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About the event
The final session looks ahead to how technology, evidence, and partnerships will drive sustainable neuroinclusion.
Drawing on key findings from the City & Guilds Neurodiversity Index, the session discusses the importance of reliable data, innovation, and accountability in guiding lasting, organisation-wide change.
Panellists
Professor Amanda Kirby | Event Chair
Amanda is Founder and CEO of Do-IT Solutions, an internationally recognised tech-for-good company providing neurodiversity screening and web-based support tools across education, employment, justice and emergency services. A medical doctor and Emeritus Professor at the University of South Wales, she is also Honorary Professor at Cardiff University and Visiting Professor at Trinity College Dublin.
A qualified GP with a PhD in neurodiversity and emerging adulthood, Amanda has authored 10 books and over 100 research papers. An award-winning thought leader and government advisor, she combines professional expertise with lived experience to champion neurodivergent talent in society and the workplace.
Al Kingsley MBE
As well as his EdTech CEO and Multi Academy Trust Chair roles, Al also chairs his regional SEND Board. With 30+ years of experience, Al also sits on the Regional Schools Director's Advisory Board for the East of England and is Chair of the BESA EdTech Group.
He’s a well-known face in EdTech around the world and author of a number of books, including his most recent book "The Awkward Questions in Education". Al was awarded the honour of "Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)" by His Majesty the King in his 2025 New Year's Honours list for services to education.
Aidy Smith
Aidy Smith is an award-winning broadcaster, journalist, content creator and speaker, working across drink, food, travel, lifestyle, LGBTQIA+ and neurodiversity. He serves as Global Ambassador for the Tourette Association and the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower, and in 2024 launched DRINKLUSIVE, the world’s first mentorship programme supporting aspiring drinks writers and creators from all underrepresented communities.
Alongside his multi-award-winning Amazon Prime series The Three Drinkers, Aidy can be found bi-weekly on BBC Radio London hosting his long-running food and drink segment Thirsty Thursdays and writing columns for leading publications including The Independent. Aidy is committed to creating inclusive, safe spaces for all.
Dr Hope Kent
Dr Hope Kent is a Research Fellow at the University of Exeter, funded by ADR-UK. She uses population-level administrative datasets to understand outcomes across systems including health, social care, education, and criminal justice for people with neurodisability.
She works with data from the Department for Education, NHS England, and the Ministry of Justice, as well as screening data from prisons. Hope was also recently a visiting scholar at Ethox, University of Oxford, working on a project on data ethics in policing.
Linda Lascelles
For over 35 years, Linda Lascelles has championed children with Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN), inspired by her daughter’s Developmental Language Disorder (DLD). She co-founded local support networks, including Amaze in Brighton and the East Sussex parents’ forum, to help families navigate SEND. Joining Afasic’s Management Committee in 1993, she later became Chair of Trustees and CEO in 2002.
Linda has advised the Bercow Review, contributed to national steering groups, and supported partnerships including the Communication Trust and Disabled Children’s Partnership. She continues to advocate for better provision so children with communication needs can thrive.