Managing ADHD without medication.

Joseph Pack has ADHD. He has founded and runs Drug-Free ADHD. Data indicates a 50/50 split between those opting for medication and those not. The discussion here is for all groups and the aim is for you to learn ideas that will have a positive impact on your life. Joesph will be a presentation followed by a Q&A.

A nutritional toolkit for ADHD.

Lucinda Miller in conversation with Henry Shelford. Lucinda has ADHD. She founded and runs NatureDoc, providing Nutritional advice to Neurodivergent children and Adults. She is the author of three books, including the recently released Brain Brilliance.  Naturedoc now have 23 therapists and have helped over 10,000 people. She personally has a wait list of 12 months and climbing.

She is going to be sharing what she has learned about the links between the impact of ADHD and nutrition and share advice and what makes a difference. There will be a presentation followed by a Q&A.

The Neurodiverse Workplace. Including Neurodivergent recruiting and adjustments.

Tania Martin has ADHD.  She was one of the driving forces behind EY’s Neuro-Diverse Centre of Excellence in the UK. The Centre created opportunities for those Neurodivergent people. Especially those with “spikey” profiles who may have had a challenge with a traditional recruitment process.  The Centre aimed to provide those hired with a workplace where they felt supported and where the technology teams would benefit from their unique perspectives and skills. Tania has now started her own consultancy, PegSquared, advising organisations on how they too can build neuro-inclusive workplaces, leveraging her learning from leading a neurodiversity programme. 

 This will be a “fireside chat” format with Henry Shelford. Discussing Neurodivergence in the workplace including recruitment and workplace adjustments. There will be a Q&A at the end.

Founding and running the UK’s largest ADHD workplace group.

Daley Jones has ADHD. He founded and runs London’s Metropolitan Police’s ADHD workplace support group. It now has over 600 Police Officers and is, to ADHD UK’s knowledge, the largest of its kind in the UK.  It is catalysing the creation of groups in other police forces – with groups now starting in other Police Force’s around the country.  Daley will be talking about the group, how it works, and what it is achieving. He will also talk to ADHD on the other side of the justice system.

Daley will be providing a presentation followed by a Q&A at the end.

What lies beneath our ADHD Traits

Dr Samantha Hiew was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 40, and founded ADHD Girls to find out what happened to us as a collective and what led to so many of us to be missed by the system. Sam has a PhD in cancer research, Masters and degree in genetics, molecular biology, and biochemistry. She will be presenting on what is behind many of the traits of ADHD, with a focus on emotional regulation to enable ADHDers to better understand the root causes of their ADHD to use that knowledge for positive change. Including exclusive previews of her own extensive research.

30 minutes speech and 15 minutes questions.

An update from ADHD Liberty

IMPORTANT NOTIFICATION – This segment includes references to suicide.

Sarah Templeton has ADHD. She is the CEO and Founder of ADHD Liberty, the number one charity focused on ADHD in the criminal justice system. Sarah is a force of nature on making change in the prison system for individuals with ADHD. She will provide an update and insight into her latest work. As well as tell us about her newest book.

Race, ADHD and the Justice System. Atif Choudhury

Atif has ADHD. Atif has spent 25 years in the battle for inclusion for all – working at a national and international level. He has worked with the UK Government, multinational corporations and transnational organisations, including the World Health Organisation. He is passionate about the intersectional issues of ethnicity, disability and neurodivergence.

Exclusive and First update on The NHS ADHD Taskforce and ADHD in England

Catherine will be introduced by ADHD UK Chairperson Neal Mankey

Catherine Hinwood OBE is the ADHD Programme Director for NHS England. We are extremely grateful and pleased that she has agreed to come to our conference. She is responsible for the ADHD in NHS England and has the over-arching responsibility for the NHS ADHD Taskforce.

Catherine will be providing an update for everyone for 30 minutes. She is giving a lot of time for questions, and there will be an extended 30-minute Q and A period.

The Positives of ADHD.

ADHD and Crime: investigating the school-to-prison pipeline

Dr Neil Alexander-Passe is Neurodivergent. This talk will look at Neil’s latest book, ‘ADHD and Crime: investigating the school to prison pipeline’. It will discuss his experience as a school SENDCO, and innovative projects he had been part of to better support young people with ADHD in schools. He will talk about the challenges faced in schools by teachers and the lack of awareness of ADHD leading to undiagnosed young people with ADHD remaining undiagnosed and unfairly labelled naughty and dangerous. Neil talks to the new his new research and the changes he wants to see.

ADHD Australia Acknowledgement to Country and Welcome

ADHD UK pass the baton of the conference to ADHD Australia’s Melissa Webster & Matt Tice. The conference continues – now led and organised by ADHD Australia.

Unmasking the journey; ADHD, invisible illness, and the power of women’s voices

Dr Oli Sophie Meredith invites you into her world of masking and unmasking, of hiding and thriving, and of well-being strategies as she explores what it means to live fully with ADHD. Reflecting on this journey, she reveals how it led her to guide a multidisciplinary team in the groundbreaking project Hiding or Thriving: The Lived Experiences and Coping Strategies of Women and Gender-Diverse People with ADHD. Together, they ask women and gender diverse people to share their stories, piecing together the first threads of a larger, shared narrative in the ADHD community Healing Project. Oli will touch on some of their early discoveries, offering a glimpse into this unfolding collective experience.

