Media & Press Coverage
Sarah James is a nationally recognised disability advocate and small business commentator. As founder of The Sensory Specialist, she's frequently featured across print, television and radio discussing inclusion, neurodiversity and modern entrepreneurship.
Sarah James - Media Enquiries
Sarah James is the Founder and Director of The Sensory Specialist, a Melbourne-based business supporting thousands of Australian families, schools and organisations with inclusive sensory tools. A former psychology teacher and mum of two, Sarah left the classroom to build a nationally recognised brand focused on accessibility, neurodiversity and practical inclusion.
She works with schools and communities to help make everyday environments more inclusive.
Recent Media Coverage
"My kids are still pretty fussy, but I am also mindful of not causing any psychology traumas or expectations around food," she said. "They also get more adventurous with food each year they get older."
Sarah James describes a surprise friendship during Covid that led to the creation of pilot hat hearing aid hats for deaf and hard of hearing children.
"We want schools to get funding but we want that funding to go to the students specifically to fund what that child needs."
While most hobbies drain bank accounts, these Aussies have flipped the script, creating businesses that prove passion pays better than day jobs.
Sarah James, a disability consultant who runs The Sensory Specialist, told nine.com.au accessibility "shouldn't be an afterthought."
"Patterns they've carried for decades, such as burnout, anxiety, or feeling different or like they never quite belonged, suddenly make sense through a neurodivergent lens. It's not that anything about them has changed; it's that the language and understanding around neurodiversity finally exists."
Sarah James appears as a guest on Radiotherapy, discussing inclusion, and what sensory-friendly spaces look like for schools and the community.
Sarah James discusses the risks of these platforms on vulnerable children.
A solid FAQ hub and prominent search bar worked better by improving satisfaction more, especially when combined with real humans replying to emails within 24 hours, James said.
Sarah speaks about the concerns expressed by families around the upcoming reforms to the NDIS, changes to the Assessment tools and the introduction of the Thriving Kids Program, scheduled for mid-2026.
We spoke to Sarah about her transition from a career in education to entrepreneurship.
Modern child safety protocols have reached the North Pole (and Australian shopping malls), in a new era of Sensory Santas and inclusivity training.
Sarah talks about the harsh impacts of Black Friday price wars on small businesses.
"The discounts are getting more aggressive. I've seen up to 70 per cent off, and shoppers now wait for such discounts," James said. "It devalues products and forces small businesses into dangerous territory."
The ultimate victims of this price war 'race to the bottom' are small businesses, forced into offering their products at unsustainably low prices in order to maintain custom.
It's traditionally the time for family gatherings, but for many parents with neurodiverse children, a quieter celebration is the best or only option.
Let's explore some practical DIY tips you can do at home to create a cosy, sensory-friendly oasis for your child.
With a little patience and support, there are several things we parents can do to make your child's new school year a smooth and stress-free transition.
Water has healing properties... but more importantly, it can buy you enough time to drink a hot cuppa (and maybe even clean your cup afterwards). Here are 10 water sensory play activities that your kids and toddlers will love.