Autism Diagnosis / ADOS/ADI Training and Clinical Assessment for Autism and Related Conditions...Expert Witness / ASD and Criminal Justice / Law
Cambridge, UK
Joined October 2010
- Tweets898
- Following755
- Followers352
- Likes277
Cancel culture in the autism world. ‘Nothing About Us Without Us’ has morphed into ‘Agree With Us or Get Off the Bus’
We started a podcast with the deliberate aim of talking to a range of voices. We had had enough of the polarisation and mudslinging of social media.
We went to significant effort to seek out different perspectives. Our criterion was not whether they agreed with us, but whether we thought they would have an interesting angle to add. We made it clear in the podcast that the views of the guests did not necessarily represent those of the hosts.
From the start we wanted this to be a space where people explained their ideas so that the listener could understand and make up their own mind. We wanted to model openness and tolerance of disagreement. We wanted to do something different to what happens on social media.
When we released our first episode, with Dame Uta Frith, we quickly discovered why these conversations are impossible. She said things which some people disagreed with, and as a result they blamed us for platforming her. There was little reasoned discussion of her ideas, and a lot of flinging of mud. People I had worked with and who I respected recorded videos about the harm I was causing and how disappointed they were. Others made huge assumptions about what we, as interviewers thought, including dismissing the suffering and experience of others and having a right wing agenda to cut benefits. Things that Uta had not said were attributed to her, and by association to us.
Immediately, our other podcast guests started to withdraw. People whose work I really respected and who had fascinating things to say backed away, scared perhaps that they too would be tainted by association. Their viewpoints were very different to Uta and that is exactly why we asked them. Just like when we interviewed Uta, we wanted to really hear and understand what they had to say. That won’t be possible now.
There’s something going on in the online autism world, and it’s not healthy. Many people are terrified to say what they think, for fear of the sort of thing that has happened to me this week. Useful and valid viewpoints are not being heard. Self-censuring is rife. Online shaming has been normalised. As a result, the growth of knowledge is stifled.
If you disagree with what Uta Frith said and you’d like to come on our podcast, please email me. We’d love to have you.
neurosense.substack.com/p/wh…
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BwithA / Carol Stott Phd retweeted
None of us is infallible; none of us is omniscient. The only way, as a species, we’ve been able to make progress—we’ve been able to discover how the world works, what works in creating a functioning and fair society—is that people try out ideas; other people point out what’s wrong with them; we keep the ideas that seem to be working; we try not to repeat our mistakes; and we blunder our way toward knowledge and progress. If you disable that cycle by punishing people for the content of their speech, then you’re guaranteed to be in error, because the people doing the punishing—the people doing the censoring—are themselves not infallible.
@NZFreeSpeech
--Full interview: ow.ly/QJAQ50XTcXhAnd
--Tickets to "An Evening with Steven Pinker" in Auckland, Monday, February 02, 2026 at 7PM: ow.ly/UMq950XTcXk
Full article: Understanding vulnerabilities and ‘pathways’ in the commission of sexual offences by autistic individuals: perspectives from UK-based practitioners tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.…
This looks like it will be good. ToM assumed! @sbaroncohen
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In memory of David Kirby: Author of Evidence of Harm / New York Times Journalist / Friend
Two years ago we lost a rare treasure - In fact we lost something that the free-speaking world can’t do without. A journalist with intelligence, courage and integrity.
Some years ago, when the world turned its back on an emerging and alarming number of children who appeared to have suffered devastating effects of childhood vaccination, David put his head above the parapet and gave a voice to the affected children and their families. He took on the vitriolic abuse, the snide memes from largely uninformed skeptics. Those whose patients and children were in the majority - - just fine, nothing to see here - and who thought it was OK to treat those who didn’t make it as collateral damage; dispensable casualties in a fight for the protection of the many. He gave people ‘Evidence of Harm’ a glimpse of what was really happening inside those ivory towers and pharmaceutical labs. David was what investigative journalism should always be about.
In the words of TD Allman (quoted by John Pilger in ‘Tell Me No Lies’)
“Genuinely objective journalism is journalism that not only gets the facts right, it gets the meaning of events right. It is compelling not only today but stands the test of time. It is validated not only by reliable sources, but by the unfolding of history. It is journalism that ten, twenty, fifty years after the fact still holds up a true and intelligent mirror to events.”
David was that kind of journalist - the kind we need now, for so many reasons. Go gently my friend. You were one of the best.
