Episodes, Kim McCabe
What do neurodiverse girls need to know about romance? with Kim McCabe
SENDcast Episode
What do neurodiverse girls need to know about romance?
with Kim McCabe
Neurodiverse girls are often loyal, perceptive, and generous – qualities that are real strengths, but that can also make them vulnerable when it comes to navigating romantic relationships.
In this episode, Dale is joined by Kim McCabe, founder of Rights for Girls CIC, to discuss ‘What do neurodiverse girls need to know about romance?’. Kim is the author of From Daughter to Woman, a parenting guide praised for its wise and practical support through the teen years and appears regularly on BBC and Sky News as a child development expert.
Kim shares her top five tips for preparing neurodiverse girls for romance, covering everything from why these conversations should start much earlier than most parents expect, to the importance of building on what girls already know about friendship rather than treating romance as entirely new territory.
She also explores why neurodivergent girls can be particularly vulnerable in romantic relationships – having spent years masking, adapting, and people-pleasing in order to fit in – and why they need explicit permission to slow things down, trust their instincts, and say no. Kim and Dale also discuss the powerful role parents play as relationship role models, and why the dynamic children witness at home sets the bar for everything that follows.
“Being chosen is not the same as being valued.”
— Kim McCabe
Watch on YouTube
About the guest
Kim McCabe
Kim McCabe is the author of From Daughter to Woman, a parenting guide praised for its wise and practical support through the teen years. A child development expert featured on BBC and Sky News, Kim is also the founder of Rites for Girls CIC, an organisation dedicated to making growing up kinder for girls – and saner for parents. With warmth, clarity, and decades of experience, Kim helps parents rediscover their confidence and connection, knowing they hold the key to raising grounded, resilient children.
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