ABSTRACT
Practitioner self-care is not a luxury or practice goal, but rather a fundamental criterion for professional practice with neurodivergent children and families. Creating a supportive environment is not truly feasible if the practitioner is not providing the care and support they need to themselves, in the first instance.
This chapter examines practitioner self-care and the range of key factors which influence this. The role of practitioner self-care in creating supportive environments is considered, with a particular focus on the intrinsic link between practitioner wellbeing and their capacity to engage effectively with neurodivergent children and families. The issue of burnout for practitioners is discussed in this chapter and strategies for building resilience are presented. This chapter provides ideas and strategies for self-care. Reflection points throughout enable practitioners to critically consider the relevance of self-care within their unique roles.
