It’s been just over a week since the Government published its Schools White Paper, detailing plans to reform the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system in England. Alongside these plans, the Government launched a consultation, which is open until 18 May 2026. They want to hear from people about their opinions of the plans.…

Jacqui Brett, one of our Neurodevelopmental Diagnosticians, has had two articles published recently: Occupation and ageing: Beyond walking frames and shower stools. Original article, later edition featured in RCOT, OT News, February/March edition 2026, pages 35-37 Beyond bike riding: The occupational impact of Dyspraxia. Original article, later edition featured in Dyspraxia Magazine, Winter edition 2024,…

Today, the Government published its plans for how it will reform the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system. Reforms are much needed and have been long promised. But rumours and leaks have caused a lot of anxiety for families about what reforms will mean for the support their child receives. The first thing to…

Following further leaks in the media in recent days, we expect the Government to finally publish its plans for SEND reform this week. We know the government wants an emphasis on early support in mainstream schools, but reform must not come at the expense of existing legal rights or access to support, which many autistic…

The assessment crisis needs action – right now We know there are hundreds of thousands of people waiting for an autism and/or ADHD assessment. Many desperately need help. Yet they are waiting years. That’s years of not getting the right help in education or employment; years of struggling to access health or social care; years…

We expect the Government to announce its long-awaited plans to reform the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system very soon. In a new blog, our Chief Executive sets out our five principles for effective reform. If the white paper is built around these principles, then we can be confident for the future but if…

We wanted to share this picture from the Pokémon European International Championship 2026, which Calvin attended this weekend at Excel London. Share This Post:

Penguins and Pigeons: A Bird’s Tale: A story and activity book that helps children understand and appreciate neurodivergent experiences. by Jacqui Brett Every child deserves to feel seen and understood. When children understand their differences, they are better able to recognise their strengths. Lily’s Story and Activity Book combines a short story with thoughtfully designed…

The Disabled Children’s Partnership and the charity Kids, campaign for better support for disabled children, young people and their families. This survey is for young disabled people aged 11-25 years, living in England. The government plan to reform the system of support for children with special educational needs and / or disabilities. Their plan will…

Thank you to Dr Linda Buchan for the first Post-Diagnostic Support Group presentation of 2026, which was a discussion on “Neurodivergent Relationships”, preceded by a follow up on the House of Lords report and services offered by Axia.   The slides are available here for those wishing to read them more carefully or access the…

Background For many years, evidence has shown that autistic people and people with a learning disability have reduced life expectancy. In September 2025, minister Stephen Kinnock said, “The latest report shows that on average, people with a learning disability die 19.5 years younger than the general population and are almost twice as likely to die…

23 January 2026 Joint statement: Today the Government has responded to the House of Lords’ report, ‘Time to deliver: the Autism Act and the new autism strategy’. As the autism charity sector, we stand together to say the Government’s response is unacceptable. We see no evidence that the Government intends to develop a new national…

The Autism Workbook For Women: A post-diagnostic guide to self-understanding, including practical strategies to support your journey by Jacqui Brett Jacqui Brett, one of our Neurodevelopmental Diagnosticians here at Axia, wished to share the news that this resource is now available on Amazon. Share This Post:

In 2024, we Global Child and Maternal Health published the Black Child SEND Report and convened our first Black Child SEND Conference – bringing families, practitioners, and policymakers together to expose and evidence racial inequity within the SEND system. In 2026, we are back. As the UK awaits the forthcoming SEND White Paper, we return…

Following on from the discussion at Wednesdays PDSG regarding the question of “why people seek a diagnosis”, we have included a form for people to complete regarding the NHS England information, for the House of Lords Committee. Our support team email address for the completed form to be sent back to is: supportteam@axia-asd.co.uk The Autism…