The Function Project

Building functional skills through behaviour support

About Me

Young woman with long red hair, wearing a black tank top and gold jewelry, smiling outdoors on a sunny day with trees and houses in the background.

Hi, I’m Hannah, a neurodiverse Behaviour Support Consultant and passionate advocate for neurodivergent individuals. I founded The Function Project, based in Toowoon Bay on the NSW Central Coast, to shift the narrative from “managing behaviour” to truly understanding and supporting the unique needs of neurodiverse people. I collaborate with allied health professionals to create evidence-based, neuro-affirming Behaviour Support Plans that improve quality of life. I also deliver professional development and workshops for schools, teams, and organisations, equipping staff and executives with the tools, insight, and confidence to better support their neurodivergent students, clients, and colleagues.

But my path here wasn’t linear.

With over a decade of experience in education, including leadership and executive roles in student welfare, I’ve supported young people navigating a wide range of complex behaviours. Early in my career, I believed that consistency and structure were key to behaviour change and while those things had their place, I quickly learned they weren’t enough on their own.

At 25, I received my own diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism. That moment gave me language for my lived experience, clarity around years of internal and external struggle, and, most importantly, a new perspective: behaviour is communication.

This realisation fundamentally changed my approach.

In both clinical and educational settings, I’ve seen how often neurodivergent individuals, especially children and teens, are misunderstood or mislabelled. Behaviours of concern are typically symptoms of deeper needs: sensory overload, lack of autonomy, or a disconnect between internal capacity and external demands. Suppressing these behaviours doesn’t lead to regulation. Understanding them does.

That’s why I created The Function Project to advocate for neurodivergent individuals and support the people around them, offering practical guidance for families, schools, and workplaces, and helping to shape environments where neurodivergent people can feel safe, understood, and able to thrive.

Services

    • Functional Behaviour Assessments (FBA)

    • Development of Behaviour Support Plans (BSPs)

    • Collaboration with families, schools, and allied health providers

    • Focused on dignity, regulation, and building real-life skills

    • Custom PD sessions for teachers and school staff

    • Topics include: ASD, ADHD, Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), regulation strategies, trauma-informed practice, and imputed NCCD

    • Practical, real-world strategies for classroom inclusion

    • Whole-staff, executive, or support staff focus

    • Professional development for teams working with neurodivergent clients or staff

    • Understanding communication, sensory profiles, and regulation needs

    • Tools for building inclusive, trauma-aware environments

    • Workplace audits and ongoing consulting available

A woman with long red hair running on a sandy beach with two small, light-colored dogs, holding a tennis ball in her right hand and smiling.

Neurodiverse-led behaviour support that helps neurodivergent individuals, and those around them, build functional skills to make life easier.

Real Stories, Real Impact

  • Classroom Teacher

    “I’ve done a lot of PD over the years, but this one truly stood out. Hannah brought such clarity, warmth and lived experience to the session, I walked away not only with practical strategies, but with a completely new lens for understanding my neurodivergent students. Easily one of the most valuable sessions I’ve attended.”

  • Corporate Workshop

    “Our team walked away from the session feeling more confident and informed. Hannah’s approach was refreshingly honest and incredibly practical, we now feel better equipped to support our neurodivergent staff and clients with evidence-based strategies.”

  • Parent

    “Working with Hannah has been life-changing for our family. She didn’t just support our son, she supported us as a family. The strategies she provided were tailored, realistic, and made such a difference in our day-to-day life. We’ve seen a positive shift in our son’s confidence.”

A woman with red hair crouching on a sandy beach, holding a tennis ball, and facing a small curly-haired dog near the shoreline, with waves in the background.

Let’s work together