ChallengingDisabilityDiscriminationBy Lorraine Entecott

Despite having school reportswith reference to poor behaviourand severe attitude problemswhile in her lower years, Gracewas perceived as an intelligentand able student. Her reputablesecondary school was aware ofher condition and I assumed, asa trusting mother, that they wereconfident and capable in dealingwith Grace and the “problems”associated with her ADHD.

It appeared not.

In November 2010 Grace was inher second year of sixth formand was, once again, excluded.Up until this point I hadsupported the school’s decisionsaround exclusion. This is animportant sanction that theyneed to be able to apply.However, on this occasion Gracehad been confronted by theHead of Sixth Form about herappearance, and was told to gohome and change. Gracequestioned this, as she wasdressed no differently to otherstudents. She was then excludedfor a fixed period of 3 days for‘refusing to follow instructionsand being rude and disrespectfultowards staff.’

Grace, in common with manychildren or young people withADHD, felt a deep sense of

discomfort and embarrassmentat the teacher’s unfairness – andvoiced it. Girls with ADHD can beemotionally over-reactive andGrace was upset and angry.Injustice, as in this case, canlead to an escalation of anger.

The Head of Sixth Form did nottake Grace’s ADHD into account,and interpreted her questioningand distress as challenging hisauthority.

No child should experience thistype of discrimination, especiallyfrom professionals whose role isto support behaviourmodification and education.

Having supported the school inthe past, this time we felt thatexcluding Grace was an over-reaction. I started by exploringthe school’s uniform policy, andalso their behaviour and equalopportunities policies.

It was clear to me that the schoolhad failed to act in line withsome of the GovernmentGuidance on Exclusions withoutgood reason; had the schooldealt with this ‘incident’ moreappropriately, taking into accountGrace’s ADHD, this ‘conflict’would not have led to herexclusion.

I am the mother of Grace, an 18 year oldcollege student. Grace was not diagnosedwith ADHD until she was 15 years of age.

ISSUE No. 18

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through personal experience,and also through extensiveresearch. ADHD is a significanteducational, social andemotional disability. ADHD is ahidden developmental disability.People with ADHD areconsidered as disabled underthe Equality Act 2010. Thismeans that they cannot betreated less favourably thansomeone else. This is disabilitydiscrimination.

It is against the law todiscriminate against a disabledpupil by excluding her fromschool because of her disability.We strongly felt the exclusionwas due to her behaviour, whichis linked to her disability,therefore the Equality Actapplied. Reasonableadjustments should have been

We knew that, as parents, wehad the right to challenge theexclusion, and so we startedsearching the Internet for advice.ACE, The Advisory Centre forEducation, was particularlyhelpful. They confirmed that theschool had not taken account ofGrace’s disability, or made anyreasonable adjustments tocompensate for her condition.They sent their ‘advice leaflets’and were readily available tospeak on the phone.

The next step was to makerepresentations to the Board ofGovernors with regard to theschool’s SEN policy, their lack ofsupport and guidance, and theindifferent attitude of some of theteachers towards my daughterand her mental health disability.

Over 18 years as a parent to mydaughter I have learnt a lot – Continued on page 2

made to take Grace’s disabilityinto account.

Following advice from ACE, Iwent through the three stages ofappeal to the school’s GoverningBody to try to resolve the matter.But partly due to the dismissiveattitude the Chair of theGoverning Body took, we felt thatwe had to appeal to SENDIST(Special Educational Needs andDisability Tribunal). We alsocontacted The Department ofEducation to report theinadequate support of the Chair.

An able young girl who alreadyhad low self-esteem, and day-to-day difficulties living with ADHD,was punished by the way theschool treated her. The school’sdiscrimination was yet anotherblow.

I believe the school and theChair of the Governing Bodyfailed in their duties. Theymissed the point of their schoolpolicy and did not makereasonable adjustments in mydaughter’s case. Going totribunal was intended to make allthe teachers aware of ADHD andthe effect it has on teenagers;also, to ensure that theGoverning Body understandsthat the school is accountable forits actions. 1 in 20 children areaffected by ADHD and otherpupils should not experiencewhat Grace did.

