We’re unpacking:

• The rumours (and real fears) around scrapping EHCPs in mainstream schools

• SEND units replacing legal protection for autistic kids

• How the government and media are playing divide and conquer

• MPs doing photo ops while families panic

• And the dark history we really don’t want to go back to…

But it’s not all doom. There’s hope and joy too – like Thomas counting to 100 (yes, really!) and Lydia smashing new milestones. We talk about those small moments that hit you like a freight train and why screen time and spoons can be a big deal.

This one's raw, funny, furious, and emotional – exactly what this podcast is all about.

👇 Drop us a comment, share your thoughts, and join the community. We're all in this together.

#AutismDadcast #EHCPReform #SENDCrisis #AutismParenting #Neurodiversity #DadsOfAutisticKids #SpecialNeedsParenting

If it’s real, it suggests a four tier non-statutory system before a child can even qualify for an EHCP, with the EHCP sitting above it all like some golden ticket. That matters because non-statutory support can’t be appealed, and it basically creates a fail-first pathway where kids have to struggle repeatedly before anyone is legally forced to help.

We’re not scaremongering. We’re reading what’s out there and reacting as two dads who’ve lived the EHCP reality and know how bad it already is even with legal rights in place.

We talk about what this could mean for families who’ve fought years for an EHCP, whether existing plans would be protected, and why a shift from legal duty to “discretion” is the bit people aren’t clocking yet. The support doesn’t just change, the power changes.

We also read a message from a family about a five year old who’s non-verbal, in nappies, and placed in mainstream with unsafe outcomes. That’s happening now, under the current framework. So what happens if the right to challenge disappears and the only thing you can appeal is whether the process was followed.

We get into the knock-on effect for teachers, schools, and neurotypical kids too. This isn’t just a SEND issue. If you overload mainstream with needs it can’t meet, it hits everyone, fast.

If this goes sideways, the only move is organisation. Flood MPs. Make it the only thing they can’t ignore.

Lydia's eating fried eggs now. Full runny yolk. She's licking butter off toast and kissing TV screens when steaks appear. New foods are landing and nobody knows why but we're taking the wins.

We get into the reality of being constantly vigilant. Mish nearly opened the car door to put a bag in while the school bus was there and caught herself just in time because that one move could have derailed the whole morning. That's the chess game we're all playing every single day.

The Christmas special at Henry Tudor House went better than expected. People jumped on the mic and shared their stories. Steven came down and blew everyone's minds talking about spellers and non verbal communication. If you haven't watched that clip yet, go find it. Watch it twice.

Wednesday we're meeting with the Schools Minister to talk about the SEND white paper. We've got two questions we can ask and we've taken everything the community sent in and boiled it down. We'll see if this is real consultation or just going through the motions.

Plus we talk about going number one in Zimbabwe, planning ticketed events, building a Discord server, and whether anyone would actually pay to see two blokes from Shropshire talk about autism.

Alan and his wife Alex fought for a specialist placement. Now Magnus is in a school with just 15 children total - five per key stage, one SEN teacher, and four teaching assistants. The transformation has been staggering. He's reading full books out loud for the first time in two years. He's responding to "now and next" language. He understands cause and effect in ways he never did before.

But getting here meant watching their son be warehoused in a room where nobody knew how to teach him. The staff were kind. The setting was wrong. And for two years, Magnus was left to his own devices while the system insisted this counted as provision.

This conversation captures what "night and day" actually looks like when an autistic child finally lands in the right environment - and the quiet fury of knowing it should never have taken this long.Alan also talks about the hidden logistics of raising Magnus alongside his neurotypical twin sister Freya. The two of them have vastly different needs, and balancing those needs means separate days out, careful attention management, and accepting that equal doesn't always mean identical.

Christmas in their household requires military-level planning. Presents hidden in locked cupboards and the boot of the car. Paper wrapped around the top of the stairs to buy an extra hour before the kids come down. Freya tears through her gifts in minutes while Magnus opens one, walks into the kitchen, and doesn't return to the rest for hours. They've learned to let him set the pace.

