When we talk about people being 'neurotypical' it just means that they're *treated* as being typical. They may never have a pressing need to think about how their processing differs from other people's. That doesn't mean it doesn't actually differ! It means they fit with neuronormative standards.

I've written a brief post about our new book, why its important to me, and what we hope to achieve with it. open.substack.com/pub/neurodiv...

Gathering for the @stalbansdiocese.org annual pilgrimage from (perhaps) the southernmost parish. Fried egg sandwiches ready; have just misplaced a church warden.

A reminder for folks who are going to #INSAR2026: Last year the Autism Science Foundation provided branded badge lanyards for all attendees. If you would prefer to not chance signal-boosting an anti-neurodiversity, anti-autistic advocacy org, bring your own lanyard. #TheMoreYouKnow #neurodiversity

This is so, so well-articulated.

Today’s rabbit-hole; the etymology of ‘good’. From the Old English gōd meaning pious through Middle English meaning holy which stuck in Good Friday. Now confusing nieces who know good as in ethical… which doesn’t sit as well with the Easter story. www.etymonline.com/word/good

Looking foward to this. Laura’s work (and that of Karen Goldberg and the Neurodivergence Task and Finish Group) set the standard for what other policy should echo. Looking at you short-on-details SEND white paper.

Just back from “What I (don’t) know about Autism” by The Sixth Sense Collective at The Arts Theatre Cambridge Won’t lie; the reading of the names of autistic folk with a LD who have died at the hands of their families nearly broke me. They set it to the music of michaelhowellmusic.com. Haunting.

For my fellow mentors From 1715; Messire François Salignac de la Mothe-Fenelon‘s Adventures of Telemachus p.13

#NeurodiversityCelebrationWeek Some transdiagnostic work from our recently wrapped up SuPer project. A storm of PostIt Notes doi.org/10.1177/2754...#NeurodiversityCelebrationWeek5 themes on focus from autistic, AuAdhders, ADHDers and the PNT (predominant neurotype): 1/6

In case you missed it, the last #CRAEwebinar is now up on YouTube: 'Co-Constructing Creative Methods for Voice' with the lovely Sarah Parsons from @acornsoton.bsky.socialwhere.

If it's sometimes hard to tell the difference between fossil-fuel lobbyists and the billionaire press, that's because there isn’t one. My column on the politicians, journalists and junktanks using the Iran crisis as an excuse to extract our remaining gas and oil. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

As part of our exam equity for neurodivergent students project, CRAE is now inviting UK-based centres with students taking Pearson GCSE examinations to take part in the next phase of this really important project. If you work at a UK secondary school, could you help? 🧵 read on... 1/3

"...all these attempts at Windows of Safety can’t be done alone, ... Autistics need not only to protect one another, which we do as fiercely as possible, but we need our allies, too, to help us create sanctuary" Let's practice niche construction & build Cavendish Space stimpunks.org/glossary/cav...

There’s a good piece in The Conversation on the issues with ToM as a concept in describing autism (and it refs our Geoff Bird’s work)

Delighted to have our new paper, “Eliciting the views of autistic adolescents attending specialist schools on what friendships mean to them”, published in @journalautism.bsky.social! 🧵 #autres #openaccess journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

Alongside the government's #SENDwhitepaper the The Neurodivergence Task and Finish Group have published their recommendations for mainstream education. assets.publishing.se...

So chuffed to have arrived at #A-Fest; amazing speakers lined up including the brilliant @petewharmby.com and @dean-beadle.bsky.social

All hail the sacrificial pancake; without your rubbery pile non other would be crispy.

Today, UCL turns 200. 🎉 For two centuries, our community has opened doors, challenged convention and pushed the boundaries of knowledge across every discipline. Thank you to everyone who’s been part of the UCL story, here’s to the next century. ✨ #UCL200 #LoveUCL

Today, Nate on VR and autism research was brilliant. Will post it on YouTube early next week.

Understanding neurodivergent attention profiles to harness learning: An evening exploring how learners process information. For educators & inclusion professionals. With drinks & nibbles. Thursday, 26 Feb 2026 6:30pm UCL IOE, London Free Sign-up

Need to sort your act out #Universities wonkhe.com/blogs/univer...

ndconnection.co.uk/blog/autism-... Latest research roundup for autism, neurodivergence generally, and the best/most debate-worthy of the papers. This one, a double issue Dec 25/Jan 26. The studies span education, healthcare, social work, mental health, relationships, and the built environment.