The forms for SENDIST wereregistered as: Less favourable

treatment (s13), Unfavourabletreatment (s15), Discriminationarising from disability and failureto make reasonable adjustments(s21(2)) of the 2010 Equality Act.We went to tribunal in April 2011.

ADDISS supported us, and wereable to confirm aspects of ADHDand its impact on a child to thepanel of 3 judges. It was anemotional and dauntingexperience, but with a goodoutcome. In May, the Order wasreturned and the Claim wasallowed.

This means that disabilitydiscrimination was found to haveoccurred.

The Order was that the schoolGovernors were to arrangetraining, within the comingschool year, for all staff inrespect of the condition of ADHDand the variety of ways it maymanifest itself, including atypicalADHD.

This whole experience left meangry, disappointed and letdown. I accept that I amaccountable for my daughter’sbehaviour – and so is the schoolaccountable for its policies andstaff.

I was one parent voicing myconcerns and I wonder howmany other parents face similardifficulties. I firmly believe thatwith a child’s determination - andwith a school’s cooperation,positive reinforcement, praise,

In November 2011 ADDISS held a conference in London for parents and carers to explore theMany Faces of ADHD. This was a well attended conference and we were delighted that fundingenabled us to reduce the fees.Dr Paramala Santosh, from Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, spoke to us of the verycomplex cases that he deals with in his clinics. These often feature ADHD alongside a numberof other conditions. Very few clinics have expertise in co-morbidity and Dr Santosh’s insights intoeffective treatment were heartening for all of us.Professor Loretta Giorcelli shared her experiences of establishing specialist educational provisionin Australia – with particular relevance to pupils with ADHD. One parent commented – “we couldhave had a whole day of Santosh or Loretta and it would have been worth it for that alone”.We also welcomed Zara Harris, exploring issues around parenting teenagers with ADHD.“Fantastic – great facts and some really useful simple strategies” – said one parent. Dr NikosMyttas ran a session exploring ADHD in girls and a second one to cover sleep problems. “Veryinteresting – common sense but very knowledgable. Made me think out of the box” – commentedone parent.We plan to run more conferences and events for parents, so watch this space!

understanding and compassion -they can and will achieve theirtrue potential. If the school isunwilling or unable to becomepart of the solution then,regrettably, they become part ofthe problem.

Comment from ADDISS

I was delighted to be able tosupport Lorraine at tribunal and bepart of the process that overturnedGrace’s unfair exclusion. Thetribunal itself was daunting butvery straightforward. The judgesunderstood ADHD and were ableto ask the family questions toclarify their answers. I gaveevidence that supported Lorraine’scase and outlined how I wouldhave expected the school to act,given Grace’s diagnosis. I wasable to challenge the school’sunderstanding of ADHD, and froman independent perspective showhow they had not madereasonable adjustments tocompensate for Grace’s disability.

The case was hard work and Ihave no doubt that Lorraine spentmany hours compiling thepaperwork, but the process wasstraightforward and they won.Grace was able to continue hereducation and sit her A-levels.

If we can help represent anyone attribunal to overturn unjust schoolexclusions please get in touch.

Holly Evans

CONTENTSChallenging DisabilityDiscrimination

• Page 1-2

The Chain of Success:Awareness + Skills+ Desire = Success

• Page 3

What’s new in ADHDResearch? • Page 4

Equality Act 2010 -What does it mean forADHD? • Page 5

ADHD and the need foradequate guardians

• Page 6

Support in Harrow forADHD & Autism

• Page 7

Important dates foryour diary • Page 8

2 To contribute or advertise in ADHD News, telephone:

The many faces of ADHD

• Awareness. The first link issimply being aware of thedesired task. Obviously, if youforget about a project, you can’twork on it. Sometimes theproblem is rememberingsomething at the wrongmoments. For example, itdoesn’t help much to rememberwhile at work that you need topay the bills at home. Thesetiming issues are big ones forADHD folks.

• Skills. If you remember atask at the right time and place,you then need to have the abilityto do what is required. This isusually not the problem forADHD folks, since they insteadtend to run into trouble with notreliably doing what they know.

• Desire. No amount ofawareness and skill is enough ifyou don’t put forth thenecessary effort. Other peopleoften mistakenly assume thatADHD folks lack the desire todo the required tasks - that theyare lazy or irresponsible, or havea bad attitude. This is especiallytrue before they are diagnosed.Unfortunately, over time, theADHD person can begin tobelieve this himself, making himeven less likely to givesomething his best effort, whichthen becomes a self-fulfillingprophecy.