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Our paper published in BJPsych today. Thanks to lead author Paul Whiteley and the team. cambridge.org/core/journals/…
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BwithA / Carol Stott Phd retweeted
Today, our CEO, @jamcusack, is giving evidence at the House of Lords.
He’ll be answering questions put to him by the Autism Act 2009 Committee, which has been appointed to examine whether the Autism Act and the autism strategy are working, and to make recommendations about what the Government should do next.
You can watch it live today from 2.45 pm, James will be live from 3.45 pm:
committees.parliament.uk/eve…
As part of this process, the Committee will make recommendations for improvement to the Act, which the Government will then have to respond to.
ALT A picture of James Cusack with the following text: Live from the House of Lords: Are the Autism Act and autism strategy working to improve autistic people’s lives? Watch our CEO, James Cusack, give evidence at the Autism Act 2009 Committee. Monday 10 March, from 2.45pm.
BwithA / Carol Stott Phd retweeted
Hi all, I've decided to share this video. Just b4 Christmas my autistic sister Katie (who doesn't speak and has the mindset of a toddler) went 2 buy a £2 dvd but the till had closed early and started crying in the shop. Police were called& forcibly removed her. #AutismAwareness
BwithA / Carol Stott Phd retweeted
Somebody told us... the NHS autism assessment waiting list could fill the O2 Arena in London ten times!
This is a critical issue for us and it should be for everyone.
Check back tomorrow to discover the next surprising place the NHS autism waiting list could fill.
#12DaysOfChristmas
BwithA / Carol Stott Phd retweeted
Autistic man still locked up for murder under joint enterprise laws 10 years after friend stabbed stranger | The Independent independent.co.uk/news/uk/ho…
BwithA / Carol Stott Phd retweeted
The August 2024 quarterly update to the Court of Protection Handbook is now available on the Handbook website: courtofprotectionhandbook.co…
BwithA / Carol Stott Phd retweeted
Really enjoyed doing three presentions at the International Academy of Law and Mental Health conference in Barcelona. First one on 'Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the Courtroom: Why it is Important to Recognise this Disorder in the Accused'.
Shout out for @Capacitylaw. Currently reading OverComing Challenges in the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Brilliant. I work with autistic people in the Criminal Justice System (sometimes with extremely high intellectual ability) and think a lot about issues around capacity to form criminal intent. For this group the insights on how capacity isn’t all about intellect, plus the emphasis on relationships in thinking about capacity are remarkable
BwithA / Carol Stott Phd retweeted
Mental Health Act reform – full steam ahead?mentalcapacitylawandpolicy.o…
Ok so the England performance wasn’t great but since when has it been the commentators job to tell us. Shearer barely mentioned Denmark. He even called England ‘We’. And someone needs to tell him Schmeichel’s name is Kasper not Jasper 😄 Bring back Motty I say
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This is interesting @IBDSurgeon
Major cause of inflammatory bowel disease found leading to new ideas for treatments bbc.com/news/articles/c1wwdd…
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Another great addition to the CJS/ ASD literature. Thanks Clare and team
Pleased to share another new Open Access paper fresh off the press this week(!). Identification and support of autistic individuals within the UK Criminal Justice System. See: rdcu.be/dEB8g A terrific team!!!!!
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BwithA / Carol Stott Phd retweeted
'IT'S A NATIONAL DISGRACE'
Kevin Healey was diagnosed with ADHD after going to see a private psychologist in November 2023 – but policy means he has to be reassessed by an NHS doctor in order to access medication.
Having been told he could be on the NHS waiting list for up to three years, Mr Healey went private as it was "quicker". The diagnosis took 20 hours of assessment over several weeks.
He then planned to go to the NHS for treatment. But after being referred to his local ADHD unit, Mr Healey was told that he cannot receive medication via the NHS without being "reassessed" by one of the health service's doctors - which comes with a year-and-a-half wait.
Describing the process as "barbaric", he told Sky News: "There's an official diagnosis so I don't know why I've got to go down the route of having a reassessment. In their letter, [the NHS] stated that my diagnosis could potentially be revoked if they felt that I didn't have ADHD."
He said: "The medication is a controlled drug and needs to be prescribed by a psychiatrist. Then a person can learn to live functionally, function in society and lead a normal life."
Addressing the wider situation, Mr Healey added: "I think it's a national disgrace. Parents, children, adults, families, at the end of their tether waiting for a diagnosis.
"It's not just affecting me, it's affecting thousands of people across the UK. And why should we have to suffer in silence? We need government officials to act now."
Source : credit Sky News
news.sky.com/story/nhs-canno…
#Autism #AutismAcceptanceWeek #ADHD