Natalie Blue
@natalieblue84.bsky.social
Nutritionist, twin mum, Member Empower:ED Scotland podcast 🔗 https://youtu.be/8wAUDDEUOJM?si=t8wkkA0o-ftu9NLm
Reposted by Natalie Blue
Still time 🕰️
Parents and carers! School inspections are changing, and it is really important to make your voices heard at this pivotal moment! Your response to our survey will help us form Connect’s response to the Scottish Government’s consultation. Closes Mon 10 Nov.
www.surveymonkey.com/r/L62SJYD
www.surveymonkey.com/r/L62SJYD
October 20, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Still time 🕰️
Reposted by Natalie Blue
Another short clip of @bethmorrison.bsky.social talking to Natalie in depth about UNCRC, Calum’s law and her campaign to protect Scotlands most vulnerable children in education.
March 22, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Another short clip of @bethmorrison.bsky.social talking to Natalie in depth about UNCRC, Calum’s law and her campaign to protect Scotlands most vulnerable children in education.
Reposted by Natalie Blue
Please read and share. 25% is an outrageous number.
Connect's parent/carer survey report School Attendance: Hearing from Families about Supporting Children is out! 25% say their child has had long-term school absence: deep distress is compounded by a lack of support & compassion. This must change. Read more
connect.scot/news/connect...
connect.scot/news/connect...
September 9, 2025 at 10:13 AM
Please read and share. 25% is an outrageous number.
Reposted by Natalie Blue
1) Today, Jenny Gilruth stated that ‘her team’ had tried to organise a meeting with us several times.
We sent an email on 27th June.
A ‘special advisor’ emailed us 25th July.
This person stated they were not acting on behalf of ‘either John Swinney or Jenny Gilruth’
(See post for emails)
We sent an email on 27th June.
A ‘special advisor’ emailed us 25th July.
This person stated they were not acting on behalf of ‘either John Swinney or Jenny Gilruth’
(See post for emails)
September 9, 2025 at 7:52 PM
1) Today, Jenny Gilruth stated that ‘her team’ had tried to organise a meeting with us several times.
We sent an email on 27th June.
A ‘special advisor’ emailed us 25th July.
This person stated they were not acting on behalf of ‘either John Swinney or Jenny Gilruth’
(See post for emails)
We sent an email on 27th June.
A ‘special advisor’ emailed us 25th July.
This person stated they were not acting on behalf of ‘either John Swinney or Jenny Gilruth’
(See post for emails)
Reposted by Natalie Blue
The PABSS Report 2025
Marion Scott from The Sunday Post exposes the national human rights scandal of very small disabled children subjected to restraint and seclusion in schools.
www.sundaypost.com/fp/charity-w...
Marion Scott from The Sunday Post exposes the national human rights scandal of very small disabled children subjected to restraint and seclusion in schools.
www.sundaypost.com/fp/charity-w...
Charity warns treatment of society’s most vulnerable youngsters is national scandal
Hundreds of disabled and non-verbal children have been sent home with injuries in the last year in what a charity is calling a national child abuse scandal.
www.sundaypost.com
July 14, 2025 at 12:26 PM
The PABSS Report 2025
Marion Scott from The Sunday Post exposes the national human rights scandal of very small disabled children subjected to restraint and seclusion in schools.
www.sundaypost.com/fp/charity-w...
Marion Scott from The Sunday Post exposes the national human rights scandal of very small disabled children subjected to restraint and seclusion in schools.
www.sundaypost.com/fp/charity-w...
Reposted by Natalie Blue
It’s a word salad document. It’s utterly undeliverable. It uses big words, jargon the usual bullshit bingo. If this is the guidance once it’s watered down to practice expect a shit show. A nicely worded, unaccountable, unacceptable shit show.
Consequences “help reinforce boundaries and expectations” - including “exclusion as a last resort”, says new government guidance on behaviour in schools.
But schools need "more than carefully considered words" - they need staff and funding, says @eisunion.bsky.social
www.tes.com/magazine/new...
But schools need "more than carefully considered words" - they need staff and funding, says @eisunion.bsky.social
www.tes.com/magazine/new...
