Hi everyone!
I'm Joss and I work for national charity Ambitious about Autism on our Autistic and OK programme for secondary schools. Autistic and OK is a groundbreaking peer-led programme that aims to support autistic pupils with their mental health and educate the wider school community on autism.
Our programme aims to build a whole-school community where autistic pupils feel understood and accepted. I'm excited to connect with members of the SEND Network and hopefully bring the benefits of Autistic and OK to as many UK secondary schools as possible.
Please do get in touch via messaging or email if you have any questions or queries, I'd be really happy to answer them!
Kevin M Thomson
Founder Dysmusia Foundation supporting Wellsician.io & EmojiPhonics.org, The Dysmusia.foundation
Hi, I'm Tina, a former experienced teacher, and I have been working with PANS PANDAS UK, a charity focused on these post infectious neuro-inflammatory conditions for around three years. These conditions can cause children to quickly deteriorate from doing well in school to having complex needs. Awareness about these conditions is currently low, but it is improving thanks to recent advances in the medical field, a Parliamentary debate and media coverage. PANS/ PANDAS can present with some unusual characteristics, and this combined with a lack of awareness and training for schools has made things more difficult. The recent recognition of both PANS/PANDAS as distinct diseases by the NHS, now presents a great opportunity to raise further awareness across education.
www.lewis-support.co uk
Louise has 20 years of experience in education, specialising in supporting students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Holding a Postgraduate Certificate in Language, Literacies and Dyslexia, alongside Approved Teacher Status (ATS) from the British Dyslexia Association (BDA), and a PGCE from Exeter University,
Louise has delivered a diverse range of subjects from Pre-Key Stages to A-levels. Passionate about the transformative power of education, Louise finds joy in teaching and supporting young learners, ensuring that all young people, regardless of their abilities, can access education. With a keen interest in complex communication needs,
Louise has experience working with AAC users and is currently pursuing British Sign Language (BSL) Level 1 certification.