Events and resources
- 1 parent evening per term: Guest speakers / topic nights + Q&A
- On demand video interviews and training
- Community connection Cool Minds What’s App Group
Collaboration
Working alongside the school (where helpful) to support inclusion and contribute to a more consistent, supportive environment for neurodivergent students.
How to get involved
A welcoming network — parents can attend, join the conversation, or help plan/organise events.
Interested?
What do you want to have included in the network:
Navigating Friendships — Cool Minds with Caroline Maguire
In this episode, ADHD Coach Francinne O’Rourke sits down with internationally recognised social emotional learning expert Caroline Maguire — award-winning author of Why Will No One Play With Me? and the forthcoming Friendship Skills for Neurodivergent Adults — to explore the challenges ADHD and AuADHD children face when navigating friendships, and what parents can do to help.
- 0:00 — Introduction
- 1:37 — Caroline’s Journey into Social Skills
- 5:41 — Challenges ADHD Kids Face on the Playground
- 7:02 — Brain-Based Reasons for Social Struggles
- 10:47 — The Seven Social Skills & Reading the Room
- 14:37 — How Parents Can Help with Reading the Room
- 19:24 — Social Spy & People Watching with Purpose
- 20:50 — Navigating the Playground & Recess
- 29:52 — Flavors of Friendship
- 34:35 — Handling Rejection Without Making It Worse
- 38:40 — Building Confidence & Challenging Stories
- 40:51 — Teaching Good Winning & Losing
- 42:36 — Key Advice for Parents
- 48:51 — Being a Role Model & Working on Your Own Stuff
- 52:49 — Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA)
- 57:22 — Final Thoughts & Closing
Caroline Maguire, M.Ed., ACCG, PCC is an internationally recognised expert in social-emotional learning, ADHD coaching, and relationship development. She is the award-winning author of Why Will No One Play with Me?, host of The ADHD Social Playbook podcast, and author of the forthcoming Friendship Skills for Neurodivergent Adults (2026).
An educator, coach, and TEDx speaker, Caroline developed a practical Social Emotional Learning (SEL) methodology that equips parents, clinicians, and educators with tools to build emotional regulation, social understanding, and meaningful relationships.
As a neurodivergent woman with ADHD and dyslexia, she brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her work. Learn more at her website, on Instagram, and LinkedIn
Caroline Maguire shares her personal journey from newly diagnosed ADHD coach to pioneering advocate for children’s social skills. She explains the brain-based reasons why ADHD and AuADHD kids struggle socially — including executive function challenges, a 3-5 year maturity delay, emotional dysregulation, and sensory overload — and emphasises that “if they could, they would.”
The conversation covers practical strategies parents can use at home and on the playground, including:
- Reading the room — teaching kids to observe social norms, understand their role in different situations, and use “social spy” techniques
- Navigating the playground — understanding how recess plans are made, helping kids make choices about joining games, and being a “detective” when kids are left out
- Flavors of friendship — helping children distinguish between acquaintances, activity buddies, and real friends to manage expectations and reduce rejection sensitivity
- Handling rejection — validating feelings first, challenging “sticky brain” thoughts, and helping kids separate what’s theirs to own from what isn’t
- Building confidence — giving kids arenas of strength and reinforcing the positive
- Teaching self-regulation — using rituals, body doubling, role play, and quick games like Connect Four to practise being a good winner and loser
- Being a role model — admitting your own struggles, working on your own stuff, and making sure the whole family is working on something
- Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) — adjusting communication style and using collaboration rather than demands
Caroline’s key message: these kids want friends and connections. They’re not being willful. With the right support, patience, and a collaborative approach, the payoff is huge.
Books mentioned: Why Will No One Play With Me? by Caroline Maguire | Friendship Skills for Neurodivergent Adults (forthcoming, April 14)
Navigating Friendships – Cool Minds with Caroline Maguire.mp3
Navigating Friendships – Cool Minds with Caroline Maguire.docx
ADHD Awareness Videos on Demand
INTERVIEWS:
We launched the series to coincide with ADHD Awareness Month and you can explore four on-demand sessions.
