Autistic Speaker, Dean Beadle, Speaks to SOS!SEN About Empowering the Next Generation of Autistic Young People to Never View Themselves Through a Deficit Lens

In this candid conversation, autistic speaker, inset trainer and singer, Dean Beadle, joins us to share his lived experience, challenge misconceptions, and reflect on what true inclusion should look and feel like for autistic young people and their families. His insight is as grounded as it is uplifting - a reminder of why listening to autistic voices matters.

Dean has spent over two decades speaking across the UK and abroad about his experiences. He is passionate about challenging the barriers that exist in society for neurodivergent people, and is patron of three autism-related charities. We're delighted to feature this interview, so a big thank you to Dean.

You can follow Dean on his Instagram here - deanbeadlespeaker and his TikTok here - dean.beadle

When you compare your own school experience to what you see in schools today, what has genuinely improved — and what hasn’t shifted nearly enough?

Initially in primary school I was seen through a very behaviourist lens and was suspended more times than you can count. Mum had to battle to get my needs understood and met. Sadly, thirty years on, I’m still hearing too many parents tell me that they are coming up against the same lack of understanding in mainstream schools. In that sense, we haven’t made nearly enough progress in making schools fully inclusive and accessible. Behaviourist approaches are a worrying trend in some specialist provisions too. With that said, I’m heartened by how many brilliant teachers and school leaders I work with who are genuinely invested in getting it right for autistic learners. I get to see so much excellent practice in both mainstream and specialist settings. I’m encouraged that autistic advocates have ever bigger platforms to challenge attitudes and create change. We are empowering the next generation of autistic young people to never view themselves through a deficit lens. All of that gives me hope.

You’ve spoken about masking and anxiety in school. How did those pressures show up for you day‑to‑day as a child or teenager?

When I joined secondary school, I very much remember feeling that I needed to keep a low profile. In order to survive, I felt I had to mask and blend in. I remember swallowing down anxiety. I was in survival mode.

As I often explain in my inset training, just because you can’t see the anxiety and distress on the surface doesn’t mean it isn’t there. The child may well be bottling all that up until they can get to a space where they feel safe to be their authentic selves. I’m forever saying to teachers: “just because you can’t see distress, doesn’t mean it isn’t there. Believe what parents tell you.”

What do you see as the most harmful myths about autistic pupils that still influence school policy or practice?

How long have you got!? There are so many- and this situation is amplified by so-called ‘experts’ spouting ableist nonsense on their platforms and in the press. But in terms of harmful myths in a schools context, I’d say the most current one is the notion that many autistic learners are “choosing” not to attend school. What a load of old rubbish!

There’s no choice about it. The reality is they are utterly burnt out from inaccessible and often hostile environments. Its high time we realised it’s not a case of ‘wont’ it’s a case of ‘can’t’. Local authorities must realise that the goal shouldn’t be about ‘getting them back through the door’, but acknowledging and addressing the system-wide accessibility issues that traumatised those learners in the first place. This starts from properly listening to what autistic young people and their parents are saying.

How do you help today’s educators reframe behaviours they might label as “challenging” or “defiant”?

I’ve spent my career working with schools staff and supporting them to realise that instead of focussing on behaviour, we must focus on needs. Instead of seeing aggression, anger and violence, we must reframe that as distress, overwhelm and dysregulation. Our focus must be on shifting the environment to meet needs.

How do you help schools move from “awareness” to genuine inclusion that changes autistic pupils’ daily lives?

I’ve spent a lot of this past year speaking at inclusion conferences, and a key message in my keynotes has been that inclusion isn’t a good enough aim anymore. I think we need to shift our objective from inclusion towards fostering a sense of belonging. Do our autistic learners feel they truly belong in the schools they attend? That’s the question we need to be asking.

What do you say to educators who feel overwhelmed or afraid of “getting it wrong” when supporting autistic learners?

Listen to your learners. Believe what they tell you. Invest in building trusted relationships with them and their parents. Everything boils down to relationships. Trusted relationships are the foundation for everything else. Be brave and be the best ally to your learners and their families, because they really need you.

What message do you want parents to hear about supporting autistic children who come home exhausted, dysregulated, or shut down after school?

Give your child time and space to recover and regulate. Needing to be alone does not mean a rejection of the family- they just need time to recover from the sensory and social onslaught of the school day. Reduce demands and expectations and let home be a place where they can rebuild their spoons. Be the safe space.

If you could speak directly to parents who are in the thick of EHCP battles, exclusions, or school-based trauma, what would you want them to take away from your story?

At a time when so many others were judgemental, hostile and downright ableist towards me, my mum was my biggest champion, and she didn’t rest until she changed people’s view of me. I owe my mum everything for that. Your kids know that you’re in their corner- and that means the world.

Initial Reflections on the Government’s SEND White Paper

A message this month from the CEO of SOS! Special Educational Needs, Richard Orchard-Rowe and the charity's Legal Officer, Eleanor Wright, about the recently released Government White Paper.

The Government has now published its long-awaited SEND White Paper. Many families, professionals and organisations have been waiting a considerable time for clarity about the direction of future reforms, and the publication marks the beginning of an important period of scrutiny and debate.

At SOS!SEN, we are currently reviewing the detail of the proposals. In order to do this carefully and responsibly, we have established a dedicated working group to go through the White Paper in depth and consider what the proposals may mean for children and young people with SEND, their families, and the professionals who support them.

As part of this process, we will also be hosting a webinar in the coming weeks. This event will include a panel of parents who will be sharing their views and reflecting on what the proposals could mean in practice. Hearing directly from families is essential, and we want to ensure their perspectives remain central to the conversation.

While we are still analysing the full detail, our initial reading of the White Paper raises several serious concerns.

First, there appears to be a shift in emphasis that distances local authorities from responsibility for the challenges within the system, while placing greater expectations on schools to manage increasingly complex needs. Schools are already under significant pressure, and we are concerned that these proposals could further strain the system. In particular, there is a real risk that increased pressures could contribute to the loss of experienced and dedicated teaching staff at a time when they are needed most.

We are also worried that the proposed approach may create a more adversarial experience for parents. Many families already find the system difficult to navigate, and any reforms should aim to rebuild trust and cooperation rather than deepen conflict.

Another concern is that the voice of families appears to be increasingly absent from the proposed reforms. Parents and carers bring vital knowledge and experience about their children, and meaningful partnership with families must remain at the heart of any effective SEND system.

Most concerning of all is the direction of travel regarding legal protections for children and young people with SEND. Despite extensive lobbying from families and organisations across the sector, the proposals appear to move towards removing some of the legal rights that currently protect children with SEND. These rights have long provided an essential safeguard for families when support is not delivered as it should be.

SOS!SEN will continue to speak out about these issues. We are also working alongside the Save Our Children’s Rights campaign to ensure that the voices of families are heard and that the Government fully understands the potential consequences of these proposals.

There are two key things we want families to know at this stage.

First, nothing has changed today. The current law remains in place, and the rights of children and young people with SEND continue exactly as they did before the publication of the White Paper.

Second, we are now entering a consultation period. This is a crucial opportunity for families, young people and professionals to share their views. Your voices matter, and collective feedback will play an important role in shaping what happens next.

We will continue to keep our community updated as we work through the proposals in detail and as further opportunities arise to contribute to the consultation. In the meantime, we encourage families to stay engaged, take part in discussions, and add their voices to this important debate.