Exclusion ‘an appropriate and necessary tool’, says behaviour guidance
But Scotland’s biggest teaching union warns that ‘policies alone will not address the serious issue of violence and aggression’ in schools - and that more funding is needed
www.tes.com
June 17, 2025 at 4:14 PM
It’s a word salad document. It’s utterly undeliverable. It uses big words, jargon the usual bullshit bingo. If this is the guidance once it’s watered down to practice expect a shit show. A nicely worded, unaccountable, unacceptable shit show.
Reposted by Natalie Blue
This is great survey. Thanks lease share and complete it. We need this data to be collated. Thankyou
CONNECT'S NEW PARENT/CARER SURVEY LAUNCHES - School Attendance: Hearing from Families about Supporting Children www.surveymonkey.com/r/3SCRDG8 It's complex & challenging for families if children & young people feel unable to go to school: we want to hear from parents & carers.
June 10, 2025 at 10:18 AM
This is great survey. Thanks lease share and complete it. We need this data to be collated. Thankyou
Reposted by Natalie Blue
“Have attended many training sessions on neurodivergence but this is first session where parents’ perspectives were at the forefront.”
This is exactly why Neurodivergence Connect exists — Every teacher should hear this. #NeurodivergenceConnect #ASN #CPD #AutismAwareness
This is exactly why Neurodivergence Connect exists — Every teacher should hear this. #NeurodivergenceConnect #ASN #CPD #AutismAwareness
June 5, 2025 at 11:08 PM
“Have attended many training sessions on neurodivergence but this is first session where parents’ perspectives were at the forefront.”
This is exactly why Neurodivergence Connect exists — Every teacher should hear this. #NeurodivergenceConnect #ASN #CPD #AutismAwareness
This is exactly why Neurodivergence Connect exists — Every teacher should hear this. #NeurodivergenceConnect #ASN #CPD #AutismAwareness
Reposted by Natalie Blue
Neurodivergence Connect is built on one core belief: parents are experts in their child’s needs. Not part-time experts. Not emotional side-notes. Experts. Our research shows why their knowledge must be central in education. A short thread 🧵
May 31, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Neurodivergence Connect is built on one core belief: parents are experts in their child’s needs. Not part-time experts. Not emotional side-notes. Experts. Our research shows why their knowledge must be central in education. A short thread 🧵
Reposted by Natalie Blue
Please read sign and share
May 30, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Please read sign and share
Reposted by Natalie Blue
Please give them a follow. We are honoured to be participating in this. Teachers and parents together learning from each other. Let the change required begin.
👀 First event in just 5 days!
Teachers, ask parents of neurodivergent children what actually works – at home and in school.
✅ CPD accredited
✅ Free to attend
📅 Sign up now via neurodivergenceconnect.com
#ASNsupport #ScottishEducation #AutismAwareness #TeacherCPD #ParentLed #InclusionMatters
Teachers, ask parents of neurodivergent children what actually works – at home and in school.
✅ CPD accredited
✅ Free to attend
📅 Sign up now via neurodivergenceconnect.com
#ASNsupport #ScottishEducation #AutismAwareness #TeacherCPD #ParentLed #InclusionMatters
May 30, 2025 at 9:55 AM
Please give them a follow. We are honoured to be participating in this. Teachers and parents together learning from each other. Let the change required begin.
Reposted by Natalie Blue
🧵1/
Hey 👋 We’re Neurodivergence Connect Scotland
We’re something a bit different. Not a service. Not a campaign group. Not just another training session
We’re a conversation that’s been missing for too long 💬
Hey 👋 We’re Neurodivergence Connect Scotland
We’re something a bit different. Not a service. Not a campaign group. Not just another training session
We’re a conversation that’s been missing for too long 💬
May 29, 2025 at 7:19 PM
🧵1/
Hey 👋 We’re Neurodivergence Connect Scotland
We’re something a bit different. Not a service. Not a campaign group. Not just another training session
We’re a conversation that’s been missing for too long 💬
Hey 👋 We’re Neurodivergence Connect Scotland
We’re something a bit different. Not a service. Not a campaign group. Not just another training session
We’re a conversation that’s been missing for too long 💬
Reposted by Natalie Blue
‘We need to stop assuming that the most worthwhile professional learning always comes from outside the school’: @samgibbs.bsky.social on why more teacher CPD should be delivered by teachers
Why schools can’t rely on external CPD
To ensure the best professional development for teachers now and in the future, it needs to come from within the profession and should not be dictated by government, writes Sam Gibbs
www.tes.com
May 28, 2025 at 6:35 AM
‘We need to stop assuming that the most worthwhile professional learning always comes from outside the school’: @samgibbs.bsky.social on why more teacher CPD should be delivered by teachers
Reposted by Natalie Blue
If it’s relevant please complete below survey on the Autism toolkit survey. Takes 10 minutes. Easy to complete.
