All Aboard ADHD Claire Quigley Ward

In this episode of All Aboard ADHD, Claire is joined by Georgina Fuller - a freelance journalist, speaker, guest lecturer and mother of three, two of whom are neurodivergent. Georgina writes regularly for The Telegraph, Daily Mail and The I Paper, but has written for everyone from Take a Break to Tatler. She specialises in writing about lifestyle, women, and work. Georgina’s middle child is diagnosed with autism and ADHD, her eldest was diagnosed with ADHD last year and Georgina herself is self-diagnosed with ADHD, mainly through recognising all the patterns in two out of three of her children, as well as the genetic links to the traits of her late mother and biological father.

Georgina shares her diagnosis journey with her children, along with her experience of beginning to see ADHD traits in herself - even seeing similarities in school reports from her own childhood. For example, comments such as “doing the bare minimum” “consistently inconsistent” and “easily distracted”. Although Georgina hasn’t had an official diagnosis, through immersing herself in the world of ADHD through books, podcasts and talks, she has been able to put her own ‘reasonable adjustments’ in place to help her function. 

Georgina describes the early signs of ADHD traits in her children, ranging from less obvious to very obvious, with her eldest managing well at school and only finding things challenging in the teenage years, in contrast to a very ‘textbook’ hyperactive presentation of her middle child. Georgina also shares some of the accommodations that have been helpful at school, for example movement breaks and extra time for exams. 

Claire and Georgina discuss some of the damaging stereotypes and narratives surrounding ADHD in the media, the importance of having conversations to raise awareness, and also how crucial early diagnosis can be to ensure children have the best possible opportunities to thrive. Georgina also opens up about her experience of feeling judged by her friends due to her children’s diagnoses, the stigma around self-diagnosis, and how she has had to challenge some of her own preconceptions of ADHD as part of her journey.

Finally, Georgina shares a message of hope for parents of ADHD children in terms of the impact diagnosis has had on her parenting, leading to her becoming more compassionate and understanding with her children, but also in terms of them being able to better understand themselves and their strengths.  Georgina and Claire finish up by discussing the importance of community and finding other parents on a similar journey who you can share your experience with.

To find out more about Georgina and her work, explore some of her articles below:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/health-fitness/wellbeing/mental-health/adhd-experts-separate-fact-from-fiction/

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/health-fitness/parenting/children/questions-for-parents-with-autistic-child/

https://inews.co.uk/inews-lifestyle/no-were-not-all-on-the-spectrum-my-son-has-autism-and-i-hate-when-neurotypical-people-think-they-get-it-2705861

https://inews.co.uk/inews-lifestyle/adhd-making-me-better-job-test-find-out-2311663

https://www.theguardian.com/global/2020/feb/03/autism-to-adhd-thinking-differently-about-recruitment

In this episode, Claire is joined by Leanne Maskell ​​to answer the all-important question: What is ADHD coaching? Leanne is an ADHD Coach, Author, and Activist, having presented to the World Health Organization on improving global access to support for ADHD. Previously working in mental health and disability law, Leanne set up ADHD Works to empower as many people as possible to learn about how to make ADHD work for them through courses, talks, and coaching. After being diagnosed with ADHD at age 25, Leanne published 4 books, including her latest book 'ADHD Works at Work' &‘ ADHD: an A to Z’, as featured on Sky News.

Leanne shares her own experience of diagnosis, after which she felt ‘diagnosed and dumped’, with no support available to help her understand what ADHD meant for her. Leanne eventually sought help from an ADHD coach who helped her 'work with her brain rather than against it’, ultimately inspiring Leanne to train as an ADHD coach herself with the ADDCA. Leanne shares some insight into her own style of coaching and now as a teacher of other coaches, especially the importance of kindness and being able to meet the client where they’re at.