TOP 10 TIPS FOR ADHD FAMILIES
Join Michele as she shares information about typical challenges that present in ‘ADHD Families’.
Walk away with practical, actionable tips to help support your children to be their best selves and create a calmer family environment.
“ADHD can make good parenting look bad”
Parents of children with ADHD are often unfairly judged. It is important for parents to have a good understanding of what is happening for their child in order to address what seem to be challenging behaviours. Michele will share information about typical challenges that present in ‘ADHD Families’
Speaker Bio:
In 2017 Michele co-authored “The ADHD Go-to-Guide” with Professor Desiree Silva. She has been supporting people with ADHD and co-existing conditions since 1995, starting her coaching practice in 2009. She is a faculty member of the ADD Coach Academy in New York where she trains and mentors ADHD coaches.
In addition to her private practice, Michele works to promote ADHD Awareness and Advocacy. She held inaugural board positions for ADHD Australia, and The Australian Association of ADHD Professionals (AADPA). She is Chair of the Board at ADHD WA and member of their Professional Advisory Body. Michele was awarded an OAM in 2021 for her work in ADHD.
Resources:
THE SCIENCE OF TIME MANAGMENT FOR ADHD TIME GENIES
Uncover a Deeper Understanding of Your Time Personality: Learn how ADHD shapes your unique relationship with time and discover why you manage time the way you do.
Gain Insight into Your Personal Brand of Procrastination: Uncover the reasons behind your procrastination habits and how they impact your productivity.
Speaker Bio:
Francinne is an international best-selling co-author, coach trainer and mentor, and life coach (and Coolbinia Parent) who specialises in working with ADHD and Executive Function Skills using positive psychology and strengths-based coaching.
She’s the founder of Neurospicy by Francinne O’Rourke, where she helps busy brains go from frazzled to focused using humour, real-life practical tools, and lived experience.
Francinne brings science, strategy, and a dash of fun to every session—helping late diagnosed individuals and families better understand ADHD and thrive both at home and in the classroom. www.francinneorourke.com
Want the right strategies and tools to manage your time? You need to uncover your Time personality. Take the quiz
EARLY INTERVENTION IS KEY
Helping children develop essential skills and confidence
Tune in to the replay and listen to Annelie as she outlines the pathway and support available to families and the long-term impact and benefits of early intervention.
Walk away with practical, actionable steps to identify and address developmental, behavioural, or learning challenges.
Speaker Bio:
Annelie Fourie is a proud Coolbinia Primary School mum and a Primary School Teacher working at Coolbinia Primary School. Her family’s journey began 15 years ago when her eldest son was just six months old—she vividly remembers his tiny hand stopping her, his little head shaking “no, no, no,” as he refused to eat his food. If only she knew then what she knows now.
Annelie and her partner are proud parents of two neurodivergent children. Their eldest was diagnosed with ADHD and Oral Dyspraxia at the age of 7. Their youngest has had a more complex journey, facing intermittent hearing loss, Developmental Language Disorder, ADHD at age 3, and, finally, a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Through a lot of support, patience, trial and error—not to mention oceans of tears—they have come as far as they have today. The challenges are ongoing, but so is their growth. Annelie’s message to others is this: get up, dress up, show up, and “face the music” (never give up)!
Resources:
NUTRITIONAL LUNCHBOXES FOR ADHD
Join Liza as outlines how to create a lunchbox that is the best fuel for an ADHD brain backed by the latest scientific research along with nutritional biochemistry
Walk away with practical, actionable steps to up-level your child’s lunchbox with ADHD friendly friendly food.
Speaker Bio:
Liza Ranelli is a seasoned Functional Medicine Practitioner and Certified Nutritionist with over 25 years of experience in health, nutrition, and fitness. Passionate about optimising health through personalised, evidence-based nutrition, Liza specialises in supporting children and families, particularly those managing ADHD, with practical, nutrient-dense strategies. She combines her extensive background in sports nutrition and integrative health with her personal experience to create holistic, functional meal plans that promote focus and well-being. As the co-founder of XLR8 Health, Liza empowers individuals to understand and manage their health with accessible, science-backed approaches.