There's also the sibling dynamic that nobody prepares you for. Freya understands Magnus is different. She's fiercely protective of him. When a boy at soft play grabbed Magnus, seven-year-old Freya - who does MMA - Sparta kicked him down the slide. Alan was proud. The other kid was crying. No apologies were offered.

And then there's Anne, the next-door neighbour who deserves a shoutout. Magnus has a habit of bouncing on the trampoline and launching everything he owns over the fence. Once a week, Anne returns a carrier bag full of dinosaurs, Teletubbies, and number blocks. Her greenhouse is still standing. Somehow.

This episode is honest, funny, and full of the details that only parents living this life would recognise. It's a conversation about what support should look like, what it often doesn't, and the small victories that make the hard days worth it.

In January, he was driving his van on the M1, listening to a documentary called The Spellers. It's about non-verbal autistic children who learned to communicate by pointing to letters on a board. 48 minutes in, he pulled over and cried.

The children in the film all said the same thing: "I'm in here."

Since then, he's read over 120 books written by non-speaking autistics and their parents. He's watched every video he could find. He wakes at 4am to research for three hours before his day starts. He's joined 20+ autism groups. He's created a free resource site called Presume Competence.

And he has one message for parents: the method has a 100% success rate. No one has ever failed.

In this conversation, Steven explains what he's learned — not from professionals, but from the people who've lived it. He talks about optical dyspraxia and why your child might not be able to catch a ball. He explains why screens flicker in ways neurotypical eyes don't notice. He describes the six sensory buckets that overflow into meltdowns. He shares why swimming pools regulate, why routines matter more than we realize, and why time perception might explain everything.

He sat with Paddy Curran, a non-speaker from Birmingham, and had a full conversation through a letterboard. Letter by letter. And he nearly cries just talking about it.

The spelling board is the world's cheapest education device. The entire internet is built from 26 letters. Your child already knows them. They just need a way to show you.

Steven's goal: a spelling practitioner in every town in the UK. Free resources. No cost to learn. Because if your child can point to a letter, they can say anything.

This is what presumed competence looks like.

For years, Luke and his wife managed. He gave up his job as an HGV driver because the phone calls from home couldn't wait two hours for him to get back from Hereford. His parents were their only support network — his dad had worked with disabled children his whole life.

Then his dad died unexpectedly. And his mum said the words no one wants to hear: "I can't do it on my own anymore."

Support workers came on weekends. Some were good. Others turned up 45 minutes late, by which point Oscar had stripped naked and was too dis-regulated to leave. One time, staff at a soft play centre had to tell the support workers that Oscar was naked — because they hadn't noticed.

Eventually, Luke and his wife had to say the hardest thing a parent can say: we can't meet his needs anymore.

They explored residential care. The council's response? They wanted to explore foster care first — because it was cheaper. No support systems. No respite for the foster family. Just school. Luke asked them directly: "Why do you think complete strangers are going to do a better job than we did for eight years?"

They won. Oscar is now in a specialist residential setting with speech and language therapy, 24-hour support, and a chance at communication. Luke still has full parental responsibility. They see him every fortnight. They can bring him home whenever they want.

But it doesn't sit right. It never will.

Luke also shares the fight for his middle son's EHCP — tribunal, legal battles, a previous school that sent nothing but a date of birth when asked for evidence. That education costs £120,000 a year. Half a million pounds by the time he finishes secondary school.

And he says something most parents won't say out loud: "I hate autism."

Not everyone's autism. His autism. The one that means his family can't go to Christmas gatherings. The one that meant handing his son over. The one that doesn't fit the "superpower" narrative.

This is what the system doesn't want you to see.

They dive into what it really means to be “strong” as an autism dad — not in the gym sense (though that comes up), but mentally and emotionally. How patience has replaced pride, how autism strips away ego, and how much you change when your world revolves around a child who needs you in ways you can’t explain to anyone else.

