Welcoming our new autism expert

Following on from Su, I also wanted to take the chance to introduce myself. My name is Sian, and I joined LAMP in September this year. I am a teacher and have had a varied career that has included primary and secondary education, plus special education as a support teacher, and latterly as a teacher and senior leader in an all-age special school.   

In all these areas the common thread was always pupils with autism. After exploring autism through practical experience and training, I took a Masters in Autism in Children at the University of Birmingham, graduating in 2016. Since then, I have broadened my awareness of different areas of neurodivergence, particularly ADHD. I have used my experience to train and support teaching staff, help pupils, and to support neurodivergent staff to thrive in the workspace. My enthusiasm for developing my knowledge around neurodivergence is as strong as ever; I find it fascinating to use what I have experienced to support others and am always intrigued to know more.  

My work is also informed by being a parent. I have two adult children, one of whom was diagnosed with autism aged 8 and then a further diagnosis of ADHD at the age of 22. Getting a full diagnosis for my child has been hugely helpful in supporting them to thrive and understanding their needs. I have been able to use this personal experience to support other parents and am always grateful for the understanding it has given me.  

Until recently I also worked for Autism Oxford, a wonderful organisation now sadly closed. I supported with autism assessments and had the privilege of contacting individuals or parents to share the news about any diagnosis. I greatly enjoyed this role and learned a lot about yet another aspect of autism. I hope to return to this type of work in the future – everything supports my knowledge of the presentation of neurodivergence. 

Over the years I have seen many changes in both awareness and understanding of autism. We now know that areas of neurodivergence overlap and are unlikely to present in isolation, but this was not widely understood or accepted in the recent past. A joint diagnosis of autism and ADHD was not possible in the UK until 2013; an adult diagnosis of ADHD has only been possible since 2008.  The visibility of neurodivergent speakers, writers, authors and artists continues to add to the richness of information available. I look forward to drawing on these sources to support staff and student knowledge at LAMP and hope to also add parents support groups into the mix. It looks to be an interesting time ahead; I will be combining this work with teaching Preparation for Adulthood (alongside Finn) and am excited about the challenges ahead.