As professionals, we spend time getting to know a child’s sensory profile - what helps them regulate, what sends them into overwhelm, and how their nervous system interacts with the world around them. But here's what we often forget: children don’t live in isolation. They live in families. And families come with their own sensory stories.

We often ask parents to be the co-regulator for their child - to carry out the strategies, to hold the calm, to keep things steady. But what if the parent is already dysregulated and has sensory needs of their own?

Parents might be dealing with their own sensory sensitivities, high stress levels, or even undiagnosed neurodivergence. And stress only amplifies sensory sensitivity. So we end up placing a big expectation on the parent’s nervous system, without always checking in on its state.

This is where masking creeps in. Parents might push through, pretend they're fine, hold it all together - but masking isn’t sustainable. We wouldn’t recommend it for children, and it’s no better for parents.

And yet, there’s so much messaging out there telling parents to “stay regulated” or “be calm” - as if it’s that easy. But where’s the support to help them understand their own sensory systems? Where are the spaces for parents to explore what helps them regulate?

This webinar is an invitation to zoom out. To consider how parents fit into the sensory story of that child or young person. What about their sensory needs, their thresholds and their nervous system state? Because if we’re trying to create meaningful change for the young people we support, we have to consider the whole environment, which includes the people within it.

We’ll explore how a parent’s sensory profile might be supporting - or unintentionally clashing with - their child’s. We’ll talk about the impact of masking for parents and the reality of day-to-day family life when everyone has sensory needs. We’ll look beyond “what does this child’s sensory system need?” and ask: What is the sensory story of this whole family? And how do we, as professionals working within time and funding constraints, hold space for that and help parents get to know their own sensory profile?

Key Points

Why parents’ sensory needs matter – and how their sensory profile can either support or unintentionally clash with their child’s, especially in the context of co-regulation.

The impact of stress, burnout, and masking on the parent’s sensory system – and what that means for the strategies we offer and how they’re received.

How to zoom out and consider the whole-family sensory story – using a practical, relational lens to deepen your understanding of the sensory environment beyond the child alone.

Realistic ways to include parents' sensory needs in your work – even within limited time and funding. This isn't about doing more; it’s about thinking differently.