There’s reflection on how far their kids have come, what progress actually looks like, and why the little moments — eye contact, a word, a shared laugh — feel bigger than any milestone the world measures.

They also talk about physical health, mental fatigue, and the quiet importance of keeping your body strong enough to handle what’s ahead. Because being a SEND parent isn’t a sprint — it’s a marathon you didn’t sign up for, and you can’t afford to sit it out.

Heavy, hopeful, and funny in all the right places. Exactly what Dadcast does best.

#AutismDadcast #AutismAwareness #SENDParenting #AutismParents #AutismDads #Neurodiversity #AutismAcceptance #SpecialNeedsParenting #AutismCommunity #AutismJourney #MentalHealth #FuturePlanning #Resilience #DadLife #ParentingPodcast

From meltdowns and non-verbal communication to EHCP struggles, relationships, public judgment, and trying to keep a spark alive when you’re both exhausted — we answer it all. Raw, unfiltered, and from two dads who’ve lived it.

We get into the hard stuff like feeling isolated, grieving the life you thought you’d have, and what it’s like when one of you wants to push and the other plays it safe. We also share some wins: Crocs as communication, surprise curries, and how sometimes the tiniest moments hit the hardest.

Massive thanks to everyone who sent something in — these episodes only work because of you.

Keep ’em coming. We’ve got your back.

We talk about what Christmas actually looks like with autistic kids — the pressure to make it magical, the year we realised they didn't care about presents, and why one parent picks up McDonald's on Christmas Eve to reheat the next day.

Sean shares the moment his girls stood up and delivered speaking parts in their school play after years of sitting in the corner with a tablet. We get into schools that actually meet kids where they are, the ones that don't, and a story about a boy who got cut from his nativity because he's autistic.

Plus — the spitting mystery that had everyone stumped until someone checked her back teeth.

We talk about the little wins that keep you going, why applying early for support is crucial, and how families juggle siblings, relationships, and money when the system drags its feet. Daniel shares brutally honest stories — from crayons, makeup, and deodorant snacks, to the joy of Disney films, hammocks, and Saturday-night dips.

There’s a lot in here for parents on the same road: the entitlements you might not know exist, how communication devices are changing lives, and why no two autistic kids — or families — look the same.

Raw, funny, heavy, and hopeful. Exactly what you’d expect from Dadcast.

They also dive into your listener questions — from how to handle strangers talking to your non-verbal child, to navigating EHCPs, therapy pressures, and the ever-controversial screen time debate.

There’s honesty, plenty of laughs, and even a few tangents about aliens, telepathy, and Trump’s autism claims.If you’ve ever felt the sting of judgement in public or the weight of education battles, this one’s for you.

From the shock of the initial diagnosis to the confusion of navigating educational choices, Gaz and Andy explore the unexpected challenges of parenting autistic children. They talk about the myths they’ve encountered, the misguided advice they’ve been given, and the difficult but necessary process of acceptance.

But it’s not all heavy – with their natural sense of humour, they bring laughter even to the toughest stories. Whether it’s dealing with a messy house, figuring out how to communicate with non-verbal children, or surviving a chaotic Christmas, Gaz and Andy keep it real.

This episode is a mix of relatable stories, honest confessions, and heartfelt advice for anyone walking the same path. If you’re a parent of an autistic child, you’ll find a place where you’re not alone. And if you’re just curious, this is a raw, insightful look into the world of autism parenting from a dad’s perspective.

Tune in for an honest, heartfelt, and sometimes hilarious conversation about what it really means to be an autism dad.

Whether it’s a quick trip to the park or the dream of a family holiday, when you’ve got an autistic child, it’s never just that simple.
From public toilet refusals and changing nappies in the middle of Telford Town Park, to weighing up whether a flight to Dubai is worth the stress — they talk through it all.

The meltdowns, the judgment, the moments that break you — and the small wins that make it just about worth it.

If you’ve ever planned five backup options for one day out, or said “not yet” to a holiday because you know how hard it’ll be — this one’s for you.