New headphones with dynamic adjustment. Now noise cancellation stops when I start doop-dooing along. I think it thinks I’m talking to folk. I do this a lot.

I am very lucky to have lovely gems passed to me. And I do like an ebook with wry comments in the footnotes. bribrithewriter.com/f/western-st...

doi.org/10.1177/1362... Useful study - are we getting better at finding e.g. autistic women and girls? Yes. 408 people in Scotland. The lifespan male-to-female ratio was approaching equal numbers of each. Do have a read of the detail. So much for 'it's a boy thing', eh?

That’s a must read…

Worth remembering: “SEND is a construct. It’s a convenient fiction. And it’s a neatly-boxed label designed to solve a problem the education system created, and refuses to take responsibility for.” TY @kieranrose.bsky.social theautisticadvocate.com/there-is-no-...

Come celebrate CRAE's leadership transition with us! Join us on 15th Jan to celebrate Anna's 9 years as Director, and to welcome Mel to the helm. Free tickets (must be pre-booked) available here:

Come celebrate CRAE's leadership transition with us! Join us on 15th Jan to celebrate Anna's 9 years as Director, and to welcome Mel to the helm. Free tickets (must be pre-booked) available here:

#WakeUpDeadMan According to the Vicar 8/10 for ecclesiastical accuracy; odd obsession with perma-chasubles.

DON'T MISS this qualitative analysis which found that autistic adults face a conflict between balancing their desire for social connection with their limited energy for engaging in social experiences. FREE until 25th November www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1177/...

A qualitative analysis by @kanabaletti.bsky.social et al found that autistic adults face a conflict between balancing their desire for social connection with their limited energy for engaging in social experiences. FREE until 25th November www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1177/...

New #CRAEwebinar Last week Jada Brown shared her work on 'Understanding the embodied experiences of Black, autistic university students in the UK.' It was a brilliant webinar. And it's now up on YouTube.

Today's #CRAEwebinar Experiences of navigating university as an autistic people who are also marginalised by their Blackness 'Understanding the embodied experiences of Black, autistic university students in the UK' with Jada Brown. Thur 6th Nov 4pm gmt

Big CRAE news! From January 2026, @melromualdez.bsky.social will be taking over as CRAE Director, when @annaremington.bsky.social steps down after almost 9 years at the helm! Read about the news here crae.ioe.ac.uk/dr-me... 1/2

🗞️ NEWS 🗞️ We are also sharing the book launch events! Dr Krysia Waldock @krysiawally.bsky.social and I are so excited about co-edited collections that we are sharing the launches of them too - in video format!

New #CRAEresearchSummary @brianirvine.bsky.social considers the role of framing and reframing in Specialist Autism Mentoring at UK Universities

Our paper has recently been published in @Autism in Adulthood: “Trapped in a No-Win Situation”: A Qualitative Exploration of Autistic Adults’ Experiences of Loneliness tinyurl.com/2yeuch6j @craeioe.bsky.social @ioe.bsky.social @ucl.ac.uk @lauramaycrane.bsky.social @annaremington.bsky.social

"Are Universities Ready to Support Autistic Students? A Call to Increase Coordinated Campus Efforts" by Blaskowitz et al advocates for university departments to enhance #inclusion and support for #autistic students. READ shorturl.at/EgzlU

We are so pleased to announce next month's #CRAEwebinar. Jada Brown will be speaking on 'Understanding the embodied experiences of Black, autistic university students in the UK' Do join us: Thur 6th Nov 4pm

Today, CRAE’s Mel & Brian were delighted to join the City Lit #MentalWealth Festival with the great MH TedXer Shaun Flores and NHS ND Network founder Hannah Jones. We bounced around neurodiversity paradigm & movement, mentoring & employability. Full house. Great crowd… 🤩

🗞️ NEWS 🗞️ Today's first premiere of the 'talking heads' videos is from Neurodivergent Education and Lifelong Learning (co-edited by Dr Krysia Waldock (@krysiawally.bsky.social) and I). We have two co-edited collections that focus on neurodivergence and education, in all its renditions, i.e., in life

We are delighted that @connortkeating.bsky.social's Demystifying Emotion-Processing: Autism & Alexithymia #CRAEwebinar is now available to watch on our YouTube Channel. youtu.be/OqbcUW6qbLw#CRAEwebinar

I just saw someone use the abbreviation “AI;DR” and I’ll be laughing for a while.

I will never not repost this (Sound on for maximum effect)

Excited to be at the book launch of Waldock & Keates 2025

Am pleasantly surprised with the CofE with its new ABC.