Izy Utley

One of the best things you can do for neurodivergent people when giving instructions is incredibly simple:

✨ Write. Them. Down. ✨

Clear written instructions aren’t just helpful - they’re accessibility

This is a small image of the poster described about developmental language disorder in adults and current practice in adult speech and langauge therapy services in Scotland that can be found on the NAIT website

We are enjoying the #RCSLT Conference 2025 today. Here's our poster about current practice in identifying adults with Developmental Language Disorder in Scotland and steps to address gaps in provision
nait.scot/document/nai...
#DLD @naplic.bsky.social @radld.bsky.social @rcpsych.bsky.social

Promotional banner for Scotland's Health Research and Innovation Conference, titled 'Research Enabled Health Innovation,' scheduled for 23 October 2025 at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre. The banner features the logos of the Chief Scientist Office and NHS Research Scotland, along with images of healthcare professionals discussing and viewing ePosters. Blue and white color theme with a heartbeat line graphic. Visit www.scothric.co.uk for more details. #ScotHRIC25

Over 100 inspiring ePosters, over a wide range of topics, are available to browse online throughout #ScotHRIC25.

Browse our four themes and the extensive projects 🔗 https://my.ltb.io/index.html#/showcase/research-conference

@ahume15.bsky.social forgot to tag you in this one but couldn’t have done this without you!

Part of poster about inclusive communication in PPI

Poster about working with autistic advisors in doctoral research

Presenting a poster designed with brilliant autistic advisors who have been involved my doctorate project. Tried to highlight a bit about accessible communication in research #ScotHRIC25 @nhsresearchscotland.org.uk

A man at a laptop. Behind him are symbols representing inclusivity and accessibility.

It's National Inclusion Week!

We've pulled together a blog with some simple ways you can improve your digital accessibility so all your communications are inclusive.
https://www.seeability.org/news/accessibile-content-tips?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=accessibility

Come and chat to NAIT about our posters
👉🏼 Identifying contexts that facilitate #neuro-affirming practice in adult health and social care nait.scot/document/nai...
👉🏽 Ingredients of #neurodevelopmental pathway model nait.scot/document/nai... #AEC2025

City St George's is conducting a survey of UK SLTs working with autistic people to find out whether and how they are adapting to be more neurodiversity affirming. This should take around 10 mins. #bskyspeechies #mySLTday
Click here to take part:
cityunilondon.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...

NAIT Neuro-affirming Recruitment Guidance 2025 - National Autism Implementation Team NAIT Neuro-affirming Recruitment Guidance for employers.

Adjustments and supports in #neuro-affirming recruitment for #autistic people are not rocket science and often cost nothing
nait.scot/document/nai...
#AEC2025

Beyond Accommodations: Supporting Autistic Professionals in Health and Education (2024) - National Autism Implementation Team NAIT practice based guides for employers and employees. Autistic people can have poor Employment outcomes and are under-represented in the workforce. These guides have been developed based on informat...

So many great talks & resources about employment experiences of autistic people at #AEC2025 with @asiamireland.bsky.social supporting real change. NAIT guides to providing #neuro-affirming support to autistic people in health and education sectors, are here...

nait.scot/document/sup...

NAIT Key Messages for Neuro-affirming Health Practitioners Adults (2025) - National Autism Implementation Team NAIT Key Messages for neuro-affirming health practitioners working with adults

Read our Key Messages for #Neuro-affirming Health Practitioners in Adult Services here
nait.scot/document/nai...
Including the message we have heard at #AEC2025 that diagnosis matters and delayed diagnosis increases suicide risk

The autistic communication tool (ACT) can support primary care experiences. Available to download here, from Liverpool University researchers #AEC2025

www.liverpool.ac.uk/media/livacu...

The Qualitative Open Mic Podcast | QUAHRC Our podcast asks why we do qualitative research, how do we do it well, and how it can be effectively applied

Are you at #AECongress25 or watching along on bsky? You might be interested in our podcast series on #Neurodiversity and #QualitativeResearch, including interviews with @drmbothapsych.bsky.social, Damian Milton, & Morénike Giwa Onaiwu: www.quahrc.co.uk/podcasts-blo...