Jamie opens up about spotting the early signs, getting the diagnosis, and how it completely changed how he sees life, parenting, and success. He talks about the pressure of being in the public eye, dealing with trolls, the emotional rollercoaster of acceptance, and why he’s stopped worrying about milestones and started celebrating the little wins.

The lads dive deep into the raw stuff, guilt, fear, self-preservation, and those late-night “what if we’re not here one day” thoughts that every autism parent quietly wrestles with. But there’s plenty of laughter too, from Baby Shark sing-alongs to spelling “car” on the bedroom floor.

This one’s heavy, funny, and properly real. Exactly what Dadcast’s all about.

#AutismDadcast #AutismAwareness #AutisticChildren #ParentingInPublic #Neurodiversity #AutismAcceptance #Dadcast #AutismCommunity #ParentingPodcast #AutismDads #SEND #SpecialNeedsParenting #JamieJewitt #AutismJourney

Andy shares a massive update on Lydia’s first term at her new specialist school — the highs, the progress, and the tough bit where safeguarding got real. From the shock of being asked about a bruise to understanding how vital those systems actually are, the lads unpack what every SEND parent eventually learns the hard way.

Then it’s on to a “SEND-friendly” soft play that went completely off the rails — a supposed quiet session that turned into total chaos. They talk honestly about how these things should work, the frustration of token “inclusive” marketing, and how one bad experience sparked an idea: a not-for-profit, parent-run SEND centre in Shropshire where every family actually feels understood.

Plus, Thomas’s new AAC device, the “Grid” app, and how tech is transforming communication for non-verbal kids. It’s funny, raw, emotional — classic Dadcast.

#AutismDadcast #AutismAwareness #SENDParenting #AutismParents #Neurodiversity #SpecialNeedsParenting #AutismAcceptance #AutismJourney #NonVerbalAutism #ParentingPodcast #AutismCommunity #AutismDads #Safeguarding #SENDSupport #Shropshire

Luckily, second time was even better.

This week we’ve got Ben on — pro wrestler, cancer survivor, autism dad.

Ben shares:

• How being diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma at 30 changed his whole outlook on life

• His “miracle” son Ethan, born against the odds during COVID

• The brutal reality of feeling useless when Ethan was in hospital as a newborn

• Navigating EHCP chaos (wrong names and all)

• Choosing special school over mainstream

• The constant fight to get Ethan the right support

• Meltdowns in Tesco vs getting body-slammed in the ring

• Honest chats about denial, guilt, and learning what works

• His wife being “like a dog with a bone” when fighting the local authority

  
  

It’s raw. It’s real. It’s proper dad stuff — the stress, the laughs, the wins that keep you going.

If you're a parent of an autistic child, you’ll get it.

If you're not, you’ll learn a lot.

Hit subscribe and join us every Thursday at 6pm for new episodes.

Autism Dadcast: Honest, vulnerable, sometimes funny conversations about fatherhood, autism, and everything in between.

Listen on Spotify, Apple, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

#AutismDadcast #AutismParenting #Neurodiversity #SEND #Fatherhood #Podcast

We get into the freezing weather, the battle to get hats and gloves on kids who hate anything on their heads, and why play barns are basically combat zones for autistic kids trying to navigate neurotypical chaos.

Christmas is coming and we're both in different places this year. Andy and Selena are going in with lower expectations and higher acceptance. Gaz is cautiously optimistic that Thomas might actually get what Christmas is this year after spelling Santa and reindeer on his iPad.

We talk about teeth brushing struggles, Caesar salad obsessions, school routines that actually work, and why showing a countdown number out loud can ruin a morning. There's also a bit on helping other dads through messages, the importance of reading your kid's notes before appointments, and why some politicians need to shut up about ear defenders.

Plus we're gearing up for the Christmas special at Henry Tudor House and marathon training starts soon. If you've been through any of this, you'll recognize every word.

We chat about the early red flags, diagnosis, meltdowns in public, the emotional gut-punch of milestone checklists, and the unexpected joy in small wins (like hearing “Mum” for the first time).

