Autism & ADHD 1 – Post Event Access

TEDx Speaker Andrew Whitehouse is a specialist in neurological diversity, and provides interventions for professionals, parents and young people with autism, ADHD, dyslexia and related conditions.

Andrew has a number of roles including training, strategies and therapies for education professionals in schools and colleges, observing learners in the learning environment and providing practical solutions to help them achieve their potential.

Andrew provides short courses for Bishop Grosseteste University and the University of Lincoln and holds a number of UK and overseas contracts. Andrew has delivered three TEDx events including “From Disability to Superpowers” and has an extensive conference profile.

Andrew is also a Forensic SEND Consultant and acts as an expert witness in SEND related court cases.

Tigger Pritchard is awesomely neurodivergent, and an autistic and Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) advocate, consultant and trainer based in Cornwall.

Tigger has over thirty five years of professional and personal experience of working alongside, learning from, and advocating for neurodivergent individuals. Tigger has done this in many different ways: support worker, advocate, teacher, facilitator, trainer, manager, lecturer and friend. Plus he has a lifetime of autistic experience which he is still exploring.
Tigger’s focus is raising understanding and acceptance of neurodiversity; accepting people for who they are and not trying to fit them into any “neurotypical box”, and understanding that one size does not fit all.

Using his extensive experience, knowledge, teaching practice and personal insight, Tigger passes on his skills, both face to face and online, by supporting individuals, families, corporate organisations and educational settings on a consultancy basis.

Navigating the educational landscape with neurodiversity isn’t something you learn from textbooks. Kirstin Coughtrie, who received an ADHD diagnosis later in life while investigating an AuDHD diagnosis for her son, knows this first-hand. She founded Gaia Learning in 2019 when mainstream schooling wasn’t working for her family. Gaia Learning is the first online school to be given the ADHD Friendly School Award by the ADHD Foundation and supports neurodivergent learners aged 8-16 in partnership with schools, Local Authorities and home educating parents.

Kirstin is a qualified teacher, ADHD Coach, mum of three neurospicy tweens and Ambassador for Teaching the SDGs.

Jannine Perryman MA PCGE is brutally honest and open about her life with ADHD and is passionate about promoting positive outcomes.

She is the founder of ADHD Wise UK which provides training and consultancy for schools, colleges, universities and workplaces, as well as skills training, coaching and counselling for individuals and families.

Jannine has featured in articles in The Guardian, Society for Education, Training (SET) and ADHD Action.

She is a member of the Association of Child and Adolescent Mental Health (ACAMH), and the Society for Education, Training (SET) and student membership of the British Psychological Society (BPS).

Tracy Bowyer is the Parenting Services Coordinator for the ADHD Foundation Neurodiversity Charity.

Her role includes the planning, delivery, evaluation and development of strength based programmes to help parents and carers to develop their skills and knowledge to support their neurodivergent child or young person.

Tracy’s professional interest in neurodiversity has spanned many years; prior to joining the ADHD Foundation Neurodiversity Charity, she worked as a Social Worker and had experience of supporting neurodivergent families through the third sector.

In addition to her professional interest in ND, Tracy is a mum to two autistic children, who inspire and fascinate her every day.

Stacey Evans is the Lead Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinator (SENDCO) for Oak Trees Multi-Academy Trust. She is dedicated to ensuring that students with additional needs receive the support and guidance they require to reach their full potential. With a wealth of experience in the field, she understands the complexities involved in providing SEND support, and has developed an effective approach to delivering it.

One of the key aspects of her role involves working collaboratively with schools across the trust to establish effective SEND strategies and ensuring that all students receive the support they need to thrive. This involves working closely with teachers and support staff to develop bespoke support plans, and providing regular training and development opportunities to ensure that staff are able to deliver the highest quality provision.

Stacey’s role also involves close collaboration with external agencies, including Local Authorities and specialist education providers, to ensure that the trust is able to offer a comprehensive range of SEND support services. This includes liaising with specialist teachers, therapists and other professionals to provide a fully-integrated approach to SEND provision.

Colin Foley is the Training Director of the ADHD Foundation Neurodiversity Charity, the largest ADHD charity in Europe.

After twenty-five years as a secondary teacher and senior leader, Colin’s work for the ADHD Foundation Neurodiversity Charity is grounded in empowering teachers to deliver outstanding outcomes for children and young people with ADHD, through increased awareness of the condition, and through practical classroom strategies that every teacher can use at all key stages.

Arron Hutchinson is the Education Training Director for the ADHD Foundation Neurodiversity Charity.

Following a five-year teaching career, Arron joined the ADHD Foundation to deliver high-quality CPD for educational professionals on how best to support neurodiverse children and young people in the classroom. Arron’s work also includes the delivery of therapeutic interventions for children and young people with a variety of needs, whether they have a diagnosis or not.

Alison Neal is the Director of Midlands Occupational Therapy and provides specialist occupational therapy services for children and young adults with a range of difficulties.

Alison is an advanced practitioner in sensory integration therapy; she has several years experience of providing post graduate training to other therapists on this subject and has co-authored a book on sensory movement breaks.

Alison works with families, children and young people at home and in a variety of mainstream schools, special schools and colleges, to find solutions to everyday problems that actually work and can be implemented at home or school. She can also offer assessments for EHC plans and tribunals where necessary.

13 years ago, Dr Annie Clements founded Autism & ADHD – a social enterprise in Ipswich to support those living or working with autism and ADHD. It is now a thriving organisation that offers practical advice, support and training. Since its inception it has supported thousands of people with autism and ADHD, their families and professionals.

Annie now works regularly in an advisory capacity with families, in schools, colleges and universities alongside other professionals who support children and young people with autism. She has worked with the Armed Forces, has been involved in research projects and been a regular visitor and keynote speaker at the University of Suffolk, the University of Essex and at international conferences.