Dr Jo Grace is a regular contributor to Equals’ training offer, a specialist in sensory engagement whose work at The Sensory Projects focuses on the life experiences of people with profound and multiple learning disabilities. Many of us also know Jo to be an autistic woman, something she did not used to reveal in the professional realm. In this series of two sessions Dr Jo will take us on a journey that begins with her ‘outing’ as an autistic person in the professional sphere and ends with her recent contributions to the increasingly tense debate around the autistic spectrum.
Through exploring Jo’s deeply personal story, and the stories of other autistic people who have very high support needs, we will gain insight into the social and communication differences autistic people experience, we will touch on sensory differences and develop our understanding of where we can look for reliable advice when seeking to support autistic people with very high support needs, as well as those who face less barriers to access in life.
Kieran Rose The Autistic Advocate recently described Jo’s work as both subtle and radical saying that “Joanna exists as someone who notices. She notices how people move through the world, how they adapt, where they are strained, and where they are sustained. She resists the temptation to explain people away, or to translate their lives into lessons and instead, as is evident in this work, she trusts you to meet her stories with curiosity and care.”
These sessions will be ideal for those who are curious and those who care about autistic people across the spectrum.
This is a two-part session – the 2nd part will run on Wednesday 25th November 2026
