Need not diagnosis: towards a more realistic language and understanding

LSBU is proud to introduce the Professor Michael Lewis Annual Lecture series, kindly supported by alumnus Professor Michael Lewis MBE, and his wife Janina, to address current thinking on neurodiversity across the landscape of education and learning including special educational needs and disability support in order for individuals to thrive.

Experienced theatre and opera director, writer, teacher and Visiting Fellow and Writer in Residence for the CADS Research Group, Stephen Unwin (pictured below), will deliver the inaugural lecture; the first in a series of five. Stephen will address the need to develop more nuanced language around learning disabilities and the necessity of a shift to a new realism, where people are defined by need, not diagnosis.

Stephen is Chair of KIDS, a national charity that provides a wide range of services to disabled children, young people and their families in England, and is a campaigner for the rights and opportunities of learning-disabled people. He regularly writes on the subject in newspapers and his first play, All Our Children, about the Nazi persecution of the disabled, was a great success in London and New York.

Stephen’s struggle in getting his son Joey, who has severe learning disabilities (SLD) and intractable epilepsy, the support he needs has led Stephen to dedicate his time to campaigning for the rights of people with learning disabilities as well as a change in the way that SLD is regarded.

In this lecture, Stephen will explore the case for reform in the culture and politics of learning disabilities, drawing on his own experiences.

We hope you will join us to be part of this important conversation and we look forward to seeing you there.

LSBU Division of Education

At LSBU, we are committed to teaching Education with a theme of social justice. Many of our courses have a focus on investigating aspects of inclusive education and barriers to learning, exploring key elements of disability, equality, and diversity. These courses encourage students to develop their approaches to identifying and reducing barriers, with the aim of developing inclusive practice for all pupils in an educational setting.

LSBU's Critical Autism and Disabilities Studies (CADS) explores Disability from a Social Model perspective encompassing ‘nothing about us without us’ which involves working ethically and fairly with disabled researchers. CADS is committed to ensuring a research informed approach to student experience and curriculum. This is particularly relevant to LSBU’s MA Education /Autism /SEND and teacher education and CPD.

The group holds events throughout the year including an international conference in collaboration with The Participatory Autism Research Collective (PARC) which began within CADS and has now extended its reach internationally.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

London South Bank University, Keyworth Centre, London, United Kingdom