Uncovering critical gaps in ADHD management

Izabella Risteski will explore critical gaps in ADHD management highlighted by a recent study on individuals’ experiences with diagnosis. She will discuss the challenges, including barriers to obtaining an ADHD diagnosis, the masking effects seen in those diagnosed later in life, and emphasise the importance for comprehensive post-diagnosis support. 

Creating neuroaffirming spaces: environmental supports to empower ADHD children and reduce challenging behaviours

Rebecca McLinden will discuss how to create neuroaffirming spaces; emphasizing environmental strategies to empower children with ADHD and reduce challenging behaviours.

Mindfulness, disability and mindful support

Dr Yoon Suk Hwang will explore the core principles and practices of mindfulness, focusing on how these techniques can drive personal change and support individuals with disabilities. Additionally, Dr. Hwang will highlight the role of mindful self-care and the importance of interconnectedness for overall well-being.

AADPA ADHD guide: an overview

Kate Tognarini will explore and discuss the newly developed ADHD Prescribing Guide for Australian Healthcare Professionals, its contributors and highlight the key contents along with the rationale behind the recommendations. The guide aims to deepen prescribers’ understanding, enhance confidence, and promote more consistent practices. Although focused on medication, it underscores the importance of combining non-medication strategies for optimal patient outcomes.

Improving outcomes in Tasmania; inquiry into the assessment and treatment of ADHD and support services

Simon Behrakis MP Simon’s will discuss the inquiry into the assessment and treatment of ADHD and support services.

Effective work being done in Australia; enquiry and findings

Senator Jordon Steele-John will discuss the enquiry and findings for ADHD and the effective work being done in Australia.

Building inclusive workplaces; enhancing recruitment and workplace practices

Julie Robertson will explore strategies for building inclusive workplaces. Focusing on enhancing recruitment and workplace practices to better support those living with ADHD.

The lived experience of having ADHD at school

Join us for an insightful session with A/Prof Melanie Porter and fellow researchers on the lived experiences of individuals with ADHD at school. Ashleigh Behrens will present her PhD research, exploring the experiences and relationships ADHDers have at school. Lucas Sach will follow with his honours research, including interviews with females with ADHD, looking at their personal school experiences as a female with ADHD. Finally, hear from Stephanie, a 20-year-old with ADHD, as she shares her journey following a late diagnosis and reflects on her school experiences.

ADHD and the criminal justice system; Key issues and developments

Lorana Bartels

Brain in Hand’s ADHD support system

Dr Louise Morpeth is CEO of Brain in Hand. A hybrid support system – encompassing digital tools, 1-2-1 coaching, and 24/7 human support – to help neurodivergent people manage overwhelm and reduce anxiety.

Brain in Hand started development 15 years ago, launched 10 years ago, and has successfully supported tens of thousands across the UK. Originally targeting supporting individuals with Autism, the prevalence of ADHD (circa 40% of people with Autism) has meant they’ve been supporting individuals with ADHD from the get-go. They’ve now formally expanded to offer support to individuals with ADHD without Autism as well.

Louise will share how this pioneering company supports individuals with ADHD. How they tackle executive function challenges and daily hurdles. This will help you understand ADHD interventions with a view to your own support or support for others.

Louise is also going to talk about the research they’re undertaking to deepen the understanding of and refine the support given to people with ADHD. The session will close with a Q&A for further discussion.

Beyond Limits. Simon Blair.

Simon Blair is a successful Entrepreneur with ADHD, a recent successful Marathon de Sable competitor, and creator and star of his film “Beyond Limits” about being ADHD in the extreme that is the Marathon De Sable. He will be sharing clips of his movies and talking about his story. There will be a Q & A at the end.

ADHD and Entrepreneurship. A ‘fireside chat’ interview with Alex Partridge

Alex Partridge has ADHD. He is one of the pioneers of social media content. At 21, he founded UNILAD and LADBible, then fought and won a legal battle over ownership and successfully sold it. He’s held a number of senior leadership positions and now runs his own podcast ADHD Chatter and has again built up a following of millions. In conversation with Henry Shelford he will be sharing his Entrepreneurial journey and the lessons learnt from an ADHD perspective. We will be taking topic-related questions throughout with a dedicated Q&A period at the end.

Bendy Bodies and Bendy Brains and Other Linked Conditions

Dr Jessica Eccles is a practising ADHD medical specialist, and eminent researcher and the Chairperson of the Royal College of Psychiatrists Neurodevelopmental Psychiatry Special Interest Group. We are grateful for her ending her gravitas and being our closing speaker of the conference.

80% of women and 50% of men with ADHD have a linked condition impacting their connective tissue, which in turn can have significant impacts and other health conditions. She is going to be telling us about that and about other linked conditions. She will be giving a Q & A session at the end.