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Paul Ridley

@paulridley5.bsky.social

550 followers 1.3K following 1.4K posts

Minnesota Vikings NFL is my passion, happily married & proud father of of my grown up children with Autism & Aspergers. Parent & Carer & campaigner @PaulRidley5on x/twitter

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Paul Ridley @paulridley5.bsky.social · Jan 4

www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news...

'I gave up my job to care for my son and I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy'

The toll on unpaid carers - one in eight adults in the UK - has been unending during the pandemic after a reduction in support from paid carers, day centres and respite care

www.mirror.co.uk

Paul Ridley @paulridley5.bsky.social · 11h

Autistic boy 'wanted to show mum trains' before she smothered him, court told www.itv.com/news/anglia/...

Paul Ridley @paulridley5.bsky.social · 17h

More than a parent | University of Birmingham www.youtube.com/watch?app=de...

More than a parent | University of Birmingham

YouTube video by University of Birmingham

www.youtube.com

Paul Ridley @paulridley5.bsky.social · 17h

Unpaid carers tell of exhaustion and frustration with a system in crisis www.itv.com/news/granada...

Paul Ridley @paulridley5.bsky.social · 17h

Council has 'work to do' on social care support
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Swindon Borough Council has 'work to do' on social care support

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) said the local authority

Paul Ridley @paulridley5.bsky.social · 17h

‘She recognised my trauma and worked with me in a way that was respectful and deeply human’
www.communitycare.co.uk/2025/10/15/s...

'She recognised my trauma and worked with me in a way that was respectful and deeply human' - Community Care

A newly qualified social worker celebrates her former social work tutor, whom she describes as an 'outstanding' role model

www.communitycare.co.uk

Paul Ridley @paulridley5.bsky.social · 17h

Parents' plea over closure of SEND pre-school www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Parents' plea over closure of Dorchester SEND pre-school

The Dorchester Opportunity Group said it was not financially viable to remain open.

Paul Ridley @paulridley5.bsky.social · 17h

Streeting calls on GPs to step up identification of people with a learning disability www.gponline.com/streeting-ca...

Streeting calls on GPs to step up identification of people with a learning disability

Health and social care secretary Wes Streeting has written to GP practices reminding them to proactively identify people with a learning disability and ensure they receive annual health checks.

www.gponline.com

Paul Ridley @paulridley5.bsky.social · 17h

Questions over mysterious death in mental health hospital www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Questions remain over mysterious death in mental health hospital

An inquest into Maria Morris's death found it was accidental, but her family still have questions over what happened the night she died.

Paul Ridley @paulridley5.bsky.social · 17h

A new start after 60: I realised I had autism – and suddenly my life made sense. I have never been so happy www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

A new start after 60: I realised I had autism – and suddenly my life made sense. I have never been so happy

After decades of loneliness and depression, Cathleen Caffrey had come to think of herself as a bad person. Then she learned about others who had struggled to fit in …

www.theguardian.com

Paul Ridley @paulridley5.bsky.social · 17h

Why some autistic people don’t speak theconversation.com/why-some-aut...

Why some autistic people don’t speak

For around a third of autistic people, speaking is hard.

theconversation.com

Paul Ridley @paulridley5.bsky.social · 9d

Haringey sorry for 1,100 unread social work emails www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Haringey: Over 1,000 social work emails unread at Baby P council

The report's findings have been described as

Paul Ridley @paulridley5.bsky.social · 9d

Letters: I've never met someone with a learning disability earning £30,000 a year www.bigissue.com/life/letters...

Letters: I've never met someone with a learning disability earning £30,000

If you have a learning disability you've no chance of earning even the basic minimum needed to live a decent life, says a reader.

www.bigissue.com

Paul Ridley @paulridley5.bsky.social · 9d

‘Best practice’ guidance promised for SEN units schoolsweek.co.uk/best-practic...