Claire and Leanne discuss what makes ADHD coaching different and the benefits coaching can bring for ADHDers - not least having space to speak to someone who gets it and allows you to unmask and be yourself. Leanne shares some of her experiences starting out as an ADHD coach and coaching teenagers, which was rewarding but understandably challenging! Through this experience, Leanne learned the importance of letting people come to their own conclusions and find their own solutions through coaching. She also shares a heartfelt message for parents of ND children and her reasons for recommending parents to get ADHD coaching rather than or as well as their children, partly due to adults having more agency over their own lives but also to help them work through the shame and blame of parenting. If you are considering ADHD coaching for yourself or your child, Leanne shares some helpful tips to support you to find the right coach and to consider why you want coaching and what you want to get out of it.

This episode is a must-listen for parents of ADHD children wanting to understand how coaching could provide valuable support for themselves and their family.

Find out more about Leanne’s work training ADHD coaches through her organisation ADHD works here: https://www.adhdworks.info/ 

Check out her books ADHD: An A to Z and ADHD Works at Work here:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/ADHD-Works-Work-Leanne-Maskell/dp/B0CK9SY59C

https://www.amazon.co.uk/ADHD-Z-Figuring-Out-Step/dp/1839973854

Did you know that 97% of children excluded from Primary School have a special educational need? And for children who end up in the youth justice system it is 80%?

In this episode, Claire is joined by The Rt Hon Matt Hancock, who has represented West Suffolk as Member of Parliament since 2010, to talk about his campaign for the early identification for neurodiverse conditions in schools. This episode was recorded the same day the Neurodivergent Screening and Teacher Training Bill was read and passed in parliament - a huge step forward in better supporting our children in schools, improving job prospects for the next generation, and reducing populations in young offenders institutes and prisons.

Matt shares his own story with dyslexia - struggling to articulate himself through the written word throughout school but only receiving a diagnosis at university, where he was fortunate enough to get support and ‘re-learn’ to read and write to support his natural ability to ‘think in pictures’. He also describes a ‘tragic and comic’ mistake early in his career due to a very unfortunate typo! Matt spent the first 20 years of his career hiding his dyslexia and feeling a huge sense of shame, but after explaining some of his coping strategies to a new member of staff, he talks about the moment that prompted him to open up about being dyslexic. With a ‘phenomenal’ response to his decision to go public (including a surprise message from a former member of the House of Lords!), Matt was spurred on to further the neurodiversity agenda, setting up the Accessible Learning Foundation and then taking The Dyslexia Screening bill to parliament. 

Whilst some progress has been made and Neurodiversity Condition training is now included in teacher training, Matt doesn’t believe this goes far enough and rejects the notion that labels are negative for children or provide an excuse for poor teaching and poor educational outcomes. Matt argues that better data on children’s differences will help them access teaching that works better for them, supported by screening that can take just 30 minutes and provide an indication of a potential condition. Following lots of positive, constructive feedback from people advocating for ADHD, Autism, and Dyscalculia, Matt has now widened out the original Dyslexia Screening bill to include all Neurodiverse conditions. Matt talks about how simple this screening can be to put in place, with major developments in screeners for all conditions and AI potentially being a huge driver of development. With this data, schools will be able to respond to the needs of each child. Many schools are successfully doing this work already.

Matt and Claire discuss the importance of campaigning to ensure this bill stays on the government agenda and the impact that early identification will have on children in schools but also the knock-on effect on improving job prospects and reducing populations in young offender institutes and prisons. Matt also shares a message of hope for parents who may currently be navigating the SEN system and how screening can be hugely helpful in providing support through that process. He also shares some key actions you can take to support this bill and the wider initiative. 

To find out more about ALF: https://www.accessiblelearningfoundation.org/ 

To donate to Matt’s Justgiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/Matt-ALF

Download a template to write to your local MP here: https://www.allaboardadhd.com/blog/neurodivergent-conditions-bill-template-mp-letter

In this episode, Claire welcomes Hannah Hampton - mum to 3 daughters, 2 of whom have been diagnosed with ADHD. Hannah introduces us to two very different presentations of ADHD in her eldest and middle girls and some of their unique strengths, character traits and preferences. 

