Read the December newsletter
Dear Network members
It has been a busy six months since the last newsletter! We have forged new collaborations and made progress on several of our primary aims. This newsletter has been designed to update you on all the network activities and highlight our upcoming initiatives.
In September, we held the first Regional Neurodiversity Network (RNN) meeting. The morning started with sharing news from the Nottingham Neurodiversity Network and then gaining insights from the National Autism Implementation Team (NAIT) in Scotland. A workshop was held in the afternoon to share good practice and ideas from across the regions that could be adopted. The next RNN meeting will be held online on 15th April 2026.
The conference highlighted the impressive growth and impact of the NNN in connecting researchers, clinicians, charities, and people with lived experience, while also raising serious concern about its future due to funding uncertainty. Presentations covered a wide range of important topics, including research on ADHD and autism waiting lists, economic impacts of late diagnosis, Tourette’s resources, challenges faced by NHS diagnostic services, and efforts to improve recognition of neurodevelopmental conditions within local mental health teams despite limited funding and guidance. Speakers also explored the links between neurodivergence and severe multiple disadvantage, the often-overlooked experiences of carers who are themselves neurodivergent, and innovative digital tools to support adults awaiting ADHD diagnosis. Collectively, the talks demonstrated a shared commitment to improving outcomes for neurodivergent people within strained systems.
The presentations from the event can be found on the NNN website:December 2025 event
You can also read an individual perspective from a first-time attendee, Eve Park, a student at the University of Nottingham.
Link to Eve’s piece.
Minds of All Kinds Nottingham was created by Nottingham & Nottinghamshire NHS Integrated Care Board (ICB) in response to feedback from parents and carers with lived experience of neurodevelopmental differences. While it primarily focuses on Autism and ADHD, it also provides information on other neurodevelopmental profiles.
The content and design have been co-produced with parents, carers and young people with neurodevelopmental lived experience, as well as experts from the NHS, education, local authorities and local charities.
Our colleagues in Southampton have put together a platform that brings together the best available research on how different treatments proposed for ADHD work and how safe they are. It helps clinicians, people with ADHD and their carers, guideline developers, and other decision-makers make informed choices. The platform can be used to find out how well a treatment works, how well it is tolerated, and the level of evidence supporting these results
The link below takes you to the platform:
EBI-ADHD Database
The infographic representing the local pathways has evolved with changes to the services. The team at Bassetlaw have changed their name from “Bassetlaw General Developmental Assessment Pathway (GDA), to Neurodevelopmental Pathway Bassetlaw (NPB). The latest version of the infographic with this change is shown below:
This schematic representation links to the more detailed, comprehensive pathways for each service via the QR code. This will aid further understanding of how the pathways work locally. The more detailed document can also be found using this link:
Pathways for ADHD/Autism Assessment
All documents put together by NNN can be found on our resources page
We continue to work with our steering group to identify how best to initiate change, overcome barriers, and implement the core features of the ideal pathway which came from the May 2023 workshop.
We are applying for funding and putting together a business case to keep the network running. At the moment we have funding until June 2026, but the continuation of the network beyond this date is uncertain. If you have any thoughts on how to fund the network going forward, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with your ideas. All suggestions gratefully received.
We are pleased to invite you to the 2026 Hidden in Plain Sight: Research & Clinical Update on ADHD in Girls and Women conference.
This year’s conference will bring together clinicians, researchers, and lived-experience experts to raise awareness of gender differences in ADHD and to share current developments in understanding ADHD in women and girls.
With a special focus on Girls and Pregnancy, this year’s event has been completely refreshed, with new content and insights, so even if you attended last year, you’ll still gain a great deal from the updated program
Event Details
*Support with entry fee can be provided on an ad-hoc basis. Please contact Blandine French
This year’s programme will include:
A full agenda will be circulated soon. You can also follow conference updates and announcements on our LinkedIn page.
This conference is specifically tailored for clinical and research staff to bring more specific insights into practice. Please feel free to pass on to any member of your team who might be interested. This event has limited availability so be quick to book your space!
Please save the date for the NNN May conference, which will take place on Wednesday 13th May 2026, at the Jubilee Conference Centre, University of Nottingham. Details of how to register for the conference will be emailed to you closer to the time.
Members of the network have been involved in shaping the taskforce report:
NHS England | Report of the independent ADHD taskforce
Network members have recently published the following articles:
French, B., Dekkers, T. J., Barclay, I., Black, M. H., Bölte, S., & Daley, D. (2025) The power of words: respectful language in ADHD research. The Lancet Psychiatry.
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