SEND: Guidance on mainstream school units to be published

The government will publish 'best practice' guidance for mainstream schools to open and run SEN units, resourced provision and pupil support units in February.

schoolsweek.co.uk

Paul Ridley @paulridley5.bsky.social · 9d

After 40 years as an autistic person in the workplace, I realised it was OK to ask for changes www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

After 40 years as an autistic person in the workplace, I realised it was OK to ask for changes | Sandra Thom-Jones

Many autistic people face barriers due to stereotypes and ableist assumptions, including the belief that the neurotypical way of working is the only right way

www.theguardian.com

Paul Ridley @paulridley5.bsky.social · 9d

EastEnders' Kellie Bright on the challenges of being parent of an autistic child www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

EastEnders' Kellie Bright on the challenges of being a Send parent

The soap actor meets families fighting for their children’s education for BBC Panorama.

Paul Ridley @paulridley5.bsky.social · 9d

Reason why I had to step back "Milton Keynes lady has fare avoidance charges cancelled after MKFM intervention" www.mkfm.com/news/local-n...

Milton Keynes lady has fare avoidance charges cancelled after MKFM intervention

It is a journey that Christina Ridley has taken daily for a decade; travelling from Wolverton to Central Milton Keynes for work.

Paul Ridley @paulridley5.bsky.social · 9d

The rise of women with autism diagnoses: 'We mask until it blows up'
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

The rise of women with autism diagnoses: 'We mask until it blows up'

Molly Siobhan Parker is on a quest to dispel myths around autism - especially autistic women.

Paul Ridley @paulridley5.bsky.social · 12d

My Care Story: ‘Social workers witnessed my isolation, documented it and did nothing’ www.communitycare.co.uk/2025/10/02/m...

My Care Story: ‘Social workers witnessed my isolation, documented it and did nothing’ - Community Care

A care experienced woman recalls the emotional neglect and isolation she endured in foster care, and practitioners' failure to intervene

www.communitycare.co.uk

Paul Ridley @paulridley5.bsky.social · 12d

Reform Send system now or face billions in extra costs, ministers warned www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Send costs will rise by billions without reforms, ministers told

The Institute for Fiscal Studies says more than 200,000 extra children will need Send support by 2029.

Paul Ridley @paulridley5.bsky.social · 12d

How to support people with learning disabilities as they grow older
www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/interviews/h...

How to support people with learning disabilities as they grow older - Learning Disability Today

In this interview, Kate Brackly and Lindsey Allen from Bild discuss the work of the Growing Older with Learning Disabilities (GOLD) group and the importance of supporting health across the lifespan.

www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk

Paul Ridley @paulridley5.bsky.social · 12d

Call for GPs to contact suicidal patients' families www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Call for law to make GPs contact suicidal patients' families

Two mothers have called for GPs to tell families if a patient says they plan to kill themselves.

Paul Ridley @paulridley5.bsky.social · 12d

Majority of London students feel overwhelmed by cost of living crisis, survey finds thetab.com/2025/10/03/m...

Majority of London students feel overwhelmed by cost of living crisis, survey finds

One student says costs are 'absolutely unbearable, especially coming from a working-class background'

Paul Ridley @paulridley5.bsky.social · 12d

Autism service's sudden closure is 'devastating' www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Sudden closure of Autism Oxford UK is 'devastating'

Autism Oxford UK had spent more than two decades supporting autistic people and their families.

Paul Ridley @paulridley5.bsky.social · 13d

DWP PIP changes could impact all Blue Badge holders as millions warned www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/uk-news...

DWP PIP changes could impact all Blue Badge holders as millions warned

The Department for Work and Pensions has confirmed a review of the Personal Independence Payment assessment will be carried out

www.chroniclelive.co.uk

Paul Ridley @paulridley5.bsky.social · 13d

Labour faces another mass rebellion over reforms to the universal credit system, MPs fear www.bigissue.com/news/social-...

Labour faces another mass rebellion over reforms to universal credit

Welfare secretary Pat McFadden plans further reforms to the benefits system, expected to include abolishing the work capability assessment.

www.bigissue.com