May 21, 2025 at 2:24 PM
If it’s relevant please complete below survey on the Autism toolkit survey. Takes 10 minutes. Easy to complete.
Reposted by Natalie Blue
Cuts to adult diagnostic pathways are discriminatory. I’ve created a template and am urging anyone locally to write, using the template or your own lived experience/thoughts, to the decision makers ahead of the crucial decision that will be made on May 28th.
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
IJB Template Letter : EmpowerED
EmpowerED Campaign : A chance to make a difference. As you may be aware, the IJB recently made cuts to adult diagnosis pathways for ADHD And Autism across Aberdeenshire. A temporary budget was put in...
docs.google.com
May 20, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Cuts to adult diagnostic pathways are discriminatory. I’ve created a template and am urging anyone locally to write, using the template or your own lived experience/thoughts, to the decision makers ahead of the crucial decision that will be made on May 28th.
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Reposted by Natalie Blue
📌 13,016 referrals from GPs for secondary school pupils
📌 8,714 referrals for primary school pupils
➡️ That’s over 21,700 referrals in just over 4 years
❌ But 8,056 referrals were rejected – that’s nearly 40% of all GP referrals for children and young people
📌 8,714 referrals for primary school pupils
➡️ That’s over 21,700 referrals in just over 4 years
❌ But 8,056 referrals were rejected – that’s nearly 40% of all GP referrals for children and young people
May 16, 2025 at 3:34 PM
📌 13,016 referrals from GPs for secondary school pupils
📌 8,714 referrals for primary school pupils
➡️ That’s over 21,700 referrals in just over 4 years
❌ But 8,056 referrals were rejected – that’s nearly 40% of all GP referrals for children and young people
📌 8,714 referrals for primary school pupils
➡️ That’s over 21,700 referrals in just over 4 years
❌ But 8,056 referrals were rejected – that’s nearly 40% of all GP referrals for children and young people
Reposted by Natalie Blue
We sincerely hope that parents are around the table. “ nothing about us without us” after all we have to live with the damage caused to our children and young people with disabilities and additional support needs who’ve not just been failed, they’ve been harmed.
The Scottish government has backed a call for a review of the country’s mainstreaming policy - @emmaseith.bsky.social reports www.tes.com/magazine/new... #ASN @tesmagazine.bsky.social
Scottish government backs call for review of mainstreaming policy
Opposition MSPs welcomed the move but emphasised any review must focus on ‘actions and solutions’
www.tes.com
May 15, 2025 at 5:49 PM
We sincerely hope that parents are around the table. “ nothing about us without us” after all we have to live with the damage caused to our children and young people with disabilities and additional support needs who’ve not just been failed, they’ve been harmed.
Reposted by Natalie Blue
Natalie speaks to Lisa Lloyd about life , her new book “ raising the SENbetweeners”. Full podcast available in bio 🔗
April 11, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Natalie speaks to Lisa Lloyd about life , her new book “ raising the SENbetweeners”. Full podcast available in bio 🔗
Reposted by Natalie Blue
One of Scotland's leading experts discusses the connections between school experiences, patterns of offending, and the country's prison population.
heraldscotland.com/news/2504486...
@jamesmcenaney.bsky.social
(5/5)
heraldscotland.com/news/2504486...
@jamesmcenaney.bsky.social
(5/5)
April 2, 2025 at 4:36 PM
One of Scotland's leading experts discusses the connections between school experiences, patterns of offending, and the country's prison population.
heraldscotland.com/news/2504486...
@jamesmcenaney.bsky.social
(5/5)
heraldscotland.com/news/2504486...
@jamesmcenaney.bsky.social
(5/5)
Reposted by Natalie Blue
It was an absolute privilege and Joy to speak to Ronnie Barbour. Please give it a listen on world Autism acceptance day.