Thanks to everyone who came to read and discuss our poster at #AEC2025
👉🏽Neuro-affirming: A systematic review of language,definitions and constructs in health and education literature

What a great group of people 😊

Contextual factors influencing neuro-affirming practice: Identifying what helps or hinders implementation in health and social care - Anna Gray, Donald Maciver, Eleanor Curnow, Lorna Johnston, Marion ... There has been limited research to date into contextual factors hindering or supporting the successful implementation of neuro-affirming practice in support for...

journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
open access article published today 🤩 A realist evaluation considering contextual factors that hinder/support
#neuro-affirming practice in adult health and social care services @rcpsych.bsky.social @basw-uk.bsky.social @rcot.bsky.social @bpsofficial.bsky.social

energyaccounting.com
Great talk this morning at #AEC2025 about energy accounting - an approach to understanding and planning for individual energy levels

Front cover of a book called Beautiful lives by Stephen unwin

Brilliant book. Everyone should read this ⬇️

Thank you for live posting Aimee, I always find your conference posts really useful

A screenshot of the “Independent” website. If you would like the article in text form let me know and I’ll copy and paste it. I don’t know if advert-laden website are very screen reader friendly. Anyway, the URL is https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/nhs-adhd-hospitals-government-research-b2805190.html#

We made it into the Independent!
“NHS ‘needs to do more to support autistic people”

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...

#AutRes #AutismResearch #ADHDResearch #ADHD #Autism

NAIT Identification and Diagnosis Guide (2025) - National Autism Implementation Team Identification and diagnosis for neurodivergent people: A NAIT guide to new approaches

nait.scot/document/nai...
🌟New NAIT Guide🌟 to open up conversations about ways to meet needs for timely identification & diagnosis for neurodivergent people @rcpch.bsky.social @rcotpolicyscot.bsky.social @rcpsych.bsky.social @acamh.bsky.social @fasdresearch.bsky.social

NAIT Neuro-affirming Environment Audit Tool: Health (NEAT-H) (2025) - National Autism Implementation Team A tool developed for use by any healthcare staff working in clinical, residential or community health settings with adults in Scotland.

nait.scot/document/nai...
🚨NEW NAIT Environment Audit Tool for Health Staff to consider how neuro-affirming the setting is and to plan changes @rcpsych.bsky.social @rcpch.bsky.social @rcotpolicyscot.bsky.social @acamh.bsky.social @rcgpscotland.bsky.social @rcn.org.uk @rcm.org.uk

Again and again, we are shocked by the treatment of learning-disabled people. Yet we never learn from the past | John Harris A landmark book exposes the history of loathing that underpins scandals like Winterbourne View. It has received next to no attention, says Guardian columnist John Harris

Great article by @johnharris1969.bsky.social on @stephenunwin.bsky.social book on the history of people with learning disabilities. As they say we have not left the eugenic legacy behind us and in fact the rate of institutionalisation has not really reduced
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

I'm looking for the best neuro-affirming information and resources from speech and language therapists on apraxia of speech - any support really appreciated! Please messaged or reply below!

* - Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health

Want to do better by autistic people? OK:

1) Check how someone prefers to communicate
2) Allow more time to process responses
3) Avoid assumptions based on body language
4) Be open to written or direct communication when that works best

@drstevenkapp.bsky.social et al:

drexel.edu/dornsife/new...

Recent & Upcoming Talks | Dr. Holly E.A. Sutherland Holly E. A. Sutherland, PhD - autistic autism researcher.

Holly Sutherlands work about neuroaffirming support for people with high support needs might be of interest: www.heasutherland.com/event/

As I leave @durhamimh.bsky.social, my contribution to the Critical ND Studies takeover comes out.

It’s a brief version of my talk: an attempt to speak about actually neurodivergent communication (and not just autistic communication).

Thank you again @ndhumanities.bsky.social for the support 🌱

Inspired by the fabulous conference hosted by @ndhumanities.bsky.social here is a new starter pack of researchers, advocates and organisations all working hard to make the world a better place for Neurodivergent/ Disabled and other marginalised communities.

Space for more

go.bsky.app/6ftC1uS

Clinical Doctorate; AHP reflections on opportunities within research. A blog by Isabelle Utley, Speech and Language Therapist and Zoe Johnstone, Physiotherapist. There are fewer opportunities and insight into research and clinical academic roles within the Allied Hea…

Today on #Red4Reasearchday just sharing a little blog post I wrote with Zoe Johnstone about doing our clinical doctorates as AHPs ahpscot.wordpress.com/2024/10/17/c...

Card set with cards about the cancer screening experience

Delighted to be working with @uofglasgowsldo.bsky.social - taking the resource we developed for #cancerscreening research & turning it into a practical tool for practitioners. We will work with 10 people supporting screening with people with #learningdisability . Looking forward to their feedback