Michael shares how nothing — not pro sport, not firefighting — prepared him for the relentlessness of autism parenting. But he also talks about humour, resilience, and the importance of getting on the same page as your partner early on.

This one’s raw, relatable, and full of the stuff most people don’t say out loud.

Timestamps

0:00 – Meet Michael

1:22 – From footy to firefighting

3:00 – Finding the podcast

4:45 – About Sunday

10:00 – Early signs & missed milestones

13:00 – Diagnosis & the toll of the system

18:00 – Early intervention & therapy

21:00 – Public meltdowns & anxiety

26:00 – Small wins that hit different

30:00 – Food issues & sensory quirks

33:00 – Routine, sleep & locks on doors

36:00 – Funding, NDIS & red tape

40:00 – Why nothing prepares you

44:00 – Friends, family & being understood

49:00 – Advice for other dads

55:00 – The good, the bad & the [literal] ugly

🧠 New episodes drop every Thursday at 6pm

🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple & all major platforms

📲 Guest application via Linktree in our Instagram bio

#AutismDadcast #AFL #MichaelHibberd #AutismParenting #Neurodiversity #SEND #ParentingUnfiltered #AutismDad #RealTalk

Key themes:

- EHCPs “protected until 2030” and what that implies after

- Mainstream capacity promises vs real-world needsThe stereotype kit: fidgets, coloured cards, tidy optics

- Safety Valve scheme and the financial incentive to reduce EHCPs

- 90% deficit write-off and the conditions attached

- Reform plans, targets, and the fear of rights being weakened

- Teacher burnout and what happens when support is missing

- The human cost: meltdowns, exclusion, self-harm, families breaking

Zoom out and it all looks like money first, optics second, and families last. You can’t fix systemic failure with a glossy brochure and a box of fidget spinners. If the plan is to push more kids into mainstream, where’s the plan to build specialist places, train staff properly, and stop the constant crisis management.

If you’re living this, you’re not imagining it. You’re not being dramatic. You’re seeing the gap between what they say and what actually happens.

We talk about executive dysfunction, rejection sensitivity, what ADHD medication actually feels like, and how to support kids with Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA). Jessie also breaks down why EHCPs are so bloody hard to get, and how to stand your ground with the local authority without losing your mind.

One of the most informative and relatable episodes we’ve recorded so far. If you’ve ever felt gaslit by the system or doubted yourself as a parent — this one’s for you.

Then we get into the headline everyone’s shouting about. Trump and RFK Jr linking Tylenol in pregnancy to autism. We unpack the claims, the weak evidence, the fallout for mums, and why the whole “cure autism” thing hits very differently across the spectrum.

We finish with your Q&As on fitness and self care. How to find time when you’re wrecked, why steps beat excuses, and Andy’s big weight loss update.

Heads up on the video. It’s only on Andy this week because Gaz’s camera SD card got corrupted. Tech gremlins had us. Audio’s all good.

Raw, a bit funny, a bit heavy. Standard Dadcast.

• The moment of acceptance—and the emotional fallout that comes with it

• How grief shows up in unexpected ways when parenting an autistic child

• The emotional toll on relationships and the tough conversations couples face

• That feeling of isolation… and why dads especially struggle to talk • The power of the comments section and how strangers helped shift their perspective

• Practical advice on gathering evidence early and preparing for the EHCP process

• A heartfelt look at the recent EHCP reforms and the fear it’s causing in the SEND communityExpect tears, laughter, F-bombs, and honest truths.

This isn’t a podcast about having the answers. It’s about finally asking the questions out loud—and finding out you’re not the only one thinking them.

Watch. Reflect. Share. Comment.

Let’s keep the conversation going.

#AutismDadcast #AutismParenting #SEND #EHCP #MentalLoad #ParentingUnfiltered

He talks about the nursery teacher who first raised concerns, the emotional struggle of taking it personally, and the turning point when a speech therapist helped him accept the diagnosis and map out a plan for their development. We get into EHCP battles, the fight for one-to-one support to keep Isa safe, and the small changes that made a huge difference — like using routines, reducing meltdowns through communication, and putting toys in Tupperware so the girls had to ask for them.

