Edvocat

Richard Tice’s comments are not just misinformed, they are harmful 🤬

Calling it a “crisis of overdiagnosis” ignores the reality that most families spend years pushing, pleading, and proving their child’s needs before anyone listens. There is no queue for diagnoses. There is a backlog of unheard children.

Saying “schools know best” while schools themselves are begging for training, funding, and specialist input shows a complete detachment from reality. Pushing responsibility back onto teachers without resources isn’t policy, it’s abdication.

Mocking ear defenders is even worse. Ear defenders aren’t fashion accessories. They’re pain prevention. They’re regulation. They’re the difference between coping and overwhelm. Dismissing them tells neurodivergent children that their sensory needs are laughable.

And the idea that non-diagnosed children are “feeling left out” is an attempt to pit children against each other rather than fix a broken system.

Labels aren’t the problem.
Labels protect children.
Diagnoses aren’t vanity, they’re access to rights, safety, and support.

The real crisis isn’t overdiagnosis.
The real crisis is politicians who would rather deny needs than fund them.

Neurodivergent children are not a burden.
They are not a punchline.
They are not the cause of the system’s failings.

They deserve understanding, not minimisation.
They deserve support, not scorn.
They deserve leaders who listen, not leaders who belittle.

Tice said that there is a “crisis of overdiagnosis of children with neurodiverse issues”.

Asked what Reform UK can do to tackle this, he said: “The best thing to do actually, is to push almost all of it back to the schools. The schools know best, the teachers know best.

“And stop labelling people, just say ‘you need a bit of extra support, you might need a bit of extra time’.

“You’ve got to the mad situation now where children who don’t have any form of label are starting to feel left out."

“I’ll just raise one more point, the sight of children in classes wearing ear defenders, I’m sorry, this is just insane. It’s got to stop. The teachers want it to stop. Heads want it to stop. It’s not the right way forward.”
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Richard Tice, you don’t get to decide that neurodivergent children are the problem just because the system is failing them. How dare you?

You call it a “crisis of overdiagnosis” as if children are queuing up for fun to be misunderstood, pathologised and scrutinised every single day. As if families aren’t fighting for years just to get someone to take their child’s needs seriously. You act like diagnoses are handed out with party bags...

You say “schools know best”, while teachers everywhere are pleading for training, funding and specialist support. You want to push everything back onto classrooms already held together by goodwill and exhaustion. That’s abdication. You're clueless and venomous.

You mock ear defenders like they’re comedy props, and talk about children feeling “left out” if they don’t have a label. You reduce real sensory pain and struggle to a punchline. You turn vulnerable kids into a joke?!

You pretend you’re helping by “stopping the labels,” but those labels as you call them, are what protect children from being failed. Diagnoses are not vanity... they’re validation. They unlock support, rights and safety without which our children are discarded like second hand citizens.

You are not challenging overdiagnosis.
You are challenging legitimacy.

And that is dangerous.

Neurodivergent children are not the crisis.
The crisis is politicians like you who would rather silence needs than fund them.

P.s. F**k you!

This is such an important reminder, especially at this time of year. Interoception shifts can be so subtle yet so overwhelming, and so many parents and young people blame themselves without realising it’s the season that’s changed, not their capacity.

Thank you for putting words to something so many of us feel but can’t always describe. 💛

Why your body feels ‘off’ in autumn and winter.

Interoception in autumn and winter can become so much more challenging — and many neurodivergent people feel this long before they have the words for it.

As the seasons shift, the body suddenly has to interpret a whole new set of signals.
Colder air. Less daylight. Heavier clothes. Different routines. More demands on energy and the interoceptive system — the part of the brain that helps us understand our internal signals — can get overwhelmed or confused.

This is when you or your child might find yourselves thinking:

“Am I hungry… or just cold?”

“Am I tired… or is it just darker earlier?”

“Do I need a drink… or a blanket?”

“Why does my body feel weird and I don’t know why?”

For those with interoception differences, this time of year can bring:

• Misjudging layers — constantly too hot or too cold.

• Internal restlessness that looks like irritability.

• Struggling to notice thirst or hunger until it’s extreme.

