WHAT NEURODIVERSITY IS - KEY TERMINOLOGY & APPROPRIATE LANGUAGE

SPEAKER: DR JANE MCCAGH

Jane has lived experience of autism, ADHD, sensory processing disorder, dyslexia, and dyspraxia as mother to a child who is neurodiverse. She was also a younger carer for her brother who had an acquired brain injury.

Jane is a Psychologist (H.E.), Neurodiversity Trainer, Psychotherapist and Infertility Counsellor (NHS). She has just started a business which provides therapy, consultancy and training to the public on a range of psychological issues including neurodiversity (‘Dr. Jane Counselling & Wellness Ltd’).

Jane has worked in higher education for 28 years with students who are neurodiverse, facilitating reasonable adjustments to assist learning. She attained her PhD working with people who have intractable epilepsy and has published research in the field of neurodiversity. She is a practicing Psychotherapist and Infertility Counsellor with the NHS working with a wide range of neurodiverse clients (she currently provides all the counselling nationally for the donor conception register). She is also employed by the Brain Charity as a Neurodiversity Trainer, where she provides bespoke training sessions to companies and organizations focusing on raising awareness of issues surrounding neurodiversity in the workplace and helping employers to implement positive strategies. Over the past 15 years she has worked with social services and the media to promote adoption and support the training and recruitment of single adopters and those navigating the SEN system.

Aims:

•The historical context of ND and challenging the concept of normality

•The most common forms of ND with a particular focus on Autism and ADHD

•Greater awareness of issues around diagnosis and identification

•The strengths and challenges associated with certain ND conditions

•Reasonable adjustments