It’s an honest look at the mix of guilt, learning, and pride that comes with raising autistic children — plus the moments that make it all worth it, like Lily’s incredible number skills and Isla’s growing sentences.

0:00 – Intro & why this feels risky

2:00 – The Google spiral: how new parents meet the myth5:00 – Andrew Wakefield’s infamous 12-kid “study” (and the hidden money trail)

10:00 – Massive follow-up research (500k to 14 million children = no link)

18:00 – Parental guilt, regression stories & the search for someone to blame

26:00 – Genes, environment, plastics, pollution — what might be happening

34:00 – Trust issues: Big Pharma, politics & COVID fallout

47:00 – Would you press the “remove autism” button? A raw debate

52:00 – Take-aways: ditch the blame, back the science, support the kidsPlus: 1960s archive footage that proves autism existed pre-MMR, a shout-out to NeuroSpicy Apparel, and plans for next week’s guest dad.

👍 Like, comment, subscribe, and share with anyone still worried about the jab.🔔 New episodes every week — because autistic families need real talk, not click-bait.

Georgia suggested coming on the podcast for a long form conversation. We didn't ask for it, she offered. That impressed us because politicians don't usually put themselves in uncomfortable positions like that.

Then we got a message from a parent who had to remortgage their house for £55,000 to get their child the placement they needed. Fifty five thousand pounds. We got another message last week about £30,000. This is what families are doing just to get their kids the support they deserve while there's already a legal framework in place that's supposed to be doing this.

The Discord went live on Saturday. Two days in and people are already helping each other with private assessments, sleep issues, mobility questions, everything. The Stim and Whistle had its first Saturday night lock in and it went off for two and a half hours. Zoe said she was shy and then became the life of the party and got everyone talking.

Thomas went to Sainsburys and scanned his own jelly at the self checkout. A few months ago we couldn't even get him through the doors. Lydia might be gluten intolerant so we're looking at food tolerance tests. Stephen sent a voice note about it after hearing what she eats.

We also talk about the Autism Barbie backlash that wasn't actually a backlash once we heard from a parent whose daughter saw it and said she's just like me. That changed everything for us.

It’s about you.

We asked families to share where they’ve been failed by the SEND system. What came back was overwhelming.

Draft EHCPs left open for months.
Support written into plans but never delivered.
Children kept “on roll” with no education.
Operational failures that destroyed trust.
Teenagers saying they’d rather be dead than go back to school.

These aren’t isolated stories.
The patterns are repeating across the country.

With SEND reform on the horizon, we’re asking a simple question:

If the system already isn’t delivering what’s legally required, what happens next?

If you recognise yourself in this episode, you’re not alone.

But by the time his son Mason was three or four, he was falling apart. Barely sleeping. Drinking too much. Finding any excuse to stay out longer. Supermarket runs for things they didn't need. One more round at the pub. Anything to delay walking through the front door.He wasn't a bad dad. He just didn't know how to be one — not for a child like Mason. Non-verbal. ADHD. Severe sleep issues. Smashing up the house. And a system that kept saying no.It took a huge row with his wife for something to shift. And it took a reckless, credit-card-funded trip to Disney World to finally understand what his son actually needed.Because in Florida, something changed. Mason — the kid who couldn't queue, couldn't wait, couldn't regulate — went on a roller coaster and came out a different child. Slept every night. Engaged. Calm. Two weeks of the son they always knew was in there.Then they came home. And within weeks, it all came back.This is what it's like to glimpse what's possible — and then have to figure out how to recreate it in a world that isn't built for your kid.Dan talks about the drinking, the guilt, the isolation, the fear of what happens when they're gone, and the relentless reality of raising a child who will probably need support forever. He also talks about hope. Because there is some. Even when it doesn't feel like it.