Joe Booker
My values
I believe people do well when the conditions around them allow them to. Too often, autistic and neurodivergent people are expected to adapt to environments that were not designed with them in mind. My work focuses on changing those conditions rather than trying to change the person.
I am guided by a belief in fairness and shared responsibility. Systems should work for everyone, including those who are often overlooked or expected to cope quietly. This means paying attention to how decisions are made, who benefits, and who may be excluded.
I try to approach situations with care and curiosity. I work alongside individuals, families and professionals to understand what is happening beneath the surface and to find practical ways forward. Respect is central to my practice, particularly respect for lived experience and for the realities people face in their daily lives.
My experience
I bring over two decades of experience across education and neurodiversity-focused services. My background includes extensive work in specialist and complex-needs settings, alongside consultancy, training, and systems-level support within mainstream schools and organisations. I have an MEd (Autistic Adults) and a Level 7 Award in Strategic Management and Leadership Practice.
My practice spans direct work with children and young people, strategic service development, workforce training, and multi-agency collaboration. I have particular expertise in supporting individuals with ‘complex needs’, sensory processing differences, communication differences, and high levels of distress linked to unmet needs or environmental pressures.