About Honeypot Practice
Honeypot Practice supports children and families with communication, emotional wellbeing and development.
We provide specialist, individualised support across Hertfordshire, Essex, and North London, bringing together Speech and Language Therapy with support for emotional wellbeing, behaviour and parenting.
Every child is different. We take the time to understand their individual strengths, needs and experiences, rather than focusing only on a diagnosis, difficulty or behaviour.
Our aim is to provide support that feels practical, positive and genuinely useful in everyday life.
Helping children feel understood, communicate confidently and thrive
The name Honeypot Practice reflects the kind of support we want families to experience: warm, welcoming and somewhere children can feel comfortable being themselves.
Children make the most progress when they feel safe, understood and engaged. For that reason, our work is shaped around the individual child rather than expecting the child to fit a particular approach.
We want parents to feel listened to too. You know your child better than anyone, and your knowledge and experience are an important part of understanding what is happening and deciding what support will be most helpful.
Why
‘Honeypot Practice’?
Looking At The Whole Child
Communication, emotions, behaviour, relationships and learning are closely connected.
A child who finds it difficult to communicate may become frustrated or overwhelmed. Anxiety may make it harder for a child to participate, communicate or learn. Difficulties at school can affect confidence and behaviour at home.
For this reason, we look beyond an isolated difficulty and consider the whole child, including their strengths, relationships, environment and experiences.
Sometimes a child's needs sit clearly within one area. At other times, different areas overlap and a broader perspective can be helpful.
Our Approach
Child-centred
We start with the child in front of us.
Support is adapted to their interests, personality, communication style, developmental level and individual needs. Sessions should be fun and engaging, not something children have to endure. Sessions are, therefore, engaging and enjoyable, because children learn best when they feel comfortable, interested and connected with the person supporting them.
Strengths-based
We do not define children by what they find difficult.
We recognise their existing skills and strengths and use these as the foundation for further development. Our aim is to help children build confidence as well as skills.
Collaborative
Parents are an essential part of the process.
Rather than simply giving families a list of strategies to follow, we work alongside parents to understand their child and find approaches that are realistic for everyday life.
Where appropriate, we also work collaboratively with nurseries, schools and other professionals involved in a child's care.
Evidence-based and practical
Our work is informed by evidence, professional training and experience, but there is no one-size-fits-all approach.
Strategies and recommendations are tailored to the individual child and family, with a focus on approaches that can be used confidently outside of appointments as well as during sessions.
Sessions should be fun and engaging, not something children have to endure.
How We Can Support Your Family
Speech, Language & Communication
Our Speech and Language Therapy service supports children who are experiencing difficulties with areas including speech sounds, understanding and using language, early communication and social communication. We also work closely with parents and schools to ensure progress is supported across all environments.
Assessment and therapy are tailored to the individual child, with a strong focus on helping communication develop within meaningful, everyday interactions. We aim to build confidence so children can use their communication skills successfully in everyday life.
Emotional Wellbeing, Behaviour & Parent Support
Our Emotional Wellbeing, Behaviour & Parent Support service helps families understand what may be happening underneath a child's behaviour and develop practical ways of supporting them.
This may include support with anxiety, emotional regulation, challenging behaviour, confidence, school-related anxiety, autism, ADHD and more.
Support may involve parent consultations, parent coaching, work directly with children, or a combination of approaches depending on the needs of the family.
Meet The Team
Elise Bacarese-Hamilton
Founder & Speech and Language Therapist
Elise is a specialist Speech and Language Therapist with experience working with a wide range of speech, language and communication difficulties, including Gestalt Language Processing, early language development and speech sound disorders. She provides specialist assessment and therapy for children with speech, language and communication needs, working closely with families and education settings to support communication in everyday life.
Donna Allen
Specialist in Emotional Wellbeing, Behaviour & Parent Support
Donna has almost 30 years' experience supporting children, young people and families across education, psychology, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and children's mental health. Her work focuses on helping families understand the needs and emotions underlying behaviour, and developing practical strategies that support confidence, emotional wellbeing and positive relationships.
Ready to speak?
Not sure if your child needs support?
Get in touch to talk things through. we’ll help you understand what’s going on and what to do next.