I am the CEO of ADHD Lincs, a local charity based in Lincoln offering support and information to individuals, families and anyone living and working with ADHD and associated conditions. I am also the Patient Enablement Advisor for ADHD360, delivering online group and individual support to individuals, parents and carers. I have worked with the charity for 26 years and have witnessed that current methods to manage school avoidance in the UK are not working for ADHD children; in many cases they exacerbate the situation and numbers are increasing. I am passionate about supporting children with ADHD to meet their potential in life. To do this it is vital to learn from countries who have affirmative interventions in place to support children with ADHD to remain in school.

I want to reduce the prevalence of ADHD school avoidance in Lincolnshire. While supporting at school meetings, I repeatedly see how strategies used by the adults around these children often creates anxiety and anger, leaving children feeling unwelcome and unsafe in their education setting. I aim to provide understanding and develop guidance to prevent children with ADHD feeling that they have no choice but to avoid school.