(UK) Health campaigner claims ADHD/ASD "disruptive behaviour" behind exclusions

Oct 28, 2018, Eastern Daily Press: ADHD could be cause of many school exclusions in Norfolk, campaigner claims http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/education/adhd-norfolk-campaigner-on-school-exclusions-1-5754744 A health campaigner says ADHD may be at the heart of many school exclusions in Norfolk, after figures revealed disruptive behaviour as a primary cause. Andrea Bell, of the ADHD Norfolk charity, said the incidence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) should be recorded by schools to build a “more accurate picture” of the conditions’ effects. She said better training should also be given to teachers to deal with conditions such as ADHD, which can cause restlessness, impulsiveness, problems focusing and a quick temper. Ms Bell believes there may be a correlation between ADHD and school exclusions after a recent Freedom of Information Act (FOI) request to Norfolk County Council revealed that persistent disruption is one of the top causes of permanent exclusions in the county’s schools. … Ms Bell, who was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 34, is on a mission to raise awareness of the disorder and how children with it can be better supported in schools…. “I would say that 99pc of children excluded for emotional and behavioural problems have ADHD but teachers are not trained in it. The condition is nothing like we think it is. … “We have massive demand as a charity from parents whose children are at home or have not been able to get into the right schools.”…