Sue Fletcher-Watson
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suereviews.bsky.social
Sue Fletcher-Watson
@suereviews.bsky.social
4.1K followers 2.1K following 260 posts
Prof of Developmental Psychology at Uni of Edinburgh
Dean of Equity Inclusion & Community for my faculty
Editor of @journalautism.bsky.social
Creator of #AutRes and Edinburgh! feeds
Founder of SuperTroop
"a loose canon"
Queer, cis, she/her
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suereviews.bsky.social
Sue Fletcher-Watson @suereviews.bsky.social · Sep 13
So my keynote at #AECongress25 involved a lot of memes to illustrate my points about how to understand and apply the neurodiversity paradigm.

The focus is on LIBERATION from OPPRESSIVE systems and beliefs.

This will work best, I believe, when we COLLECTIVISE our action.

Here we go…
suereviews.bsky.social
Really delighted to share that our curriculum for teaching young children about neurodiversity is being adapted for use in Australia!

This joins a forthcoming Dutch translation as our second authorised international LEANS programme!

reframingautism.org.au/leans-austra...
World-Leading, Evidence-Based Neurodiversity Education Program to Launch in Australia - Reframing Autism
Autistic-led education organisation, Reframing Autism is proud to announce that it is bringing the internationally acclaimed Learning About Neurodiversity at School (LEANS) program to Australia in 202...
reframingautism.org.au
December 4, 2025 at 7:59 AM
Reposted by Sue Fletcher-Watson
autisticrealms.bsky.social
Wonderful news from Reframing Autism LEANS is expanding to Australia!

Learning About Neurodiversity at School is a free, teacher-delivered curriculum that introduces neurodiversity concepts to children aged 8-11

salvesen-research.ed.ac.uk/leans

reframingautism.org.au/leans-austra...
World-Leading, Evidence-Based Neurodiversity Education Program to Launch in Australia - Reframing Autism
Autistic-led education organisation, Reframing Autism is proud to announce that it is bringing the internationally acclaimed Learning About Neurodiversity at School (LEANS) program to Australia in 202...
reframingautism.org.au
December 3, 2025 at 7:56 AM
Reposted by Sue Fletcher-Watson
claruineill.bsky.social
Learners deserve school systems that support all kinds of minds to flourish!

@drrachaeldavis.bsky.social, @suereviews.bsky.social and I are thrilled to share a new handbook, It Takes All Kinds of Minds we co-edited with the input of some amazing contributors.
December 2, 2025 at 3:38 PM
suereviews.bsky.social
Glorious investigative thread on the magic of theatrical performance by my clever, determined husband.
bfletcherwatson.bsky.social Ben Fletcher-Watson @bfletcherwatson.bsky.social · 3d
Eleven years ago, I wrote to Tom Stoppard to ask about this coup de théâtre from 1949. It took me down an unexpected rabbit hole - in memory of Stoppard, here's what I found.
"Years and years ago, there was a production of The Tempest, out of doors, at an Oxford college on a lawn, which was the stage, and the lawn went back towards the lake in the grounds of the college, and the play began in natural light. But as it developed, and as it became time for Ariel to say his farewell to the world of The Tempest, the evening had started to close in and there was some artificial lighting coming on. And as Ariel uttered his last speech, he turned and he ran across the grass, and he got to the edge of the lake and he just kept running across the top of the water — the producer having thoughtfully provided a kind of walkway an inch beneath the water. And you could see and you could hear the plish, plash as he ran away from you across the top of the lake, until the gloom enveloped him and he disappeared from your view. And as he did so, from the further shore, a firework rocket was ignited, and it went whoosh into the air, and high up there it burst into lots of sparks, and all the sparks went out, and he had gone. "When you look up the stage directions, it says, 'Exit Ariel.”
December 2, 2025 at 8:18 AM
Reposted by Sue Fletcher-Watson
bfletcherwatson.bsky.social
Eleven years ago, I wrote to Tom Stoppard to ask about this coup de théâtre from 1949. It took me down an unexpected rabbit hole - in memory of Stoppard, here's what I found.
"Years and years ago, there was a production of The Tempest, out of doors, at an Oxford college on a lawn, which was the stage, and the lawn went back towards the lake in the grounds of the college, and the play began in natural light. But as it developed, and as it became time for Ariel to say his farewell to the world of The Tempest, the evening had started to close in and there was some artificial lighting coming on. And as Ariel uttered his last speech, he turned and he ran across the grass, and he got to the edge of the lake and he just kept running across the top of the water — the producer having thoughtfully provided a kind of walkway an inch beneath the water. And you could see and you could hear the plish, plash as he ran away from you across the top of the lake, until the gloom enveloped him and he disappeared from your view. And as he did so, from the further shore, a firework rocket was ignited, and it went whoosh into the air, and high up there it burst into lots of sparks, and all the sparks went out, and he had gone. "When you look up the stage directions, it says, 'Exit Ariel.”
November 30, 2025 at 1:38 PM
suereviews.bsky.social
New editorial with @sarah595.bsky.social and @heasutherland.com

