Hi! I’m Clare. Having worked as a Primary school teacher, Senco and Senior Leader for over 20 years, I’ve had the privilege of working with many children and families who have ADHD. Together, we’ve developed strategies and support that work for them. However, one of the most significant challenges for people with ADHD is the lack of understanding and the stigma that often surrounds the condition. It’s crucial that we, as a society, strive to provide the understanding and support that these individuals need.

Despite extensive knowledge of SEN and ADHD, we were late to recognise this in my son, who was diagnosed at 13. This experience has taught me the importance of early recognition of ADHD. After this and much more research on my part, I realised that the reason I hadn’t seen anything different about my son’s behaviour was that he was just like me. I received my diagnosis at the age of 48. This has been a revelation, and since getting it, I understand myself much more and can use strategies to minimise any problems.

I feel happy to be on a mission to change perceptions of ADHD. I’ve heard many times that people question a diagnosis or dismiss it as an amusing personality quirk. ADHD is a condition that affects people in a very real way and can be debilitating at points.