Childhood Understood
- the key to behaviour & big feelings
Sarah Emerson

Meet Sarah

I’m a consultant, trainer, and author specialising in children’s emotions, wellbeing, behaviour, and neurodiversity. With 25 years of experience working with children and families—and as a mum myself—I understand how challenging it can feel when we are supporting children’s behaviour and big feelings.

Childhood Understood grew out of a need for clear, evidence-based, and accessible support for parents and professionals working with children’s emotions, behaviour, and early mental health. My aim is simple: to make this support practical, grounded, and genuinely helpful in real-life settings.

Through Childhood Understood, I bring together research, study, and hands-on experience, combining neuroscience, psychology, and education to offer approaches that are both evidence-based and tested in real-world practice with professionals and families.

Coming Soon: Childhood Understood: Keys to Behaviour and Big Feelings in the Early Years release date October 2026.
Find Out More About Sarah & Childhood Understood Here

Coming soon!

Childhood Understood: Keys to Behaviour and Big Feelings in the Early years

 Keys to Behaviour in the Early Years brings a fresh and inspiring perspective to conversations around behaviour, focusing on creating environments and relationships based on curiosity and connection. Compassionate, neuro-affirming, inclusive and meaningful, this book is filled with relatable information and practical strategies that will create a space where children can thrive and their individual needs are met.

Pre-order now on:
Waterstones
Amazon
Live Training via Zoom

Feel empowered to support complex behaviours, create emotionally safe environments, utilise practical strategies for 'behaviour', talk to children about feelings, work with parents and embed neurodiversity affirming practice. Sessions are recorded for those who can't make it.

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Parent 1-1s

Practical, non-judgemental advice that works, a listening ear, and support when things get challenging. My approach is rooted in responsive, connected parenting, and a thorough knowledge of child development. I can help with behaviour, tantrums, toileting, siblings, eating and more.

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Recorded Webinars for Educators

Accessible, inspiring and inclusive training, with a focus on behaviour & big feelings, regulation and neurodiversity affirming practice. Ideal for individual and whole setting training needs. Suitable for practitioners, leaders, SENCos and childminders.

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Online Parent Courses

Easy to watch video content with great tips and strategies for parenting in the toddler & preschool years. This is your online 'village'.. Content includes 'behaviour', toileting, toys and resources, eating, navigating screen time, plus supporting emotional wellbeing and early mental health.

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Created by a qualified, experienced early childhood and parenting specialist

Research and evidence-based information and strategies that really work

Connected, responsive approaches with well-being at the heart

Helping children, families & professionals through making every childhood understood

Please thank Sarah for a beautiful, soul-warming perspective today. Her guidance of respect, dignity and support is so constructive. Teacher
I came away feeling confident and equipped with tips. Sarah is so gentle in approach and yet shares such deep wisdom…. Parent
Sarah has been phenomenal and I honestly couldn’t recommend her more highly. She is generous with her time and brings so much warmth and empathy into the discussion. After each session she provided a comprehensive plan based on her observations, with practical steps to improve things. And while her suggestions were always completely spot on, I think the most helpful thing was not feeling alone with the challenges. Parent L

New for 2026: Online Content & Courses for Toddler Parents!

Our experience of parenting – and our children’s experience of being parented – changes when we change the way we see children. Our online content is easy to watch, in bite-size chunks that work for a busy parent lifestyle, and it contains lots of incredible tips and strategies that really work.
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