{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/6889fedbbe8bca0ca288454a/69f33edee1fad0f98ad98cdc?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"Late Diagnosis Club: How Dale Missed His Autism Diagnosis Despite Working in Special Education","thumbnail_width":200,"thumbnail_height":200,"thumbnail_url":"https://open-images.acast.com/shows/6889fedbbe8bca0ca288454a/1777548768185-199e4f2d-cb67-45af-aa17-8f9a93f23d7d.jpeg?height=200","description":"<p>In this meeting of The Late Diagnosis Club, Dr Angela Kingdon welcomes Dale Pickles — host of <em>Sendcast</em> and Managing Director of B Squared — for a wide-ranging conversation on late diagnosis, education systems, and what it really means to support neurodivergent people.</p><p><br></p><p>Dale shares how he grew up surrounded by special education — yet still missed his own Autism and ADHD. It wasn’t until 2023, prompted by supporting his daughter through her diagnosis journey, that everything finally clicked.</p><p><br></p><p>This is a conversation about understanding yourself, supporting the next generation, and rethinking systems that weren’t built for neurodivergent minds.</p><p><br></p><p>🪑 Attendees</p><p>Chair: Dr Angela Kingdon — Author, community-builder, and Autistic advocate</p><p>Guest: Dale Pickles — SEND specialist, podcast host, and Managing Director of B Squared</p><p>You: The Listener!</p><p><br></p><p>🗒️ Meeting Agenda</p><ul><li>Opening remarks from the Chair</li><li>Member introduction: Family neurodivergence and missed recognition</li><li>Learning social rules and masking</li><li>Late diagnosis through parenting</li><li>Navigating the UK diagnosis system</li><li>Education system challenges and executive function in schools</li><li>SEND reform and needs-led support</li><li>AI and neurodivergent support tools</li><li>Key learnings</li><li>Club announcements</li></ul><p><br></p><p>🧾 Minutes from the Meeting</p><p><br></p><p>1️⃣ Opening Remarks</p><p>Angela introduces Dale Pickles and reflects on how someone can grow up immersed in special education and still miss their own neurodivergence.</p><p><br></p><p>2️⃣ Member Introduction: Dale’s Story</p><p>Dale grew up in a family deeply connected to special education, yet his own Autism and ADHD were not identified.</p><p>Although he recognised he was different, he didn’t feel he met diagnostic criteria. Instead, he developed ways to adapt, learning social rules, structuring his environment, and building a life that worked for him.</p><p>His path to diagnosis came later, prompted by supporting his daughter through her own challenges and recognition.</p><p><br></p><p>3️⃣ Discussion Highlights</p><ul><li>Missed in plain sight: Growing up around SEND without recognising himself</li><li>Family neurodivergence: Traits present across generations</li><li>Long-term relationships: Building connections through learned skills</li><li>Diagnosis trigger: Supporting his daughter through school struggles</li><li>Self-accommodation: Designing life to reduce friction</li><li>Labels vs reality: Diagnosis doesn’t define ability</li><li>Fail-first system: Support often comes only after crisis</li><li>SEND reform: Moving toward needs-led support</li><li>Early intervention: Preventing long-term harm</li><li>Executive function gap: A missing focus in schools</li><li>AI support: Tools for communication, reflection, and preparation</li><li>Environmental impact: Needs to change depending on context</li></ul><p><br></p><p>4️⃣ Key Learnings</p><ul><li>You can build a life that works without knowing why it works.</li><li>Late diagnosis often comes through supporting others.</li><li>Self-accommodation is a powerful but often invisible skill.</li><li>Diagnosis is personal and not always necessary for everyone.</li><li>Education systems often require failure before support.</li><li>Early support can prevent long-term harm and trauma.</li><li>Executive function is a key area often overlooked in schools.</li></ul><p><br></p><p>📌 Notice Board</p><ul><li>Dale’s Podcast - <a href=\"https://thesendcast.com/sendcast-episodes/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">https://thesendcast.com/sendcast-episodes/</a></li><li>Dale’s LinkedIn - <a href=\"http://www.linkedin.com/in/dalepickles\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">www.linkedin.com/in/dalepickles</a></li><li><a href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/brain-in-hand-mobile/id607805378\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Brain in Hand App</a></li></ul><p><br></p><p>📣 Club Announcements</p><p>🎧&nbsp;<em>The Late Diagnosis Club</em>&nbsp;is available on&nbsp;<a href=\"https://open.spotify.com/show/0TXhqtffSfmJrGm5zHANCQ?si=90e3cdf219fe43eb\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Spotify</a>,&nbsp;<a href=\"https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-late-diagnosis-club/id1847627224\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Apple Podcasts</a>, and all major platforms.</p><p>💬 Join our online meetups and community at&nbsp;<a href=\"https://latediagnosis.club/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">latediagnosis.club</a>.</p><p>📌 Check the&nbsp;<a href=\"https://www.autisticculturepodcast.com/t/noticeboard\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">LDC Notice Board</a>&nbsp;for Member Contributions</p><p>💜 There is a small charge — but no one is turned away for lack of funds.</p><p><br></p><p>🌈 Celebrate autistic voices with early access, ad-free listening, and our full archive at&nbsp;<a href=\"http://autisticcultureplus.com/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">AutisticCulturePlus.com</a></p><p>🌐 Visit<a href=\"http://www.autisticculturepodcast.com/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">&nbsp;www.autisticculturepodcast.com</a></p><p>📲 Follow us on Instagram:<a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/autisticculturepodcast\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">&nbsp;@autisticculturepodcast</a></p>","author_name":"Autistic Culture Podcast Network"}