Supporting ADHD & resilience

It’s well-evidenced that the parts of the brain responsible for organisation and forward planning, are impaired in children and young people with ADHD. This is in addition to possible emotional regulation issues, anxiety, impulsivity, learning disability or even...

Express Yourself – Autism Education & Exploration

One of the voluntary organisations I work in partnership with to deliver the #happyinschool project is Kingston based Express CIC. Express is a user-led voluntary organisation set up in 2012 with the aim of building a better future for young autistic people in the...

SEND Futures Conference

I attended the SEND Futures Conference organised by Richmond & Kingston’s provider of Children’s Services, Achieving for Children. Over 325 teachers, SENDCOs, voluntary sector organisations and charities, attended the spacious venue at Twickenham...

I don’t see the point

  “I don’t see the point?” have you ever heard a young person in your care say this? Your first reaction might be to think they’re rude or defiant. But what if they are on the autistic spectrum?  It’s not the obvious thing most...

Reviews, Exclude, Recycle

Tuesday, saw the publication of the Timpson Review on exclusions. As I was replying to emails in my PJs on Tuesday morning, I got an email from Channel 5 News, no less, asking me to comment on the review. After a brief telephone chat with news editor, they decided to...

Expert Overload & Imposter Syndrome

Arrived back from doing a huge talk in Birmingham at Khembe’s Return to Your Roots about autism and ADHD and their impact on Black children who are often diagnosed later or misdiagnosed (Institute of Education) and are pretty near the top of the exclusions table...