Prof Professor Caroline Bond

About

Caroline Bond is Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Manchester.

She is practice placement director for the initial training in educational and child psychology programme and is also the programme lead for supervisor training and the teaching of developmental differences and assessment. She has worked as an educational psychologist in London and the North West.

Her research interests include autism, motor skills difficulties, inclusion, children’s rights and professional supervision. Caroline’s autism research has included an evaluation of mainstream autism resource provision in one Local Authority, a review of evidence based educational interventions to support young people on the autism spectrum for the National Council for Special Education, Ireland and she is co-author of a book called “Education and girls on the autism spectrum.”

https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/caroline.bond.html

Keynote abstract

Autism, girls and education: research and practice

Until recently there was little information for practitioners to draw upon when working in education settings to support girls who have a diagnosis of autism, or difficulties consistent with autism. This presentation begins with an overview of the research on autism, education and girls and highlights how autistic girls may present somewhat differently to boys, potentially making it more difficult for their needs to be recognised in a school context. We then present two smaller scale studies focusing on the perceptions of autistic girls’ and key adults around them regarding some of the challenges they experience when attending mainstream high schools. Finally, early findings from a recent survey of primary and secondary teaching staff across the UK will be presented. This will explore how staff in schools understand and perceive the challenges autistic girls face across a range of school contexts and potential ways forward.