What We Learned at the Autism & ADHD Show Liverpool 2026: Practical Neurodiversity Support for Home and School.
In July, I attended the Autism & ADHD Show Liverpool 2026 with Heather and Briony from Yorkshire Psychotherapy.
The show brought together autistic and ADHD people, families, professionals, educators and organisations sharing information about autism, ADHD, SEND, mental health, communication, education and practical neurodiversity support.
For me, events like this aren't simply about collecting another CPD certificate.
They are an opportunity to ask a much more useful question:
What can we bring back to the children, adults and families we actually work with?
And several themes stood out.
Autism & ADHD Show Liverpool 2026 what did we learn?
When a Child Is Struggling, Look Beyond the Behaviour
One of the strongest messages from the day was the importance of understanding what may be happening underneath behaviour.
The Autism & ADHD Show programme included discussions around school avoidance, AuDHD, executive functioning, PDA, eating and neurodivergence, trauma-informed approaches and SEND.
This closely reflects what we see at Prior Mindset.
An autistic child or child with ADHD who appears to be "refusing", "not listening" or "being difficult" may actually be experiencing anxiety, sensory overload, executive functioning difficulties, uncertainty, communication differences or emotional overwhelm.
Some neurodivergent children may also experience separate mental health difficulties including social anxiety, separation anxiety, OCD or sleep difficulties.
This distinction matters.
Neurodivergence doesn't mean that every difficulty a child experiences should automatically be attributed to their autism or ADHD. Sometimes there is a treatable anxiety disorder sitting alongside it.
Understanding what is driving distress gives us a much better starting point than simply asking a child to behave differently.
PDA: Why Understanding the Demand Matters
It was particularly useful to see the PDA Society represented at the show.
PDA is commonly used to describe a profile involving a strong need for autonomy and significant difficulties with everyday demands. The PDA Society describes it as widely understood as a profile of autism, although terminology and conceptualisation remain areas of discussion.
At Prior Mindset, we work with children and families where significant demand avoidance is part of the picture.
A neurodiversity-affirming approach asks what may be driving that response and considers communication, anxiety, predictability, autonomy and the environment, rather than automatically escalating demands when a child is already overwhelmed.
Communication Doesn't Have to Depend on Spoken Words
Another important theme was accessible communication.
Widgit develops symbol-supported resources that can help people understand information and communicate across home, education and healthcare settings.
We also explored Smartbox, which develops Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) technology and communication resources.
This matters because communication differences should never be mistaken for an absence of thoughts, feelings, preferences or understanding.
Sometimes making an environment more accessible begins by changing how we communicate, rather than repeatedly asking somebody to communicate in the way that is easiest for everyone else.
Can LEGO Play Support Autistic and ADHD Children?
One resource I particularly enjoyed exploring was the Brick-by-Brick programme from Play Included.
Brick-by-Brick uses collaborative LEGO play to create opportunities for children and young people to connect through shared interests. Play Included describes the approach as child-led and focused on developing positive social experiences and supporting communication and social-emotional development.
What I particularly like is the principle behind it:
Start with something the child already enjoys.
Psychological and developmental support doesn't always have to look like a child sitting opposite an adult discussing feelings.
Sometimes important learning happens through play, shared interests, creativity and connection.
Does the Environment Affect Autism, ADHD and Emotional Regulation?
Absolutely.
Neurodiversity support isn't only about teaching an individual more coping strategies. We also need to examine the environment we're asking them to cope within.
At the show, there were examples of sensory-aware and inclusive environments, furniture, communication tools and play spaces.
That prompted useful conversations about things such as:
lighting
noise and acoustics
flexible seating
movement opportunities
sensory and fidget supports
quieter spaces
communication aids
predictable transitions
accessible outdoor spaces
Werk Solutions works within educational interiors, while Creative Play develops outdoor play environments, including inclusive play provision.
For some neurodivergent children, relatively small environmental adjustments can make a significant practical difference to accessibility.
Instead of always asking:
"How can we make this child tolerate this environment?"
we should sometimes be asking:
"How can we make this environment more accessible to this child?"
That question is particularly important when considering reasonable adjustments and SEND support within education.
This is particularly relevant to Prior Mindset because we regularly work with families whose children are experiencing school anxiety, emotionally based school avoidance, SEND difficulties or prolonged absence from education.
I was interested to learn more about Ohana, part of The O Education Group, which provides online education for learners for whom traditional schooling may not currently be working.
That doesn't mean online education is the answer for every child experiencing school attendance difficulties.
It does reinforce an important principle:
Education does not have to look identical for every learner.
At Prior Mindset, support for families can extend beyond individual therapy.
I regularly work with parents and schools around reasonable adjustments, SEND and EHCP processes, school meetings, advocacy and supported reintegration into education. Family consultancy can also include practical guidance around DLA and PIP applications where appropriate.
A child who hasn't attended school for weeks or months generally doesn't need another adult explaining that school is important.
They usually already know.
We need to understand why education has become inaccessible and what needs to change to make participation possible again.
Social Anxiety Can Be Missed in Autistic and ADHD Children
This is another area I think deserves particular attention.
Autistic children and children with ADHD can also experience social anxiety disorder.
NICE advises clinicians assessing social anxiety in children and young people to consider coexisting neurodevelopmental conditions including autism and ADHD. It also identifies difficulties such as avoiding school or social activities, avoiding speaking, answering questions or performing in front of others as possible indicators of social anxiety.
This is important because a child who won't speak in class, avoids eating around other people or desperately tries to escape social situations shouldn't automatically be described as "shy".
Equally, we shouldn't automatically assume every social difficulty experienced by an autistic child is social anxiety.
We need to understand what the child fears and what is maintaining the difficulty.