We use our experiences working in UK special education and social care settings to explore some of the challenges of including autistic people with complex support needs in research. With recommendations!
December 2, 2025 at 8:10 AM
Reposted by Sue Fletcher-Watson
heasutherland.com
📃New paper alert!📃

Editorial with @suereviews.bsky.social and @sarah595.bsky.social on doing research in high support needs autism services. We cover practical challenges, ethics, consent/assent issues, safeguarding, and the emotional burdens of research.

journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Sage Journals: Discover world-class research
Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.
journals.sagepub.com
November 27, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Reposted by Sue Fletcher-Watson
sarah595.bsky.social
Really proud to share this editorial co-authored by me, @suereviews.bsky.social and @heasutherland.com
We discuss some of the complexities of doing research in service settings which support autistic people who have complex support needs.

journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Doing research in services for autistic people with complex support needs: Challenges and considerations based on UK experiences - Sarah Donald, Holly Elizabeth Anne Sutherland, Sue Fletcher-Watson, 2...
journals.sagepub.com
November 27, 2025 at 7:39 PM
Reposted by Sue Fletcher-Watson
katarinahunt.bsky.social
Whomst among us hasn't felt a little vacuum about snackie all done
November 18, 2025 at 7:02 AM
suereviews.bsky.social
God showing their support for trans rights in Edinburgh this morning!
Pink and blue striped morning sky behind silhouetted leafless trees.
November 26, 2025 at 8:02 AM
Reposted by Sue Fletcher-Watson
thinkingautism.com
Want to help with autism research? The Social Experiences of Loneliness of Autistic Adults (SELA) Project at the AJ Drexel Autism Institute is forming a Community Council of autistic adults (ages 18–35) to help guide a 5-year study on loneliness and social connection. Info in flyer and alt-text.
Flyer with text reading, “Calling Autistic Adults! “Want to help shape research on loneliness for autistic young adults? “We invite autistic adults (ages 18-35) to join our Community Council on a 5-year research study on how big life changes affect loneliness for autistic young adults. “Community Council members will partner with researchers to make sure that all parts of the research reflect the experiences, priorities, and needs of the autistic community. “We hope this research will lead to a better understanding of loneliness and help create better supports. “• Community partners meet regularly and are paid for their time. “• No prior research experience is needed. “• Your lived experience and perspective are what matter most, and all voices are valued. “For more info or to apply, email kc3673@drexel.edu”
November 6, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Reposted by Sue Fletcher-Watson
ketanjoshi.co
just....enjoy this
November 3, 2025 at 9:17 PM
Reposted by Sue Fletcher-Watson
soc-researcher.bsky.social
What a beautifully written and breathtakingly honest paper. It's rare to see this level of honesty, reflexivity, and creativity in academia.
thesociologicalreview.org The Sociological Review Foundation @thesociologicalreview.org · Oct 28
Failure hurts. How can the concept of bipolar time help us understand it?

@lizziereed.bsky.social @robinskyer.bsky.social reflect on an unsuccessful research project, relentless demands for productivity, and the importance of radical acceptance.

#OpenAccess @journals.sagepub.com buff.ly/zb4uVL6
Lizzie Reed and Robin Skyer Research failure, crip temporalities and bipolar time in UK higher education https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00380261251388708 The Sociological Review #OnlineFirst
October 28, 2025 at 1:16 PM
suereviews.bsky.social
Just discovered this neurodivergent bookshop - very cool!

And not just because it has our forthcoming book on neurodiversity-affirmative classrooms on their front page...

@drrachaeldavis.bsky.social @claruineill.bsky.social

makessensetome.co.uk
MAKES SENSE TO ME | The Neurodivergent Bookshop
Discover the world’s first neurodiversity-specialist bookshop! This disabled-led ND community offers books on ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, Tourette’s & Mental Health. Resources for neurodiversity at work, ...
makessensetome.co.uk
November 5, 2025 at 10:53 AM
Reposted by Sue Fletcher-Watson
valoisdubins.bsky.social
Oh look - standing up for what you believe might just be a good idea
santiagomayer.com Santiago Mayer @santiagomayer.com · 29d
Republicans thought they had a permanent hold over young men. They didn't.