Hannah shares some of the early signs of ADHD she noticed in her eldest daughter, even as far back as baby and toddler classes, including her early love of ‘art’ (such as car seat graffiti!). As a highly active toddler and small child she had lots of energy she needed to externalise and as Hannah explains, this could sometimes prove challenging in a busy family environment. Once she entered the school system it became clear she was experiencing challenges around attention and focus. Hannah talks about the lightbulb moment that led her to realise her daughter's behaviour was markedly different from her peers and what action she took initially to confirm her suspicions and seek diagnoses - which came in the form of both Dyslexia and ADHD.

In stark contrast, Hannah’s middle daughter didn’t show any of the classic ADHD signs of impulsiveness and hyperactivity, nor was she struggling academically. Her main challenges were around emotional regulation and frequent outbursts. Whilst Hannah knew something was up, she was so different from her eldest, she just wasn’t sure it was ADHD.

Hannah shares the book she read that completely changed her view and helped her understand just how different ADHD profiles can be. She also talks through the journey of diagnosis for both of her daughters, what she and her family put in place, and what really made a difference to her daughters' daily experience, including school accommodations, medication, counseling and experts such as educational psychologists.

With some incredible advice on what action to take if you suspect your child has ADHD, how to deal with the emotions that arise as a parent of a child who has been diagnosed and a fantastic insight into the range of ways you can support your child, this episode is a must-listen, whoever you are on your ADHD journey with your child.

To find out more about Hannah and her work, head to: 

https://www.instagram.com/HemptonHouse

https://www.instagram.com/ottosam_design

How do attachment styles in babies and children affect their brains if they have ADHD? Even before diagnosis, early childhood experiences will shape their response to real or perceived threats. With the right understanding of what drives their children’s emotional responses, parents can give them the support they need to better tune into and regulate their emotions.

In this episode, Claire explores the link between ADHD and Attachment with expert guest Dr Deba Choudhury-Peters - Chartered Consultant Clinical Psychologist with over 20 years of clinical experience and the founder of DCP Therapy: an independent psychological therapy practice in London, offering a tailor-made holistic approach, with particular focus on the body-mind connection. Dr Deba works with a wide range of psychological problems and specialises in therapy for trauma and attachment styles in relationships.

Dr Deba explains the basics behind attachment theory - covering the main types and how they manifest in ADHD children. She also talks about what this might mean as your child grows and interacts with other adults and children around them, for example at school. We learn some powerful ways that taking a holistic approach, engaging both the mind and the body, can help empower both children and parents to celebrate their differences. 

If you’d like to learn more about Attachment and Dr Deba’s work, then please check out Deba’s services at DCP Therapy here: https://dcptherapy.com

How can we better support ADHD kids in schools? How do so many ADHD teens and young adults end up in prison? Why does one diagnosis seem to be the point at which things stop, when the co-occurring nature of neurodivergent differences is so high? All these questions and lots more are answered in this episode, Claire is joined by Sarah Templeton - ADHD author, accredited counsellor, coach and founder of Headstuff ADHD Therapy - the biggest ADHD counselling and coaching company in the UK. 

Sarah herself was not diagnosed with ADHD until her early 50’s, which came as a huge shock. Since that diagnosis in 2015, she has dedicated her life to helping ADHD children and adults. She is especially passionate about raising awareness and understanding of ADHD in schools and in the criminal justice system.

Sarah talks about how ADHD might affect a child's experience at school and their ability to learn in a classroom, with some fascinating insights as to how teachers might play to their ADHD pupils' strengths and engage them in their own learning process. She also shares some surprising stats around ADHD and the range of co-occurring conditions, particularly Dyslexia, and the additional challenges this can present for children, teachers and parents. We learn just how easy the path from undiagnosed or unsupported ADHD in children can lead to a criminal record but crucially, through awareness and the right practical strategies, how easy it can be to avoid.

If you are a parent of an ADHD child looking for an inspiring listen with practical advice to help you advocate for your child at school or college and help them play to their strengths, this episode is for you. 

To find out more about Sarah and her work, head to: https://www.sarahtempleton.org.uk/

Sarah has also written multiple books:


How NOT To Murder Your ADHD Kid


Teachers-How Not to Kill the Spirit inYour ADHD Kids


How Not to Damage your ADHD Adolescent