It’s helpful to think about these

three links, since differentstrategies will be necessarydepending on which link isbreaking down. Strategies fromone link probably won’t helpmuch in the others. So ifsomething didn’t work out, takea moment to figure out wherethings broke down. Dependingon which link it is, you may wantto try strategies along theselines:

• Awareness. If you’re notremembering something at theright times or places, then setup something to remindyourself. For example, use aschedule book or calendar tokeep track of commitments anddeadlines. Use an alarm clockor smartphone to remind youthat it’s time to do somethingelse. Send an email from hometo your work address to remindyou to do something there. Thetrick is to set things up whenyou are thinking about it so thatyou can remind yourself at thetimes that you may not bethinking about it. Medicationcan also help with this.

• Skills. If part of thebreakdown or avoidance comesout of not knowing how to dosomething, then seek help inlearning how to do it better orfaster. It’s almost alwayspreferable to ask for help thanto show by your failure that youcan’t do something.

• Desire. Your desire to dosomething is related to the firsttwo links. We all tend to bemore aware of those things thatwe want to do, but this may beeven more true for ADHD folks.We also tend to prefer to dothose things that we are goodat. Sometimes, though, we needto do things that we don’t reallywant to, or aren’t good at. Try toremind yourself of the rewardsfor doing it, or the cost of notdoing it. If you have ADHD,accept that it may take extraforce of will to make yourself dothese sorts of things.There are plenty of successfulpeople with ADHD out there.But, whether someone hasADHD or not, one of the keys tosuccess is good self-knowledge. The better you knowyourself in terms of how you do

your best work, how you needto approach certain tasks, andhow you can work around thehardest tasks, the moresuccessful you will be.

This was excerpted from“More Attention, Less Deficit:Success Strategies for Adultswith ADHD” by Ari Tuckman,PsyD, MBA. He is the authorof two other books:“Understand Your Brain, GetMore Done: The ADHDExecutive FunctionsWorkbook” and “IntegrativeTreatment for Adult ADHD: APractical, Easy-to-Use Guidefor Clinicians”. You can findmore information about Dr.Tuckman’s books, podcast,and presentations athttp://adultADHDbook.com.

The Chain of Success:Awareness + Skills+ Desire = SuccessThe pursuit of success is like a chain - it’s only as goodas its weakest link. To be successful, all the links needto be strong enough, whereas failure requires only onelink to be weak. So when you do fail at something, thetrick is to figure out which of those links is responsible.This is especially important for folks with ADHD, sinceit may not initially be clear which links gave way. Solet’s identify the three links of success:

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By Ari Tuckman, PsyD, MBA

John Krystal, a professor at theYale School of Medicine USA,likens the role of medication toheating a horseshoe beforehammering it into shape. Likemetal, the brain is “plastic” – itphysically alters as it is trainedand used. This means that if wecan find ways of re-sculptingbrain networks that are workinginefficiently – using both trainingas “hammer” and medication as“heat” – better outcomes inmental disorders may bepossible.

Researchers at the University ofNottingham’s Centre for ADHDand NeurodevelopmentalDisorders Across the Lifespan(CANDAL) have recently beenawarded a grant from theMedical Research Council (MRC)to study the effect of cognitivetraining in the presence of amedication designed to boostlong-range transmission withinthe brain circuits that areengaged and disengaged duringattention-demanding tasks. Theresearch team will useNottingham’s state-of-the-artbrain imaging equipment toexamine the combined effects ofthe medicine and the cognitivetraining on brain circuits. Volunteers will be tested for mildsymptoms of ADHD as well as for“schizotypy” (experiences thatare very mild versions of those ofpeople with schizophrenia).Then, using a 7-Tesla Magnetic

Medication orbehavioural trainingfor ADHD?

In this edition of ADHDNews, we look at some ofthe exciting new ADHDresearch being undertakenat the University ofNottingham’s Centre forADHD andNeurodevelopmentalDisorders Across theLifespan (CANDAL).