Bylines Scotland Radio: Empower: ED Scotland
@empoweredscotland.bsky.social @ronniebarbour.bsky.social
#Autism
@empoweredscotland.bsky.social @ronniebarbour.bsky.social
#Autism
Bylines Scotland Radio: Empower: ED Scotland - Bylines Scotland
Ronnie Barbour chats to three mothers from Empower: ED Scotland about what it's like bringing up a child who is neurodivergent in Scotland
bylines.scot
April 2, 2025 at 6:47 PM
It was an absolute privilege and Joy to speak to Ronnie Barbour. Please give it a listen on world Autism acceptance day.
Reposted by Natalie Blue
@empoweredscotland.bsky.social asked me to take part in a podcast about our journey to call for #CalumsLaw
Huge thanks to Natalie Blue for having me and listening to me talk about this looong campaign. I am a woman of few words- NOT 🫣
Here it is, please share.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRuT...
Huge thanks to Natalie Blue for having me and listening to me talk about this looong campaign. I am a woman of few words- NOT 🫣
Here it is, please share.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRuT...
#CalumsLaw
YouTube video by No problems here
www.youtube.com
March 22, 2025 at 11:12 PM
@empoweredscotland.bsky.social asked me to take part in a podcast about our journey to call for #CalumsLaw
Huge thanks to Natalie Blue for having me and listening to me talk about this looong campaign. I am a woman of few words- NOT 🫣
Here it is, please share.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRuT...
Huge thanks to Natalie Blue for having me and listening to me talk about this looong campaign. I am a woman of few words- NOT 🫣
Here it is, please share.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRuT...
Reposted by Natalie Blue
Rarely do we hear from parents of autistic children who are locked out of education because local authorities fail to meet their needs. ‘Inclusion’ in mainstream schools too often means exclusion in practice. The system insists children must attend schools that can’t support them.
Families of children with autism say schools are so broken that they’ve now turned against the policy of inclusion
Mainstream schools aren’t educating their children, they say, they’re damaging them
I speak to them for my @heraldscotland.bsky.social Big Read
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2502982...
Mainstream schools aren’t educating their children, they say, they’re damaging them
I speak to them for my @heraldscotland.bsky.social Big Read
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2502982...
Why parents of autistic children are turning on Scot Gov's classroom inclusion policy
The families of children with autism say mainstream education is damaging them. They talk to our Writer at Large
www.heraldscotland.com
March 24, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Rarely do we hear from parents of autistic children who are locked out of education because local authorities fail to meet their needs. ‘Inclusion’ in mainstream schools too often means exclusion in practice. The system insists children must attend schools that can’t support them.
Reposted by Natalie Blue
Families of children with autism say schools are so broken that they’ve now turned against the policy of inclusion
Mainstream schools aren’t educating their children, they say, they’re damaging them
I speak to them for my @heraldscotland.bsky.social Big Read
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2502982...
Mainstream schools aren’t educating their children, they say, they’re damaging them
I speak to them for my @heraldscotland.bsky.social Big Read
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2502982...
Why parents of autistic children are turning on Scot Gov's classroom inclusion policy
The families of children with autism say mainstream education is damaging them. They talk to our Writer at Large
www.heraldscotland.com
March 23, 2025 at 9:28 AM
Families of children with autism say schools are so broken that they’ve now turned against the policy of inclusion
Mainstream schools aren’t educating their children, they say, they’re damaging them
I speak to them for my @heraldscotland.bsky.social Big Read
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2502982...
Mainstream schools aren’t educating their children, they say, they’re damaging them
I speak to them for my @heraldscotland.bsky.social Big Read
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2502982...
Reposted by Natalie Blue
Exciting 1st full parent podcast available in link in bio. Natalie speaks with Natalie Glasgow ASN mummy.
February 13, 2025 at 5:06 PM
Exciting 1st full parent podcast available in link in bio. Natalie speaks with Natalie Glasgow ASN mummy.
Was so lovely chatting to you however also heartbreaking to hear ❤️👑 @bethmorrison.bsky.social
I enjoyed meeting Natalie @empoweredscotland.bsky.social today.
We recorded a podcast on the misuse of restraint and seclusion of children in school and our campaign for #CalumsLaw.
More details very soon.
👑
We recorded a podcast on the misuse of restraint and seclusion of children in school and our campaign for #CalumsLaw.
More details very soon.
👑
February 10, 2025 at 11:27 PM
Was so lovely chatting to you however also heartbreaking to hear ❤️👑 @bethmorrison.bsky.social