Latest posts

Pathological Demand Avoidance isn't the same as everyday task-avoidance, though the two are often confused. It's an anxiety-driven response to feeling out of control, not defiance. Here's what PDA actually looks like, why reward and consequence approaches can backfire, and how it's properly diagnosed

The move to secondary school often brings something into focus that's easily misread: what looks like school refusal is rarely defiance, it's overwhelm. Lesley Taylor explains what's actually going on for autistic teenagers, and how documenting invisible support now can protect a child later.

Autism in girls doesn't always look like the stereotype. Many learn to mask, copy and camouflage so well that the signs slip past parents, teachers, even clinicians. Here's what we actually look for, and why it's so often missed until much later.

Raising a neurodivergent child in a school system that was never built for them is exhausting, relentless and largely invisible to everyone else. This post reflects on the hidden labour of advocacy, the pressure of attendance, and the quiet relief that comes when school finally ends.

The school system was built for compliance, not for neurodivergent minds. Lesley Taylor looks at the history of compulsory schooling and why children with SEN deserve understanding and flexibility, not shame.

Yes, autism and ADHD can co-exist, creating a complex internal tug-of-war between routine and stimulation. Find out why this combination is so often missed, and why thorough assessment matters.