Resonance scanner, the teamwill use Magnetic ResonanceSpectroscopy (MRS) to measurethe effects of medication orplacebo on levels of long-rangeneurotransmitter molecules inkey brain regions. In addition,they will also undergomagnetoencephalography(MEG), which will measure thetiny magnetic fields producedwhile they perform a trainingtask. This task will require themto learn to respond to a visualsignal as rapidly as possible, butto restrain themselves if there isa signal to “stop”. Using newanalysis techniques developedat the University of Nottingham,these measurements will allowresearchers to observe howbrain networks interact over time.The images are similar to thoseproduced using functionalMagnetic Resonance Imaging(fMRI), but whereas fMRI onlytakes images every two or threeseconds, MEG allows us to tracknetwork activity from millisecondto millisecond.

This study will allow us toobserve the effects of bothtraining and medication on brainnetworks. Future research willapply the findings to patientswith ADHD and schizophrenia,and focus on finding medicationthat best enhances the effects oftraining, and on trainingprogrammes that make best useof medication.

Most of the time, we look at thething we are paying attention to.When we cease to pay attentionour “eyes wander”. Trackinggaze is therefore a good way ofunderstanding the attentionalproblems experienced by peoplewith ADHD. Even moreimportantly, discovering howpeople learn to control theirgaze direction may offer usimportant clues as to how wecan train children with ADHD to

What’s New in ADHD research?‘Mind-wandering’in ADHD: the eyeshave it!

Providing parents withbehavioural strategies is aneffective way of reducing difficultbehaviours in children withAttention Deficit HyperactivityDisorder (ADHD). However,parenting programmes are oftentherapist led and can be costlyand impractical for parents.A self-help parenting book hasbeen developed and initialresults have shown it can reduceADHD symptoms, but may notbe sufficient to treat ADHDalone. This study aims to test

the effectiveness of the self-helpbook when used alongside othertreatments. We will be recruitingchildren aged 6-10 years whohave received a diagnosis ofADHD, and comparing familieswho have completed the self-help intervention, with familieswho have not. It is hoped thatself-help will benefit families thatreceive it, and prove to be aneffective and practical way ofteaching parents behaviouralstrategies that can be usedalongside other prescribedtreatments.

Self-Help Parentingbook may help when usedalongside medication totreat ADHD

By Professor Chris Hollis Director, Centre for ADHD and Neurodevelopmental Disorders Across the Lifespan (CANDAL), University of Nottingham

4 To contribute or advertise in ADHD News, telephone:

Laver-Bradbury, C., Thompson, M., Weeks, A., Daley, D. &Sonuga-Barke, EJS. (2010). Step by Step Help for Children withADHD: A Self-help Manual for Parents. London: JessicaKingsley.

Contact: Professor David Daley, CANDAL, University ofNottingham, UK. E-Mail david.daley@nottingham.ac.uk

inhibit the kind of mind-wandering and fidgeting that issuch a disabling part of thecondition. Peter Collins, a PhDstudent at the University ofNottingham, will be working withDr Elizabeth Liddle and ProfessorGeorgina Jackson on a researchprogram using a video eyetracker and EEG(electroencephalography), to findout more about how we exercisegaze control and the factors thatcontribute to acquiring bettercontrol over our visual attention.

Contact: Dr Elizabeth Liddle, Lecturer, CANDAL, University of Nottinghamhttp://www.nottingham.ac.uk/chs/divisions/psychiatry/people/staff/elizabeth.liddle

The Equality Act 2010 is the UKlaw that bans unfair treatment andhelps to achieve equalopportunities in the workplace,schools and in wider society.The act replaces previous anti-discrimination laws (e.g. SexDiscrimination Act 1975, RaceRelations Act 1976 and theDisability Discrimination Act 1995)with a single act, making the lawsimpler. It makes the legislationeasier for people to understandand to comply with. The act alsostrengthens protection in somesituations, especially in disabilitydiscrimination.

