ARE YOU A NEURODIVERSITY-AFFIRMING CLINICIAN?
Seeking engaging social emotional learning concepts, visuals and session guides, to support your work with young people, while continuing to deepen your understanding of neurodiversity-affirming care?
Developed through co-design, research and lived experience, Social Stencil supports clinicians in their individual work and small-group programs.
Crossing disciplines for a shared goal
Social Stencil was developed by Psychologist, Dr Connie Buckingham (PhD), over more than 16 years, integrating both clinical practice and research. A lesser-known part of the story is that while Connie was undertaking her 10-year PhD evaluating Social Stencil in schools, she was also developing and trialling the program alongside her multidisciplinary allied health team at The Social Learning Studio.
Working closely with Occupational Therapists, Speech Pathologists, Social Workers, Psychologists, and Therapy Assistants gave Connie the opportunity to better understand the intersections across these disciplines, and consider how Social Stencil could help create shared understanding and collaboration across clinics, schools, and home environments.
Today, Social Stencil supports clinicians across Australia working with neurodivergent young people through creative, inclusive, and neurodiversity-affirming approaches to social and emotional learning.
For Parents, Carers & Friends
The Free Resource Share portal is a collection of free resources designed to help everyone learn more about the Social Stencil approach. You’ll find sample concepts, and discover practical strategies for clinicians, families and educators a like.
Junior Social Stencil is for Reception/Prep to Grade 2 students or older students with intellectual disability. It addresses foundation social and emotional developmental needs. Themes include belonging, appreciating difference, interoception, emotions and strategies to help.
Social Stencil is for students in Grades 3–7, designed to help young people build awareness of themselves and others. Students learn listening skills, emotions, friendship concepts, why conflict happens, and strategies to support conflict management.
Want to learn more? Explore each Social Stencil program to see what’s involved, how it’s delivered, and who it’s designed for.
Dr Connie Buckingham PhD
Psychologist | Program Author | Researcher | Sessional Lecturer | Speaker
While completing her undergraduate Psychology studies, Connie worked as a Learning Support Officer supporting autistic students within a student-centred, arts-inspired school, an experience that strongly shaped her approach to pedagogy. She later worked as a school psychologist before founding a neuroaffirming multidisciplinary allied health practice supporting families and schools across Victoria for 15 years.
Connie first created Social Stencil in 2008 for an independent Sydney girls’ school to address toxic friendship dynamics and relational aggression. Following promising early outcomes, she commenced a PhD with the University of Melbourne. In 2021, Connie invited Australian neurodiversity-affirming advocates to critically review Social Stencil, leading to a significant redesign and the neurodiversity-affirming program it is today.
Connie continues her academic work with the University of Melbourne as a Research Supervisor and Sessional Lecturer. In 2025, she was awarded the University of Melbourne Arts Alumni Giving Award for bringing neurodiversity-affirming learning to the Master of Educational and Developmental Psychology and Clinical Psychology programs.
Connie works closely with Australian and international schools to further develop Social Stencil through facilitator feedback, co-design, and ongoing research. This process allows Social Stencil to continue evolving alongside schools, facilitators, and contemporary understandings of inclusion and wellbeing.
