stickers or time-outs. You need strategies that work to reduce disruptions, improve focus and support regulation without interrupting lessons!

Come to the Sensory Detective Workshop in Ipswich Q – designed for teachers, aides, and support staff who want practical, classroom-ready tools … that work!

You’ll learn:
- how to do a 2-minute "sensory scan" of your classroom.
- the supports to implement that reduce fidgeting and outbursts and put you in control
- how to get back to what you love doing – teaching!

Perfect for Ipswich Qld primary and high school staff – from Brassall to Raceview.

Tag a colleague who needs to come with you.
Group booking discounts for Teams of 5 or 3.
📍 Where: Brothers Leagues Club, Wildey St Ipswich, QLD
📅 When: 18 June 2026
🎟 Tickets: https://tix.yt/NBZ

04/05/2026

Stop playing the guessing game.

Ever had a child crack up over the seam in their sock? Refuse dinner they loved yesterday? Or meltdown the second you walk into a busy shop?

That’s not "naughty" behaviour. That’s a sensory clue.
Join my Sensory Detective Workshop in Ipswich and learn how to decode your child’s hidden triggers before they explode.

You’ll walk away with:
- a step-by-step guide to managing sensory overwhelm and meltdown
- reliable, calm-down strategies that actually work
- the confidence to handle public outings

📍 Where: Brothers Leagues Club, Wildey St Ipswich, QLD
📅 When: 18 June 2026
🎟 Tickets: https://tix.yt/NBZ

Because your child isn’t giving you a hard time. They’re HAVING a hard time.

02/05/2026

For my autistic clients / advocates:

That full moon glow? Gorgeous.

But it can also mess with sleep, sensory regulation and emotional baseline.

Anecdotally (and backed by many autistic people I work with), decision-making gets more complicated around a full moon or a sudden drop in barometric pressure.

So, before you:
* quit something major – a job or a relationship
* send that fiery email
* commit to a big change
…check the moon phase.

If it’s within 1–2 days of full moon? Wait. Rest. Revisit in 3–4 days.
Your nervous system will thank you. 💙

30/04/2026

"We can only experience and see the world through our body.

Our neurophysical choreography allows us to access both the superficial and the multidimensional, and in order to do so, the mind (and body) have to be in certain modes of operation. Like Darwin vs Wallace, left brain and right brain, there is a physical line between these two distinct ways of seeing and being. The current exploration of the autistic experience is serving to inform multidimensional thinking..."

30/04/2026

Autistic aversion isn’t just an emotional issue. It’s the autistic persons interoception signalling “overload”.

Research shows higher autistic aversive sensitivity is linked to:
• increased sensory reactivity
• higher distress
• greater regulation burden

From a Sensory Detective® lens, an autistic aversive response = an autism boundary breach.

The autistic person’s interception system then goes into overload.
This signals to the autistic brain that their boundaries have been broken. Their trust dissolves and we see avoidance, rigidity and withdrawal. These are adaptive regulation strategies autistic people’s brains deploy to counteract the “break of trust”.

If sensory homeostasis fails → autistic behaviour escalates.
When sensory load reduces → autistic capacity returns.

30/04/2026

Autistic aversion isn’t just an emotional issue. It’s the autistic persons interoception signalling “overload”.

Research shows higher autistic aversive sensitivity is linked to:
• increased sensory reactivity
• higher distress
• greater regulation burden

From a Sensory Detective® lens, an autistic aversive response = an autism boundary breach. The autistic person’s interception system then goes into overload.

This signals to the autistic brain that their boundaries have been broken. Their trust dissolves and we see avoidance, rigidity and withdrawal. These are adaptive regulation strategies autistic people’s brains deploy to counteract the “break of trust”.

If sensory homeostasis fails → autistic behaviour escalates.
When sensory load reduces → autistic capacity returns.

29/04/2026

Autistic aversion isn’t “behaviour.” It’s a body alarm.
When an autistic person says “no,” pulls away, or shuts down —
their nervous system is already over their threshold.

What you’re seeing isn’t refusal to engage or comply - it’s self-protection.
- avoidance brings regulation
- rigidity returns stability
- withdrawal results in recovery

You can’t teach skills to a someone who’s nervous system in sensory debit.

Regulation first. Always.

27/04/2026

End of April - Autism Awareness month. We can't share enough how important it is to educate and inform your family, your neighbours, your friends, your workplace and absolutely everyone, about autism.

With 3 - 5 autistic children in every classroom we need to increase inclusive autism education.

Here's our random list of requirements for an autistic friendly environment:
- eye contact isn't required
- flapping, rocking, spinning or stimming of all kinds is ok
- wearing a hat is fine
- covering your ears, wearing headphones or ear putty is ordinary
- chewing is rewarded
- silence is enjoyed
- screen time is seen as self regulation
- environments are checked for sensory triggers
- speaking your truth is welcomed
- down time is scheduled in
- getting needs met is seen as self advocacy

You're welcome to add to the list.

Photo: Simon Rae

27/04/2026

Autism Sensory Detective Workshop IPSWICH Q 18 JUNE 2026. Nelle's training is a fusion of lived experience and research-informed knowledge, providing you with a complete profile of autistic neurology.

The workshop focuses on sensory-triggered behaviours. You'll gain a totally new perspective on Autism, which will promote richer relationships with your students / clients / children.

The Sensory Detective Workshop is regulation-first training. it provides:-
- deep dive into autism neurology
- meltdown physiology & management
- sensory agitation = meltdown
- practical support strategies that translate across classrooms, home environments, therapy spaces, community and workplaces.

This workshop is designed for everyone supporting, educating or loving and autistic person! It's an engaging, full-day session packed with loads of great strategies including specific techniques for de-escalating challenging behaviours and meltdown.

DETAILS:
- 18 June 2026
- Brother's Leagues Club, Ipswich Qld
- 9:00am - 3:30pm
Register now: https://tix.yt/NBZ

(Pay online, on Invoice or with NDIS funds) DISCOUNTS for Teams of 3 and Teams of 5

9:00 AM Thu 18 Jun at Brothers Leagues Club Ipswich, Raceview, QLD. Sensory Detective Autism Workshop Psychologists, Allied Health Therapists, Support Coordinators, Behaviour Specialists, Support Workers, Teachers & Families The Workshop HANDOUT NOTES will be emailed ...

27/04/2026

Premier’s Reading Challenge: Are we measuring reading or accessibility?

Across Queensland this week, classrooms are encouraging students to log books and meet reading targets.

But for Autistic students, the barrier is often not lack of literacy skills.
It’s sensory load and nervous system regulation.
If a student:
• avoids independent reading
• disengages quickly
• becomes restless, distressed or “off-task” …it may not be motivation.

It may be a dysregulated sensory system under load.
Consider these adjustments:
• offer audiobooks or shared reading options
• reduce emphasis on numbers of books; focus on engagement
• allow movement-based reading (floor, wobble stools, pacing)
• encourage reading outloud (often easier for autistic brains to follow)
• provide predictable structure and low-demand entry points
• accept non-linear reading styles (re-reading, skipping, scanning)

Reading is not a purely cognitive task. It is a whole-body regulatory activity.

When we support the autistic nervous system first,
- literacy access improves
- participation increases
- student confidence grows

This is what true inclusion looks like.

Sensory Inclusive Schools