Creating Supportive Spaces at Home, or School

Every person deserves to feel safe, calm, and understood in the spaces they spend time in. For those who are neurodivergent or have Special Educational Needs (SEN), the environment plays a big part in how balanced, focused, and connected they feel.

A supportive space isn’t just about soft lighting or sensory tools (though those help). It’s about creating environments that honour difference, space

s that whisper “you’re safe here” instead of shouting “fit in.”

What Makes a Space “Supportive”?

A supportive space meets people where they are. It recognises that some minds and bodies need:

• Less noise or light to focus

• More movement or sensory input to regulate

• Clear routines and visual cues for predictability

• Warmth, safety, and acceptance over judgement or pressure

  
  

When we design with understanding rather than expectation, we create spaces that help regulate, not overwhelm.

At Home: Creating Calm and Comfort

Home is often where we drop our masks. For neurodivergent children, young people, or adults, it can also be where we recharge from a world that asks a lot of their nervous system.

1. Create a Calm Zone

Try creating what I call a “calm corner”- a sensory space for rest and regulation.

It can include:

• Soft lighting (warm lamps, candles or fairy lights instead of overhead lights)

• Weighted blankets, soft cushions, your favourite hoody, dressing gown or textured fabrics

• Calming scents like lavender, cedarwood, or chamomile can help signal calm to the body.

• Access to fidget or grounding tools (stress balls, smooth stones, sensory bottles)

2. Support Predictability

• Use visual schedules or timers to show what’s happening next.

• Keep consistent routines around meals, rest, and transitions.

3. Engage the Senses Mindfully

Offer soothing sensory activities such as gardening, crafting, gentle music, cooking, or aromatherapy to help regulate emotions and build connection.

4. Respect Personal Sensory Needs

Everyone’s comfort looks different: one person might crave quiet and dim lighting; another might focus better with background sound or movement. Ask, observe, and adjust.

In Schools and Colleges: Inclusion Through Environment

Educational settings can be overwhelming- bright lights, noise, fast transitions, and social pressure. Creating calmer, more predictable spaces helps everyone, not just SEN learners.

1. Sensory-Friendly Classrooms and workspaces

• Offer access to quiet corners, soft furnishings, and sensory aids or resources .

• Use low-arousal décor to avoid overstimulation through bright displays.

• Consider lighting options (natural light where possible, lamps instead of fluorescent bulbs).

2. Regulation Breaks

Encourage short sensory or movement breaks throughout the day- stretching, deep breathing, or short walks can support focus and mood.

3. Visual Communication Tools

• Timetables, “now and next” boards, and visual cues for routines help reduce uncertainty.

• Provide clear, concise instructions and supportive reminders.

• Resources for non verbal methods of communication (e.g.. interactive pads or whiteboards)

4. Quiet Zones and Retreat Spaces

Having access to a calm area (even a beanbag in a corner) can prevent overwhelm before it escalates.

5. Neuro-Inclusive Culture

Support doesn’t stop at the classroom. Encourage staff training, open conversations, and celebrate neurodiversity in the curriculum and community.

Beyond Education: Inclusive Spaces for Everyday Life

As neurodivergent people move through college, work, and community settings, the need for understanding spaces continues.

1.Flexible routines and sensory-friendly design make a huge difference; quiet zones, adjustable lighting, access to headphones or breaks.

2.Clear communication helps too: say what you mean, give time to process, and offer information visually as well as verbally.

3. Social Inclusion

Encourage understanding, kindness, and curiosity among peers and colleagues. Simple adjustments like clear boundaries, consent around touch, and awareness of social fatigue can make a big difference. Everyone deserves to belong without having to mask who they are.

4.Designing for Accessibility

Think beyond ramps and signs- consider sensory access:

• Is there a quiet area available?

• Are areas decluttered?

• Are smells or sounds likely to overwhelm?

• Is there clear signage for orientation?

Our senses tell the story of how safe we feel in the world. When they’re supported, the whole body can exhale. Whether it’s a classroom, bedroom, or workplace, every truly supportive space begins with sensory awareness- sight, sound, touch, taste, smell, movement, and emotion. When we engage our senses with intention, we create environments that calm the nervous system, support focus, and nurture confidence. Because true support isn’t about fixing anyone, it’s about listening to what the body and mind need to feel at ease. Supportive spaces aren’t “special” spaces; they’re human spaces, designed with empathy, awareness, and care.