The Equality Act covers nineprotected characteristics, whichcannot be used as a reason totreat people unfairly. Every personhas one or more of the protectedcharacteristics, so the act protectseveryone against unfair treatment.The protected characteristics are:

• Age• Disability• Gender reassignment• Marriage and civil partnership• Pregnancy and maternity• Race• Religion or belief• Sex• Sexual orientation

For the purpose of this article weare focusing on the ways that theact protects people with adisability, such as ADHD. TheEquality Act sets out the differentways in which it is unlawful to treatsomeone, such as direct andindirect discrimination, harassmentand failing to make a reasonableadjustment for a disabled person.The act prohibits unfair treatmentin the workplace, when providinggoods, facilities and services (e.g.shops, restaurants, doctor’ssurgeries), when exercising publicfunctions (e.g. voting), ineducation and by associations(such as private golf clubs).

The majority of the Act came into

force in October 2010, but thereare some parts affecting schoolsthat, although outlined in the act,are not yet in force.

The Equality Act defines disabilityas “a physical or mentalimpairment that has a substantialand long term adverse effect onthe person’s ability to carry outday to day duties”. Therefore, forthe purpose of this act, peoplediagnosed with ADHD areconsidered to be disabled.

Special provisions for disability

The law on disability discriminationis different from the rest of the Actin a number of ways. In particular,it works in only one direction – thatis to say, it protects disabledpeople but not people who are notdisabled. This means that schoolsand workplaces are allowed totreat disabled pupils/employeesmore favourably than non-disabledpupils/employees, and in somecases are required to do so, bymaking reasonable adjustments toput them on a more level footingwith others without disabilities.

The overriding principle of equalitylegislation is generally one ofequal treatment - i.e. that you musttreat a black person no less wellthan a white person, or a man asfavourably as a woman. However,the provisions relating to disabilitydiscrimination are different in thatyou may, and often must, treat adisabled person more favourablythan a person who is not disabledand may have to make changes toyour practices to ensure, as far asis reasonably possible, that adisabled person can benefit fromwhat you offer to the same extentthat a person without that disabilitycan.

In a school setting, the generalprinciple is that you have to treatmale and female, black and white,gay and straight pupils equally -but you may be required to treatdisabled pupils differently so that

EqualityAct 2010-What does itmean for ADHD?

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they have the same opportunitiesas others. This can also be calleda positive action.

The duty to make reasonableadjustments applies only todisabled students. Reasonableadjustments are necessary whensomething a school does places adisabled pupil at a disadvantagecompared to other pupils. Theschool must take steps to try toavoid that disadvantage bymaking reasonable adjustments.The Act does not set out what areasonable adjustment is, as itexpects them to be made on acase-by-case basis. Failure tomake a reasonable adjustmentcannot be justified. Schools mustact to try to ensure that disabledstudents are not at a disadvantagecompared to non-disabledstudents.

However, when deciding if anadjustment is reasonable, a schoolwill consider financial implicationsand the effectiveness of theadjustment in addressing thedisadvantage.

Discrimination is a bit morecomplicated. The act outlinesthree types of “unlawfulbehaviour”.

• Direct discrimination occurswhen one person treats anotherless favourably, because of aprotected characteristic, than theytreat – or would treat – otherpeople. This describes the mostclear-cut and obvious examples ofdiscrimination – for example, if aschool were to punish a studentwith ADHD for fidgeting or callingout in class.

• Indirect discrimination occurswhen a “practice” is appliedgenerally across a group, e.g. aschool, but has the effect ofputting people with a particularcharacteristic at a disadvantage.For example, if a schoolimplemented a detention policy forstudents forgetting their equipmentor diary and used this policy,without making any adjustments,for a student with ADHD. Onedefence against a claim of indirectdiscrimination is if it can be shownto be “a proportionate means ofachieving a legitimate aim”. Thismeans that both the reason for therule or practice is legitimate, andthat it could not reasonably beachieved in a different way thatdoes not discriminate. This wouldapply to blanket polices aboutbringing weapons into school etc.

• Harassment has a specificlegal definition in the Act - it is“unwanted conduct, related to arelevant protected characteristic,which has the purpose or effect of

violating a person’s dignity orcreating an intimidating, hostile,degrading, humiliating or offensiveenvironment for that person”. Thiscovers unpleasant and bullyingbehaviour, but potentially extendsalso to actions that, whetherintentionally or unintentionally,cause offence to a personbecause of a protectedcharacteristic. Thus, if a teacherbelittles a pupil and holds them upto ridicule in class because of theirdisability, this could lead to a courtcase alleging unlawfulharassment.