Prior Mindset provides specialist CBT for social anxiety in children, young people and adults alongside our wider neurodiversity work.
What Does Prior Mindset Support Neurodivergent Families With?
Our work can include:
Supported return to education or training
Professional and family advisory appointments
The aim isn't to teach somebody how to appear less autistic or less ADHD.
It is to understand what is making life difficult and consider the psychological, environmental, educational and practical changes that may help.
Professional Collaboration Matters Too
Attending the Autism & ADHD Show with Heather and Briony from Yorkshire Psychotherapy also gave us valuable time to share ideas and discuss resources across our different areas of professional practice.
This follows the recent Prior Mindset and Yorkshire Psychotherapy professional collaboration, which is helping Prior Mindset continue developing relationships with trusted mental health professionals.
Professional collaboration means sharing expertise, recognising the limits of our own specialisms and knowing where appropriate additional support may be available.
Alongside therapy and consultancy, Prior Mindset provides a growing library of free mental health and neurodiversity resources for children, young people, adults, parents and professionals.
Resources cover areas including ADHD, autism, anxiety, social anxiety, separation anxiety, OCD, sleep, emotional regulation, executive functioning and wider mental health.
Useful psychological information shouldn't always require somebody to book an appointment first.
Frequently Asked Questions About Autism, ADHD, Anxiety and School
Is my child socially anxious or just shy?
Shyness doesn't necessarily mean a child has social anxiety.
Social anxiety becomes more concerning when fear of embarrassment, judgement, criticism or doing something wrong in front of other people begins restricting everyday life.
A socially anxious child might avoid answering questions in class, joining groups, speaking to unfamiliar people, attending parties, asking for help or going to school.
If anxiety is substantially affecting education, friendships, independence or family life, it may be appropriate to seek an assessment.
Why won't my child eat in front of other people?
There are several possible explanations, so it is important not to assume one cause.
Some children with social anxiety worry about being watched, judged or embarrassed while eating. NICE specifically includes eating in front of other people among the situations that may be feared or avoided in social anxiety.
For autistic children or children with ADHD, sensory differences, food-related difficulties, environmental overwhelm or previous experiences may also contribute.
Understanding why the child avoids eating around others is more useful than simply trying to make them do it.
Can ADHD and social anxiety occur together?
Yes.
A child or adult can have ADHD and also experience social anxiety disorder. Difficulties associated with ADHD, such as impulsivity or previous experiences of criticism, may exist alongside fears about embarrassment, rejection or negative judgement.
The presence of ADHD shouldn't prevent a separate anxiety difficulty from being recognised and appropriately treated.
Can autistic children have social anxiety?
Yes.
Autism and social anxiety are different, but they can coexist.
An autistic person may avoid a social environment because it is sensory-heavy, unpredictable or exhausting. Someone experiencing social anxiety may avoid it because they fear negative evaluation, embarrassment or judgement.
Sometimes both are present.
Understanding the function of the avoidance is therefore important when deciding what support is appropriate.
Why is my child avoiding school?
School avoidance can have many causes.
These may include social anxiety, separation anxiety, bullying, sensory overload, academic pressure, executive functioning difficulties, sleep problems, unmet SEND needs or previous negative experiences within education.
For some children, several factors interact.
Rather than beginning with "How do we make them attend?", it can be more useful to begin with "What is making school difficult to access?"
Can social anxiety cause school avoidance?
Yes. Social anxiety can be one factor contributing to school avoidance.
A child may fear answering questions, being observed, eating around peers, making mistakes, speaking to teachers or navigating unstructured social situations such as lunch and break times.
NICE specifically identifies avoidance of school and social or group activities among the behaviours clinicians should explore when considering social anxiety in children and young people.
Why won't my child answer questions in class even when they know the answer?
There can be several reasons.
For some children, social anxiety and fear of getting something wrong publicly can make answering a question feel threatening, even when they know the answer.
Other possibilities include processing differences, communication needs, perfectionism, uncertainty, previous negative experiences or fear of drawing attention to themselves.
Again, the behaviour tells us that something is difficult. Assessment helps us understand what that difficulty actually is.
How can I help my autistic or ADHD child with anxiety?
Support should be individualised.
It may involve understanding triggers, adapting environments, improving predictability, supporting emotional regulation, making reasonable adjustments and helping the child understand their neurodivergent profile.
Where a separate anxiety disorder such as social anxiety, separation anxiety or OCD is present, the child may also benefit from an evidence-based psychological intervention adapted appropriately to their developmental and neurodivergent needs.
Final Thoughts
The biggest thing I brought home from the Autism & ADHD Show wasn't a particular product, piece of furniture or strategy.
It reinforced something that sits at the heart of Prior Mindset's approach:
support the person, but also look at the world around them.
Communication can be adapted.
Classrooms can be adapted.
Expectations can be adapted.
Education can sometimes be delivered differently.
And when a neurodivergent child is also experiencing social anxiety, separation anxiety, OCD or another mental health difficulty, that deserves to be understood and supported too.
Neurodiversity-affirming practice shouldn't mean overlooking psychological distress.
It means understanding the whole person and providing support without treating their neurodivergence as something that needs to be fixed.
With warm wishes,
Miss Jerri Prior, CBTDip, BSc (Hons)
BABCP Accredited Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist
Registered Social Worker | Children and Adults
Founder and Director, Prior Mindset
Winner, Neurodiverse Mental Health Clinic of the Year 2026, Greater Manchester
NHS People's Star Award Winner
Prior Mindset is not a crisis service and does not provide emergency mental health support. If you or someone else is at immediate risk of harm, call 999, attend your nearest A&E, contact NHS 111 or your local urgent mental health service.
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