• Feeling “unsettled” or “not quite right” without a clear reason.

• Finding it harder to begin tasks because the body doesn’t feel regulated.

• Sudden tiredness that hits harder because of shorter days and sensory load.

And because most people don’t talk about interoception at all — let alone how seasons affect it — many end up blaming themselves:

For being “moody.”

For being “unmotivated.”

For “overreacting.”

For “not coping” with the cold or darkness like everyone else seems to.

But none of this is a character flaw; it’s a seasonal shift in sensory demand.

Autumn and winter require gentleness.
More warmth.
More pauses.
More checking in:
“Have I eaten?”
“Am I overwhelmed?”
“Do I need light?”
“Do I need stillness?”
“Do I need movement?”

Bodies talk — sometimes in whispers, sometimes by screaming at us to show us where uncomfortable — and at this time of year those signals can be harder to interpret.

If interoception feels muddled right now, that’s understandable because your body isn’t being difficult; it’s adjusting.

Offer warmth without questioning it.

Offer food before you’re starving.

Offer rest before you’re drained.

Offer light where you can.

A softer, slower rhythm is not just allowed — it’s often what the body needs most as winter settles in.

Hiw are you feeling at this time of year?

Have you noticed changes with your child or young person?

Emma
The Autistic SENCo
♾️

Photo: Hubbie and me on the back of our narrowboat in the pouring rain.

🌍💛 World Kindness Day 2025 💛🌍

A single drop of kindness....
can generate noticeable waves.

Every encouraging word.
Every patient moment.
Every time we choose empathy over frustration,
we make the world calmer for the children who need it most.

At edvocat, we see the power of kindness every day.


✨ Let’s fill today with small acts that make a big impact.
Tag someone who’s made a positive difference this week, let’s celebrate those waves together.

✨ New Month. Fresh Resolve. ✨

November reminds us that progress isn’t always visible.

This month, we’re walking that path ourselves as we prepare for our own daughter’s Annual Review. It’s a powerful reminder of why edvocat exists, because every child deserves a plan that truly reflects who they are and what they need to thrive.

If you’re also heading into an Annual Review or waiting for updates on your child’s support, take a breath. You’ve got this.
Your voice matters.
Your insight is invaluable.

Let’s make this month one where courage, patience, and persistence lead the way, for our children, and for ourselves. 💛

✨ I am. ✨

I am creative in how I solve problems and build ideas.
I am resourceful, finding a way even when one isn’t obvious.
I am driven by purpose.
I am reflective, intuitive, empathetic, and resilient.
I am strategic and compassionate, capable of leading, learning, and listening.
I am patient with the process of growth and change.
I am grounded.
I am enough, exactly as I am.

These aren’t just words, they’re reminders for those of us walking any journey.
When life feels heavy, when systems feel impossible, when it all feels too much, remember who you are and what you bring to the table.

Feel free to comment something positive about you below.

It's surprising how much power positive thoughts can have on our perspective.

💛 You are not behind.
💛 You are not failing.
💛 You are already enough.



👉 www.edvocat.co.uk

🌿 Taking Time to Reset 🌿

Sometimes, the best thing you can do is step away, even just for a while.
This photo was taken while walking the dogs over the weekend, and it reminded me how powerful a simple pause can be.

Out here, with the sea in the distance and nothing but the sound of the wind, everything feels quieter.
The to-do lists, the emails, the worries, they all shrunk back to their proper size.

We spend so much time doing, but it’s in the being that we often find clarity again.
So here’s your gentle reminder to take a moment, breathe, reset.
The world can wait a little while.

The clocks went back this weekend ⏰

If you could turn back time, what would you change? Think about it and feel free to comment below 👇


👉 www.edvocat.co.uk

The clocks go back this weekend ⏰

Maybe the LA can use the extra hour to catch up on those overdue EHCPs.

Parents don’t need more time, they just need the system to do what it’s meant to.

If you’re still waiting, or just need some guidance on what to do next, visit www.edvocat.co.uk for clear, practical support.

Change doesn’t come
from those who think it’s impossible,
it comes from
those who try anyway...