The Equalities Act 2010 does notreally offer any more protection forthose with ADHD, but does set outa bit more clearly the responsibilityof schools and workplaces inensuring that those with ADHDhave the same opportunities astheir non-disabled peers.

By Holly Evans

Holly led a workshop on theEquality Act at ADDISS’ ManyFaces of ADHD Conference inNovember 2011. Here are afew comments from parentswho attended:

“Very empowering – down toearth and great for parents.”

“Gave us the nub of thenecessary information andaddressed individualconcerns well – also veryencouraging.”

“Excellent, practical advice.”

“Very knowledgeable andhelpful.”

“Delivered with enthusiasm –liked her upbeat attitude.”

“Learned something I didn’tknow!”

References

Department of EducationEquality Act http://www.education.gov.uk/aboutdfe/policiesandprocedures/equalityanddiversity/a0064570/the-equality-act-2010

Home office Equality Actguidancehttp://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/equalities/equality-act-publications/equality-act-guidance/

Legislation.gov.ukhttp://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/schedule/27

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ADHD and theneed for adequate guardiansMy work with Steve Brown onADHD and its heightened risksfor criminal behaviour hasrecently examined the need forstructure and help to get moresuccessful results for people withADHD. Our overridingimpression is that effectiveguardianship is one key tosuccess.A dictionary definition of‘guardian’ describes ‘someonewho watches over or protects’.And that is what we have set outto do, to assist you to watch overand protect your children.This article introduces you tosome of the commonguardianship requirements andpoints you towards simple buteffective solutions that can helpyou. The hereditary nature of ADHDinevitably means that someparents have ADHD, whetherdiagnosed or not. You guysoften talk to us about the wayyour child’s diagnosis has helpedyou understand yourself. I find itinteresting that people I meetwho do know their diagnosis aregenerally much more self-awarethan the rest of our society. Having ADHD and caring forsomeone with ADHD is a doublewhammy, and I am in little doubtthat this can and always willcause difficulties around thehome and daily life. It’s tough,but there are things we can do toreduce that impact.ADHD is complex and hidden.It’s a real stretch for manyclinicians to truly understand theworkings of the brain that causebehavioural difficulties. So whywould we expect a non-medicalmum or dad, grandparent orfoster parent to understand this?Explaining it is tough. Eventougher if you have ADHDyourself - you may be impulsiveand say the wrong thing, youmay not manage frustrations toowell and be angry when calledupon to explain your child’sactions. Imagine the very commonscenario where your child hasapparently misbehaved in class –and you meet the teacher for thefirst time. What if your GuardianAngel provided you with a pre-formatted letter to send to the

teacher, outlining your child’sstrengths and deficits andpointing out what they could doto minimise conflict in theclassroom? What if yourGuardian Angel encouraged youto meet the teacher before anyconflict arose? What about the clinic visits – howtough are they? What if ourGuardian Angel couldautomatically send the clinicsome information on your child’sbehaviour or mood before theappointment? That would reallyhelp to manage an effective flowof information in a constrainedtime frame.How about a situation whereyour child is taken to the policestation? My experience suggeststhat parents struggle to convincethe police that their child hasspecial needs. Your GuardianAngel could help you to explainthe issues around the taking ofmeds, scheduling interviewsaround meds and the need forsomeone appropriate to lookafter them. A robust, objectiveand informed conversation isneeded, to influence the policeand focus on the needs of thechild. But can you the parent,stressed and often worried, bestprovide that input? This is how Steve and I foundourselves developing theGuardian Angel toolkit. It startedas a website publicising our workwith ADHD and criminalbehaviour, and it has grown intoa package of solutions to helpyou to care, and provideGuardian Angel oversight.BADGE, SHiELD and ADHDAngel are the three componentparts of our Guardianshippackage.

