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Most conversations about neurodivergence fixate on the extremes. The horror stories. The extraordinary successes. The headlines that make people feel something, fear or awe, but never understanding. Ben Branson, founder of The Hidden 20%, has lived inside both ends of that spectrum.  “Stats on neurodivergence tell two stories. Story one: The Horror. Bullying, Exclusion, Trauma,…

In this Q&A, Natalie acknowledges the pressures schools face, the misconceptions circulating, and the real challenges ahead. But she also highlights the opportunities: stronger inclusion, earlier support, and a system designed around belonging rather than bureaucracy.

The EOTAS consultation is asking families, professionals, and young people to share their experiences, and if your child has ever struggled to attend school, your perspective is essential.

We don’t need to erase the concept of support needs. We just need to stop “keeping score”. Stop assuming visible behaviour tells the whole story.

Non‑disabled passengers have a crucial role to play: speak up when you see barriers, challenge inaccessible practices, and report failures even when they don’t affect you personally.

Co‑production Week encourages us to reflect on how services are built and who gets to develop them. It also reminds us that co‑production carries on long after the week ends, and we continue working to improve both the support we offer and the ways people can access it.

If mainstream schooling has stopped feeling workable, it’s completely valid to look at other routes. Children evolve, and their learning needs evolve too, and the environment around them has to adapt with them. When it doesn’t, families are left trying to hold everything together without the right support.

We can create environments where girls don’t have to work so hard to appear “okay”. We can help them build a sense of self that isn’t shaped entirely by what others expect.

When employers focus on strengths rather than assumptions, everything changes. Strength‑based recruitment helps employers see what a young person can do, rather than what they imagine they can’t.

This is a dramatic shift. It means far fewer people will be legally recognised as deprived of their liberty and therefore far fewer will receive independent oversight.

Whether that happens through in‑person tutoring, online emotional support, or a blend of both, mentoring can be a powerful anchor. As our Q&A with MindJam shows us so clearly, the right relationship can make all the difference.

Dyslexia isn’t a barrier to success; it’s a different learning profile that requires informed teaching, patient guidance, and adults who genuinely get it.