My role is to provide neurodiversity signposting support for serving personnel, families of serving personnel and those transitioning from the service. The idea is to be by your side in what can be really challenging circumstances. If you’re feeling alone in your journey and don’t know where to go for support, please get in touch.
Bobbie Branson, Neurodiversity Navigator, RNRMC
Background and Partnership
In 2022, as part of its commissioning work, Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charity (RNRMC) began exploring the needs of Royal Navy families affected by Autism and ADHD. Between May and July of that year, RNRMC carried out discovery work to understand the challenges faced by families living with neurodiversity.
The project engaged a wide range of voices, with 23 organisations attending a stakeholder event and 36 serving personnel, partners, and family members taking part in discovery sessions held online. Participants represented diverse ranks, ages, and family circumstances, but the themes that emerged were strikingly consistent.
The discussions found that the primary areas of concern were:
- Sense of isolation
- Difficulty accessing reliable support
- Exhaustion of having to battle education systems to secure what their children needed.
- Delayed diagnosis/Missed diagnosis
- Postcode disparities
- Challenge of respite care/After school and holiday activities
- Not knowing who to turn to for help
Recognising this gap, RNRMC, in partnership with the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust (AFCFT), commissioned SEND support for naval families. A cornerstone of this initiative was the creation of the Neurodiversity Navigator role - designed to provide families with a dedicated, informed point of contact to help them navigate education, health, and social care systems, particularly around Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCPs). Since this time, we have held workshops, consulted with over 90 families (neurodiversity champions), and partnered with RN Infinite Network.
About Bobbie
Appointed in 2023, Bobbie Branson became RNRMC’s first Neurodiversity Navigator, and the service officially launched in early 2024. Her role goes beyond signposting; it provides families with ongoing, compassionate guidance, ensuring they feel supported rather than isolated in their journey.
Since its launch, the service has already helped more than 220 families with SEND needs - a testament to the plight of families, and the need for this unique approach.
Bobbie brings deep empathy and a lived understanding to her role. A former Royal Naval Reservist, she is married to a Royal Navy veteran, and her daughter serves in the Royal Marines Band Service.
She has volunteered with RNRMC for over eight years and has experience supporting families with SEND and neurodiversity. She has also been a primary school governor for 11 years, giving her insight into education systems and family advocacy.
Outside work, Bobbie also volunteers as a puppy parent for Hounds for Heroes, demonstrating her long-term commitment to the Armed Forces community.
I’ve been an RNRMC volunteer for over eight years, and I’m passionate about supporting our beneficiaries.
Bobbie Branson, Neurodiversity Navigator, RNRMC
What the Neurodiversity Navigator does
Bobbie’s role is centred on providing personalised, compassionate support. The NDN service acts as a first point of contact for:
Serving personnel and their families
Reservists
Those transitioning out of service
Bobbie offers:
- A safe place to ask questions and explore options – for people who don’t know what they need, or how to access support.
- One-to-one guidance and reassurance for those who feel uncertain or overwhelmed
- Targeted signposting to the right services, assessments, and resources
- Follow-up support to ensure families aren’t left navigating systems alone
- Help with EHCPs, and Schools
Bobbie signposts to a range of organisations such as Naval Children’s Charity, KIDS, Southampton Family Trust, Anchoring Minds, and local SENDIASS.
I’ve been setting up support by researching what is available for people, as it can be time-consuming and hard to find what you need.
Bobbie Branson, Neurodiversity Navigator, RNRMC
Bobbie is based at HMNB Portsmouth (HMS Nelson), and HMS Excellent, but supports families wherever they are - in the UK or overseas.
Impact and Outcomes
Since its launch, the Neurodiversity Navigator service has had a powerful impact across the naval community.
The data tells a clear story of success:
- 96% of families said the service was very helpful or somewhat helpful
- 91% said it was very easy to access
- 90% would recommend the NDN to friends or colleagues
Here is what some beneficiaries had to say:
Thank you so much for our talk last week – it’s given me the push I needed to get the support my son needs
Anonymous
It’s a great resource to have everything in one place. Being a parent of a child with SEN is very time consuming. This is a big help freeing up some time researching. Bobbie is amazing and very informative. If she doesn’t know it, she will find it out for you.
Anonymous
Bobbie has been a wonderful support to us. She’s given advice, been kind and understanding, and guided us through SEN law - helping us secure a place at an independent specialist school for our son.
Anonymous
Tangible Change
Bobbie’s work has already helped families achieve important outcomes - from securing EHCPs to accessing diagnosis and educational placements:
Bobbie’s knowledge, experience, and willingness to help meant we were able to get an EHCP for our son, when the council initially refused to assess him
Anonymous
The service helped open doors with the local authority, so my daughter got the right school setting.
Anonymous
In addition, families have taken part in Neurodiversity Respite Breaks at the China Fleet Club in Cornwall, providing therapeutic rest and family time.
We thoroughly enjoyed the respite break at the China Fleet Club. It was a brilliant, therapeutic experience for all of us.
Anonymous
Looking Ahead
RNRMC continues to champion support for families with SEND through its commissioning work and benevolence funding, collaborations with others and engagement in the sector highlighting the plight of Royal Navy/Royal Marine families. Together with the Royal Navy, and Naval charities, RNRMC remains committed to driving cultural, systemic change and ensuring that no family navigating neurodiversity within the Armed Forces feels alone or unaided.
This is a long journey for us, with a growing family and ever-emerging issues as the boys grow and face transitions in their life. Having this support available eases the journey
Anonymous
By bridging gaps between education, health, and family life, Bobbie continues to provide the reassurance, expertise, and that make a lasting difference.
To contact Bobbie or learn more about the Neurodiversity Navigator service, visit:
www.rnrmc.org.uk/how-we-help/rnrmc-neurodiversity-navigator
To find out more about courses, webinars and other support around SEND please visit our website Families | The Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity or email neurodiversity@rnrmc.org.uk
