This year marked the third annual Neurodiversity Symposium at the University.
More than 200 delegates from higher education, healthcare, local government and the voluntary sector gathered at the University of Liverpool this year.
This was a special event in partnership with Liverpool City Council and for the first time welcomed attendees from external organisations and other Liverpool based HE organisations.
The event provided a very valuable opportunity to bring together research, lived experience and leadership while advancing conversations about neuroinclusive practice across the Liverpool City region, but more importantly it has helped build a community and a space for people to come and feel seen, welcome and fully be themselves.
Dr Jenna Kenyani, the event organiser and EDIW Advisor at the University of Liverpool’s Faculty of Health and Life Sciences shared her reflections on the day.
Opening address and strategy launch
This year’s symposium was a landmark event as it hosted the launch of the Liverpool City Council Liverpool Neurodiversity Strategy. The strategy is a collaborative initiative developed by Liverpool City Council, NHS partners, education providers, the voluntary sector and people with lived experience.
I was very excited and nervous to start the day but mostly incredibly proud to see the large numbers of attendees and how the event has continued to grow each year.
Professor Laura Harkness, Chair of the University’s EDI Committee, opened the day officially with the University’s commitment to Neuroinclusion and EDI more broadly. Jason Oxley (Liverpool City Council), Gina Perigo (NHS Joint Commissioning and Planning Lead) and other strategy partners then took to the stage to mark the strategy launch and showcase the successes to date. Lucy Barrow (Liverpool City Region Combined Authority) spoke on the work happening within the Combined Authority and across the wider city region.
The session was rounded off by Katy Terry (Good Grounding), designer of the ADHD Foundation Garden, which was installed on the University campus following its debut at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. The garden stands as a visible and lasting commitment to creating neuroinclusive environments.
As someone who had the privilege of working with the team developing the strategy as well as chairing the session it was encouraging to hear contributions from colleagues across the University, local authorities and health services, all of which highlighted the breadth of commitment that now exists to improve outcomes and experiences for neurodiverse people.
Neurodivergent voices and lived experience
A central theme of the symposium was the importance of centring lived experience. In the second session of the day a powerful panel of neurodivergent individuals, chaired by Adele Curley, Chair of the Neurodivergent Staff Support Network shared their personal stories and perspectives, offering delegates an authentic insight into the realities of navigating education, employment and diagnosis.
We also heard from Tedx speaker Shaun Flores, who spoke on his experiences with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) examining the often misunderstood nature of the condition and the personal and societal costs of that misunderstanding. Shaun’s talk was engaging and the first dedicated talk on OCD at the symposium following feedback from previous years.
The final panel represented parents and carers of neurodivergent children, Chaired by Lisa Gerraty, Chair of the Parent and Carer of Neurodivergent Children Network, and highlighted an important reminder of the wider pressures they face.
All of the discussions and talks from this session showed the importance of making sure lived experience is central to workplace culture, wellbeing, policy, research and service delivery.
Neuroinclusion and support
In the afternoon there were two parallel sessions allowing delegates to explore different themes. Leona Vaughn, EDI Lead for Humanities and Social Sciences, chaired the session focused on neuroinclusion in practice. Chris Beaumont from The Brain Charity discussed the principles behind creating accessible spaces and implementing reasonable adjustments.
I was fortunate to then be able to speak about the links between neurodiversity and mental health issues. I shared my own personal story to highlight how difficult and challenging being neurodivergent can be and the impact it had on my mental health as well as talking about the impact when the support is designed with ND individuals in mind.
The session finished with Lisa Nolan (NHS Senior Programme Manager) and Andy Williams (Liverpool ADHD) presenting their partnership approach to remodelling the local neurodevelopment offer and the implications for service design across the region.
Research, intersectionality and developing Solutions
Running concurrently was the session showcasing cutting-edge research and solution-based practice with Kasey Clark, EDI Lead for Science and Engineering chairing. Professor Maximus Sefotho of the University of Johannesburg joined online (after some technical issues) and brought an international perspective, sharing his work as the Director of the Centre for neurodiversity. It was really interesting to hear how other countries are tackling inclusive education, how culture impacts that journey and the different barriers faced.
Dr Idalmis Santiesteban presented work from the University's Autism Hub and the impact of including Autistic members of the community into research. Dr Jennifer Kirton, Dr Thomas Mohaupt and Dr Kate Buchanan (GP and Community Clinical Teacher at the University of Liverpool) introduced the Autism Communications Tool, a practical resource with the potential to improve interactions between autistic individuals and NHS services.
Dr Becky Saadian (GP and BMS Menopause Specialist) examined the underexplored intersection of neurodiversity and menopause. This is often a highly underdiscussed topic despite the increased research of this in clinical practise. The final presentation of the session was from Jess Vickers and Hannah Hussein (co-founders of ADHD Connect), who shared their journey to bringing ADHD Connect to fruition and the power of community and connection.
Closing remarks
Unfortunately, with all best laid plans, things never quite go to plan. Due to technical issues, we were unable to have the keynote join online but instead this sparked a really unique and lovely moment of Q&A and discussions among the attendees. This moment of collective reflection and building support within the community of people attending was one of my favourite moments of the day despite the stress of technology.
This event is the product of months of work and could not have been achieved without the funding from all the Faculties and Central teams and more importantly without the support of numerous individuals who helped from ordering items, recruiting our team of student workers, coordinating the attendees and ensuring everyone was able to access the event, supporting the AV, making name badges and all the other jobs I couldn’t have done alone. A huge thank you to all who supported and attended the event.
Looking ahead
The Neurodiversity Symposium continues to grow year-on-year, acting as a catalyst for new partnerships, initiatives and conversations that support a more inclusive future.
Reflecting on the event, I feel the symposium was about more than sharing ideas: it was about creating community, raising awareness and most importantly building momentum for real change. The event brought together lived experience, research and leadership all in one space, and enabled us to challenge our thinking and move forward collectively.
Continuing the conversation with Aidy Smith
Despite Aidy being unable to attend on the day of the symposium a second follow up event was held to ensure discussions continued beyond the symposium. An online ‘Fireside Chat’ was held with TV presenter and neurodiversity advocate Aidy Smith exploring his experiences of navigating life and building a successful career while living with Tourette's Syndrome and ADHD.
Aidy shared his story with remarkable openness and honesty, offering powerful insights into both the opportunities and challenges he has encountered. He spoke candidly about the stigma that many neurodivergent people continue to face, the impact this can have on individuals and families, and the importance of creating environments where people feel understood, valued, and supported.
What stood out most was Aidy's positivity and determination. Despite facing significant barriers throughout his life, he demonstrated how authenticity, self-belief, and the right support can enable people to thrive. His reflections challenged assumptions, encouraged greater understanding, and highlighted the value that neurodivergent individuals bring to our workplaces and communities.
I personally came away feeling inspired and with a much deeper understanding of different neurotypes and other intersectional barriers. His perspective is insightful, thought-provoking, and a valuable reminder of why conversations around neurodiversity, inclusion, and intersectionality matter.
Recordings of all the talks for the day can be found here: Neurodiversity Symposium 2026 - YouTube