En-Fold is a growing charitable incorporated organisation providing what we consider to be an essential service to the community that's impacted by autism...
We believe all people deserve an equal chance to flourish. To achieve this, we act as system navigators ensuring bespoke and better support, better communication and connecting people to the right organisations and resources.
We recognise that going through the diagnostic pathway as an adult is a long and challenging process, often resulting in more questions and answers. For parents and carers of children and young people, it can be a time where they get lost in the diagnostic system and are often confused and isolated both during the process and after it has ended.
We want to ensure that all children, via support to their parents, and all individuals receiving a diagnosis in adulthood can access the best services, information and support for them.
Our organisation is born out of lived experience, which continues to be the central focus of how we operate. Our founder, Diane Johnson, journeyed through life to adulthood, often confused and wondering how she fitted into the world. The social rules, the humour, the unpredictability that all too often exists has baffled her for many years. With three children, both of her beautiful girls on the Spectrum, they are further fuel to the desire for her to see that the world of Autism is understood.
Diane has a wealth of knowledge and experience in disability and a passion for supporting families. Training includes a degree in youth and community development and a further BTEC level 4 in voluntary sector management, additional workshops, and conferences with a specific disability focus and a Level 2 Certificate in Understanding Autism.
Previous roles have included being a foster carer with all the accompanying training, a voluntary sector infrastructure support advisor, a team leader for a day centre for adults with LD, and a project coordinator for SCOPE supporting families with children with disabilities.
Diane also has previous experience of setting up a charity and a good eye for detail and planning. Having been approached by a group of parents of children with 'High Functioning' Autism, Diane was instrumental in this and sourced funds to enable family days out. This group has now been running for 14 years, with regular monthly meetings and school holiday activities for the whole family.
As a parent of two girls with Autism, Diane has a real understanding and empathy of the challenges parents face in navigating the system, with a particular interest in the female presentation. Diane herself has Asperger's. While this poses certain challenges, it also brings a real insight, determination, and drive to the role.
Tracy is mum to an Autistic adult son and self-diagnosed as being on the spectrum in 2021 at the age of 58. She was a primary school teacher for over twenty years, with experience as an Inclusion Leader and has an insider's knowledge of the education system. Tracy joined En-Fold initially as a mentor/befriender in 2020, then became a Trustee, before becoming a Project Worker & Volunteer Lead. She started as Autism Support Service & Training Coordinator in November 2023 and is excited about supporting En-Fold's growth. Tracy is passionate about using her lived experience to advocate for Autistic individuals and particularly parents and carers of Autistic children.
In 2020 Mike, at 35 years old, was late diagnosed with ASC and received support from Diane and En-Fold. En-Fold was a lifeline of support for him. Their work has given him the drive to positively impact the autistic community as En-Fold has had on him. With his professional experience within Hospitality Management and Training/Coaching, Mike has a passion for facilitating environments that enable people to learn, understand and develop themselves. He initially joined the Board of Trustees to utilise his lived experience and skills to support others and help the autistic voice be heard clearer and louder than ever before, and is now a Project Worker for En-Fold.
Fiona has 2 autistic children and since being involved with En-Fold has started exploring her own neurodivergence. She first met En-Fold as a parent and was fortunate enough to go through the support service with Diane. This made such a difference to their lives and she's now thrilled to be providing this service herself. She has always worked with children and families, in primary education and various aspects of childcare; supporting young people is now her passion. She also loves being outside, walking, and looking after her little menagerie, human and animal!
Rachel is Mum to a daughter who is diagnosed ADHD and on the autism pathway, and a son who is diagnosed autistic, giving her first hand lived experience of neurodivergence. She has a great deal of experience navigating the diagnostic pathway as well as accessing and providing support. Rachel is also a qualified teacher who has experience of working as a class teacher in both primary and secondary settings, with her specialism being in Music. This has given her a professional understanding and inside view of the education system that supports her personal experience as a parent. One of her children is currently in mainstream education and the other in specialist provision, and she therefore has experience and understanding of how support can look in both. Rachel has a degree in Music as well as a postgraduate level performance qualification and she has always been interested in the positive and enabling impact music can have for people, particularly through emotive expression and communication/connection. Rachel is passionate about inclusion and that all people should be appropriately supported to flourish and thrive. Rachel has had support from En-Fold as a parent carer, and is now proud to be able to work with them to use her understanding, advocacy skills and professional and personal experience to support the neurodivergent community and their support network.
Rebecca is a mum to two children, one of whom is autistic. Her work background is childcare. She has a breadth of experience from youth leader, to nanny, to various roles within schools and nurseries, with a real passion for all things play related, enabling children to grow and develop through investigation and exploration. As a mum she was fortunate enough to be signposted access to En-folds support while her daughter was on the pathway to diagnosis and as a parent, found this experience to be both helpful and empowering, and moving forward is excited to be able to offer others this same support.
Rachel’s interest in Autism has been inspired by her son. He was diagnosed with ASC at age 10 and is now a young adult. Supporting him throughout his life has driven Rachel to want to be able to help and support other young people and their families. She initially got involved with En-Fold through volunteering as a mentor/befriender. She is now really happy to be working as a Peer Support Worker and hopes to be able to make a real difference to young people’s lives.
