Creased Puddle’s Specialist Criminal Justice Neurodiversity Consultant, Dr Alice Siberry, is delivering a free webinar on 16th July at 12pm.
This webinar will explore Dr Alice Siberry’s findings from the Vulnerability & Policing Futures Research Centre’s Translational Fellowship research project, conducted throughout 2024, investigating the relationship between neurodivergence, online radicalisation and Counter Terrorism practices.
Drawing on interviews with Counter Terrorism practitioners, the study examined perceptions of whether neurodivergent people are more vulnerable to exploitation by online algorithms promoting extremist content.
While no direct causal link was established, practitioners consistently framed neurodivergent people as more vulnerable to self-radicalisation via online algorithms.
However, such framing often relied on medicalised or pathologised narratives of neurodivergence being related to extremism, often without acknowledging broader social and technological factors which may contribute to vulnerability.
This webinar will discuss the implications of these findings, including the critical need for specialist neurodiversity training across Counter Terrorism and other partner agencies including mental health and educational sectors.
Those who attend will be invited to reflect on how we might reframe current approaches to support neurodivergent people more effectively and equip practitioners to engage with these cases in more nuanced, informed ways:
- How current narratives and processes may inadvertently harm neurodivergent individuals
- The importance of specialist neurodiversity training across Counter Terrorism, mental health and educational sectors
- The potential for greater transparency, legal scrutiny and accountability in programmes like Prevent
- How to implement practical reforms that shift the focus from criminal justice to supportive interventions
This sits within a wider context of concern: in the UK, neurodivergent people are disproportionately referred to Prevent and Channel, why?
Information about this webinar has been drawn from the Eventbrite page which you can register at using this button.