BADGE

There is room in the ADHD worldfor resources that are beyondmedication. BADGE is aimed atproviding some of thoseresources. It currently targetspolice and criminal justiceagencies and provides guidanceon safe custody, road safety andthe links between ADHD andunlawful (and dangerous) druguse. BADGE stands for‘Behaviour And Development,Getting Effective’. Parents and carers can sharethis, and also use it themselves.For example - making it safer foryour child to drive a car for thefirst time? Consider the following(there’s more on the website):

• Curfew times for weekdaysand weekends in line withmedication• Discuss what times of day theycan drive• Discuss the consequences ofan accident• Restrict passengers totally ifpossible

SHiELD

Imagine you are in a lift andsomeone important to you asks -what’s ADHD then? Can youanswer in a succinct manner inthe time you have got to travelfrom the ground floor to theeighth? Why not have yourGuardian Angel provide yourelevator pitch for you. Here’swhat we have written:“ADHD is a disorder of the brain.It is as simple as it is complex toexplain. Due to chemicalimbalances in the brain nervepathways people with ADHDstruggle with many aspects oflife that “normal” people take forgranted. This can range from

paying attention to what is beingdiscussed, through to sitting stilland behaving impulsively.ADHD is a real problem…”Other guardianship toolsprovided relate to starting asupport group, letters to teachersand engaging with college.

ADHD Angel

And finally, Steve and I thoughtabout ways that a Guardian couldtake up the ‘app’ challenge. Theresult, an iPhone app withandroid to follow - ADHD Angel. ADHD Angel prompts the phoneuser to take their meds, andrecords that they have. The appasks about your mood at randomtimes and uses a recognisedrating scale to assess behaviour.Crucially, the app can email all ofthese results to the clinic aheadof your visit, in a simple set ofbutton presses all promoted bythe app. The information section of theapp explains ADHD, and you canhand your iPhone to teachers andothers to read. It explains theeffects of ADHD on theindividual’s behaviour and alsolinks to BADGE and SHiELDthrough the websitewww.adhdandjustice.co.uk.So there you are, BADGE,SHiELD and ADHD Angeltogether make up your GuardianAngel. We want you to use theseresources and tell us what elsewe can provide. All this andmore is available at our websitewww.adhdandjustice.co.uk andeverything is free!After all, to be an effectiveguardian you need theknowledge to provide the bestsupport and advice.

By Phil Anderton PhD

Thinking of setting up asupport group?

ADHD & Autism SupportHarrow is based in North WestLondon, and is a localregistered charity offering arange of services for anyoneaffected by these twoconditions.

We started out in the autumnof 1996, at the suggestion ofthe local Schools Nurse andthe Head of CAMHS (Child andAdolescent Mental HealthService). A small group ofproactive parents wereprovided with a room to meetup and share experiences ofliving with ADHD.

Sixteen years later, and withseveral of those originalparents still involved, includingour chairperson, the group hasflourished and grown toprovide a range of servicesand support to those with thecondition, and for people in acaring role.

What helped this small groupto develop and grow was thepersonal journey so many ofus shared. We could see thelack of provision out there aschildren grew to becometeenagers, and then intoadulthood. Many of uspersonally experienced thepoor understanding of thecondition and lack of help forchildren as they reacheddifferent stages ofdevelopment. We knew thisneeded to change.

In 2002 our charity was offereda building in Pinner, whichproved too big for us to takeon. Our chairperson JulieBrowne had a vision to providea centre for children withspecial needs to access ifexcluded from school, or

unable to manage a full schoolday. The charity “Kids CanAchieve” evolved and wecontinue to work alongsidethem, providing full familysupport.

We started by offering a drop-in coffee morning once a week,which quickly became twomornings as demandincreased. These groups havebecome a feature of the workwe do and are well knownwithin the community,encouraging new parents toattend and meet others whileexploring services to supportthem.

A key focus is to educateeveryone. Not just the parents,but to welcome extendedfamily as well as professionals,including those in education.For me, it meant learning faston my feet. As demand grew, itwas evident that there was aserious lack of services to helpfamilies living with ADHD. Isoon learnt to network in thecommunity, write funding bidsand learn new skills so that wecould provide more services.

Our work with CAMHS is stillcentral to what we do –particularly, providing supportto parents during diagnosis,and in the early weeksafterwards. Parents oftenstruggle at this stage, andvalue support around thedecisions that need to bemade.

We have developed aparenting course called “Livingwith ADHD/ASD” to helpparents gain a fullunderstanding of theconditions, and to develop theskills needed to support theirchild. The course aims toempower parents to let go ofthe blame and guilt. We

Support in Harrowfor ADHD & AutismBy Therese Glynn

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particularly concentrate on thethings that parents are doingwell, and offer a toolbox ofskills and practical strategiesfor daily life. In our experience,evidence based parentingprogrammes that many of ushave been trained in were noteffective enough for parents todeal with many challengingbehaviours that our childrenpresent with. The Living withADHD/ASD course addressesthese needs.