Spanberger wins men 18-29 by 14%, Sherrill by 10%, and Mamdani by a stunning 40%.
November 5, 2025 at 4:41 AM
Reposted by Sue Fletcher-Watson
birdrespecter.bsky.social
For a bit I forgot that the current political movement was won with a weak minority and is managed by annoying dorks who nobody likes who have terrible vibes. This video has 1.3 million likes and is a good reminder that better things are possible, even for those of us outside NYC. A good night!
November 5, 2025 at 6:56 AM
Reposted by Sue Fletcher-Watson
jimmusilpainter.bsky.social
My painting PACIFIC NORTHWEST
October 30, 2025 at 9:18 PM
suereviews.bsky.social
Interesting article examining how a neurodiversity-informed understanding of autism does / doesn't align with both traditional and modern cognitive neuroscience models

link.springer.com/epdf/10.1007...
Cognitive Neuroscience and Neurodiversity: Implications for Autistic People and Clinicians
link.springer.com
October 30, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Reposted by Sue Fletcher-Watson
journalautism.bsky.social
A huge thank you to the Autism community, from our Editor-in-Chief @suereviews.bsky.social

🌏 Over the past two years, we’ve received over 1000 submissions from 65 countries.

journals.sagepub.com...
October 27, 2025 at 11:43 AM
Reposted by Sue Fletcher-Watson
thinkingautism.com
Learning about autism in a neutral and non-stigmatizing manner, through the lens of autistic lived experience, benefits autistic children’s self-understanding, emergent autistic identity, sense of belonging, and communication/self-advocacy skills.

www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...

#neurodiversity
“I like being autistic”: Assessing the benefit of autistic-led psychoeducation for autistic children
Background Despite receiving autism diagnoses in early life, autistic children are not routinely supported to understand these diagnoses post-diagnostically ([1][1]). Consequently, they typically grow...
www.medrxiv.org
October 26, 2025 at 2:48 AM
Reposted by Sue Fletcher-Watson
mindtheflap.bsky.social
You would think from this framing that "special needs children" made up the majority of that number. Or that the majority of them received single-occupancy transport. And you would be wrong on both counts.

The data: explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statist...
October 28, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Reposted by Sue Fletcher-Watson
cosmichael.bsky.social
I'm doing this talk on Friday 31st Oct. Preparing for it reminded me how much a period of burnout has set me back. That can happen to any of us. But now I should re-start taking my own advice.
#AutisticElders #Autism #AutismAgeing #Autistic
Poster for Brighter Living Fair, for autistic people aged 50+, without learning disabilities. Fri 31st Oct. At Devas Club, 2a, Stormont Rd, Battersea SW11 5EN Includes presentation by Cos Michael, 'Getting Physical: The benefits of moving more. At 12-12.45pm.
October 27, 2025 at 9:45 AM
Reposted by Sue Fletcher-Watson
respectlabkcl.bsky.social
📣The ARCH seminar is back!
Join us on October 22nd to hear from Nell Fahey (with introduction from Dr Gavin Stewart) about their work on the social experiences of middle-aged and older autistic adults.
More info on our mailout - sign up and get tickets @ www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/arch-semin...
This is a poster advertising the ARCH (or Autism Research) Seminar Series. This talk takes place on the 22nd of October, 2025, at 2pm on Zoom. The talk is being given by Nell Fahey, who uses she and her pronouns, and is an MSc graduate from King's College London. She is being introduced by Dr Gavin Stewart, who uses he and him pronouns, and is a senior research fellow at King's College London. The talk title is "Exploring the Social Experiences of Autistic Adults in Midlife and Old Age: a co-produced qualitative study". The abstract reads "Being connected to other people and having good access to social support are often linked to a better quality of life as we get older. However, autistic people often experience barriers to being socially connected. Our co-produced study set out to explore the social experiences of middle-aged and older autistic adults, with a particular focus on the types of social connections they would like as they age. We interviewed 33 autistic people in midlife and old age and conducted a reflexive thematic analysis of their responses. Our findings highlighted the varying impact that ageing can have on people’s social experiences and suggest that social motivations and barriers to social interaction may differ for autistic adults in midlife compared with those in old age. In this talk, we will describe our co-production process and highlight these key findings and what they mean for autistic people."
October 1, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Reposted by Sue Fletcher-Watson
cathyabbott.bsky.social
Really looking forward to this- we can probably accommodate a few last minute sign-ups 😊
earthowned.bsky.social Theo @earthowned.bsky.social · Oct 27
Today I'm excited to being talking at the Edinburgh Neuroscience Afternoon about the real cost of academic publishing and big deals. Spoiler: they are expensive and not really transformative.
Agenda for the Edinburgh Neuroscience afternoon being held on Monday 27th October 2025
October 27, 2025 at 9:46 AM
Reposted by Sue Fletcher-Watson
autisticrealms.bsky.social
@autismeurope.bsky.social 2025 Congress is now freely available on this website:

www.autismeurope.org/what-we-do/i...

Also:
www.youtube.com/@AutismEurope

Lots of very exciting presentations including @drmbothapsych.bsky.social @autisticdoctor.bsky.social and many more!
14th Autism-Europe International Congress, Dublin, Ireland, 2025 – Autism Europe
www.autismeurope.org
October 22, 2025 at 6:57 AM