Neurodiversity

The afternoon talks include:

How Certain Features of Autism Spectrum Disorder May Provide the Context of Vulnerability to Engaging in Terroristic-Related Behaviours and Extremism
Professor Claire Allely, Professor of Forensic Psychology, University of Salford

Talk synopsis:

Rather than being the perpetrators of offending, individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are more likely to be the victim of crime. However, there is nevertheless a small subset of individuals with ASD who do offend. In this presentation I will provide some understanding of how certain features of ASD may provide the context of vulnerability to engaging in terroristic behaviours and extremism. It has previously been highlighted in the literature the role that autistic special interests, fantasy, obsessionality, the need for routine/predictability, social and communication difficulties, cognitive styles, local coherence, systemising, and sensory processing may play in terrorism pathways and modus operandi. We will cover these in detail in this presentation.

Learning Objectives

• You will learn about some of the key features of ASD may provide the context of vulnerability to engaging in terroristic behaviours and extremism.
• You will learn about some of the key questions to ask in order to explore the potential function of the terroristic-related behaviours or extreme behaviours in an autistic individual. 
• You will also get an overview and understanding of threat assessment and a recommended threat assessment approach. 
   

Theme: ADHD: issues around whether this is now being over diagnosed
Dr Joe Johnson, Consultant Psychiatrist at Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust

About Joe - Dr Joe Johnson leads the Mid Mersey Adult ADHD Service of the Mersey Care NHS Trust. Dr Johnson has over 16 years of consultant experience of working in acute and community psychiatry, and also in prison settings; assessing and managing all common mental health conditions.

He set up the Adult ADHD service at the Trust in 2009 and has since been heading this service, which is one of the biggest ADHD service providers in the North West. He is the North West lead for the national organisation UKAAN (UK Adult ADHD Network). He has delivered ADHD training programmes to a variety of professionals including psychiatrists, GPs, nurses, occupational therapists, probation officers and other practitioners in mental health across the UK, and has also been invited to speak at national and international conferences.

Further speaker to be confirmed 
 

CPD Certificates will be given to attendees.

You will be able to submit questions to the speaker during the event using the Q&A function on Zoom.