Bee is a neurodivergent woman who is fascinated by all things autism and ADHD. She has worked for the last 20 years in the education sector as a Class Teacher, initially in mainstream education but has spent the last 7 years teaching in a Special Provision School for students on the Autism Spectrum - being a lead for ‘MentalHealth and Well-Being’ as well as subject co-ordinator for ‘Sex & Relationships Education.’ She is mum to an incredible ‘Aspergirl’ who inspires her each and every day, always encouraging her to find the fun in life! Bee has a particular passion for Neurodiversity, Mental Health conditions, Psychology and Forensics. She describes herself as an ‘Outgoing Introvert!’
Donna has always been passionate about working with children, young people and families, helping to make a difference in their lives. She has worked in many different contexts over her career, starting with Early Years and most recently in Youth Work. She enjoys working in outdoor environments delivering family learning programmes as well as individual mentoring to young people; Donna has a deep understanding of how working alongside nature can boost self confidence and enhance mental health and well being.Donna is a mum, grandmother and a carer and has supported the delivery of short breaks for children and young people with additional needs in the local community. She enjoys volunteering within her town as a youth leader and discovered En-Fold through her role as a volunteer befriender. She is excited to take up her position as Peer Support Worker with En-Fold and continue making a difference within the Autistic community.
Rahma is mum to two children, one of whom is autistic; she has a great deal of experience in understanding the support available in both mainstream and specialist provision. She currently works in a specialist setting which has given her an insider’s knowledge of the education system. Rahma has a degree in international development studies and has trained in many aspects of special needs over the years.
As part of En-Fold, Rahma has set up a parents' support group in Northampton called Pathway to Jannah. The group’s vision is to empower Black Muslim families to have a better understanding of autism and remove the stigma associated with Special Needs, particularly around neurodivergence. Rahma has joined En-Fold’s team as a sessional worker and is excited to be working alongside the charity in support of her community.
Dr Lauren McAllister is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Northampton, where she is the Programme Lead for the MSc in Child and Adolescent Mental Health. Lauren specialises in teaching on diverse childhoods, with a particular interest in Autism. Both Lauren and her daughter are autistic. Lauren, therefore, offers experience from a lived and theoretical perspective, guiding En-Fold’s research strategy.
Eleanor Jeans is an ordained Church of England priest. She has previously worked in education as a violin teacher and for churches as a schools and children's worker and music director. Eleanor's leadership role in the Church ensures a strong pastoral and people management grounding, with a deep understanding of and frequent contact with vulnerable community members. Eleanor has a particular passion for supporting those who are single.
Ruth is a mum of twin boys, one of whom has cerebral palsy. She became involved with En-fold having received support first hand from Diane, who helped as they spent three years navigating the health service to achieve all of their son's diagnosis. Ruth wanted to give something back and help other families access the right help in the timeliest ways possible. Ruth brings the experience of strategy and policy from working over fifteen years in public services.
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Rob is autistic and is also the proud dad of 2 young boys who may well be autistic too. Diagnosed late, Rob has life experience of growing up autistic in an unsupported and unaccepted environment and is keen to prevent others from experiencing that by spreading support for autistic people and autism awareness. Rob is an IT specialist and brings many years of IT knowledge to En-Fold's activities.
Having spent over twenty years specialising in commercial dispute resolution and litigation, Stephen practises as a solicitor in Northampton advising charities and social enterprises. He was previously a governor in a community special school. Stephen brings a legal perspective to En-Fold's activities and governance as well as constitutional and regulatory matters. He is committed to the innovative work of En-Fold of providing support and advice which in many instances are not available elsewhere.
Ruth never really knew what she wanted to be when she grew up, so she's done lots of things. Employers have included the Financial Times, NatWest, the nuclear industry, international engineering companies, a big-name PR firm and a national charity - all the obvious choices for a drama graduate. These days she works part time from home supporting largely neurodivergent children in an administrative and pastoral role for an independent education provider. Ruth has two autistic children, both brilliant and with extra neurospicey ingredients.
Cara was born and bred in Northamptonshire and jumped at the opportunity to get stuck in and lend her expertise to a local charity giving essential support to the autistic community. Cara has a background in law and policy, during the day working as an in-house generalist lawyer. Outside of the corporate world, she loves to keep active and balances all the running with her even greater love of food and baking. She also has a genuine interest in well-being and firmly believes that being our authentic selves brings out the best in us all.
Lionel Boyce is a registered manager of an independent fostering agency based in the Midlands. He has well over forty years' experience working in social care, with more then thirty of these in child care and with a specialism in Fostering and Adoption. His interest in Autism stems from this work where he has seen the impact of the lack of interest and investment in the care of looked after children with Autism. He is one of the founder Members of En-Fold.
© 2024 En-Fold. All Rights Reserved.
We are registered as a charity in England and Wales (1180998)
En-Fold, 15 St Giles Street, Northampton, NN1 1JA
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Disclaimer: En-Fold does not endorse treatments, interventions and therapies but lists them so people can make informed choice. This site is for information purposes only and is a starting point for readers to look into options that may fit or resonate. Remember, therapies for autism, like any condition, should be discussed with a trusted medical practitioner or certified therapist before use. All information, data and material contained, presented or provided here is for general information purposes only and is not to be construed as reflecting the knowledge or opinions of En-Fold, or as providing legal or medical advice. All treatment decisions should be made by the individual in consultation with a health care provider. Case studies provided are done so in good faith, and based on the personal experience of the individual submitting them. En-Fold are in no way endorsing the establishments that are mentioned but offering peer reviews to inform readers.