Our work does not end there.Parents can access the “123Magic Course”, one-to-onesupport sessions, specialistADHD/ASD Coaching andAdult ADHD groups. Childrenand teens are offered dramatherapy, the “WhyTry”programme, angermanagement support andsocial events. Our youngadults even have a film groupthat meets monthly.

We have never worked inisolation, and enjoyed ourpartnership with the NationalAutistic Society in Harrow(NASH) as many of our serviceusers have a dual diagnosis.Sadly, NASH closed in 2010and so the decision was madeto include autism in the workwe do. This widened ourobjectives and, with the help ofan Autism Manager, wecontinue the great work thatNASH started.

And what’s next…

In January of 2012 we movedinto our new premises, togetherwith Kids can Achieve. Therebuild has meant a lot ofblood, sweat and tears, butenables us to offer more helpfor our young people andadults. We hope that we willcontinue to provide somethingfor everyone.

We will soon be launching anew project to equip peoplewith ADHD and Autism todeliver training to thecommunity. The training willexplore what it’s like living withthese conditions and highlightthe things that would help them.

All of us involved in our charityhave learnt through personalexperience, and while on thejob. It took just a bit of courageand a helping hand fromADDISS, who provided us withtraining and development andare always around to offer helpand advice.

All too often we receive callsfrom families around the UKwho are looking to accesssupport groups like ours. Ifthere is nothing in your areathen be brave and go for it –you could end up doingsomething so worthwhile.

For more information contact

ADHD & Autism SupportHarrowCedars HallChicheley RoadHarrow WealdHA3 6QH

Tel 020 8901 8009

emailadhd@adhdandautismharrow.co.uk

websitewww.adhdandautismharrow.co.uk

The ADDISS 10th internationalconference – 18th to 20th October2012, in London. This conference willcover topics around current researchas well as lots of practicalpresentations to help both parentsand professionals. We can confirmthat Professor Loretta Giorcelli will behere from Australia and is our firstconfirmed guest presenter.

Practical Responses to AdultADHD – Saturday 24th October2012, in Leicester. Following onfrom the very successful event inOctober 2011, this is a day just foradults with ADHD, their parents/carers,their clinicians and anyone elseinvolved in their care and treatment.With guest presenter Gina Pera, authorof “Is is you me or adult ADHD -Stopping the rollercoaster whensomeone you love has AttentionDeficit Disorder”

123 Magic Workshops for Parents– 20th March and 7th June 2012,in Central London. These one dayworkshops are a response torequests from parents who havebeen unable to access thisprogramme locally.

Everything you need to knowabout ADHD – 27th March and 9thMay 2012, in Central London.These are half day workshops forthose who are new to ADHD, or needto refresh their knowledge. They aredesigned to empower parents andgive them the confidence toadvocate for their child at home andat school.

For more information, and tobook your place, check theADDISS websitewww.addiss.co.uk or ring us atthe ADDISS office 020 8952 1515

Important Datesfor your diary

PatronLady Astor of Hever

The Professional BoardPhil Anderton PhDProfessor Gillian BairdDr David CoghillProfessor Paul CooperDr Valerie HarpinProfessor Peter HillProfessor Chris HollisProfessor Amanda KirbyDr Daphne KeenDr Nikos MyttasDr Paramala SantoshProfessor Eric Taylor (Chair)Professor Jeremy TurkProfessor Ian Wong

TrusteesJenny Missen (Chair)Elaine CrawfordSharon O’DellBrigit SolomonDr Rashmin Tamhne

Chief Executive OfficerAndrea Bilbow

Editorial BoardPhil AndertonAndrea BilbowTherese GlynnProfessor Peter HillProfessor Chris HollisDr Nikos MyttasProfessor Eric Taylor

EditorKaren Walkden

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ADDISSAs a professional or a parent, you can

support ADDISS – and benefit from

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Keep in touch with new research, new

treatments, learn what is working –

and what isn’t.

When you become a member of

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A year’s subscription costs £45 for

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You can subscribe online, or tele-

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