Emma Mander

Passionate about making a difference, supporting families & services ensuring better outcomes for Neurodivergent young people with Mental Health needs

[Emma Mander @EmmaMander]

Very relevant to the Twittersphere
•You can challenge whilst being polite
•You can disagree whilst being understanding
•You can dislike and refrain from comment
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#maketwitterabetterplace #championothers #inclusivecommunity

[Great Minds Together © @greatmindsmcr]

#BeKind

[Great Minds Together © @greatmindsmcr]

We are in the middle of a national staffing crisis across residential care, social care, and education. Skilled professionals are leaving in record numbers, and the impact on children is profound.

Ask any professional that’s left residential or education why they left the industry and a large percentage will say it’s because of Ofsted.

The current inspection framework is failing both children and those who dedicate their lives to supporting them. The system places overwhelming pressure on staff, with compliance and paperwork too often taking precedence over genuine care. It has lost its human element.

Children’s voices and lived experiences are not central to the process. If something isn’t captured on paper, it is frequently treated as though it didn’t happen - regardless of what a child says. This undermines trust, erodes relationships, and leaves professionals caught between doing the right thing for children and meeting the narrow requirements of inspection.

In the last 18 months, I am aware of more than 25 professionals that have left social care and residential care as a direct result of not being in agreement around decisions made for children being more linked to what Ofsted want to see, over what the child wants or needs.

We believe change is not only possible, but essential. That’s why we are:

1️⃣ Working to reform the Mental Health Act so that providers can be made parties to deprivation of liberty hearings. This ensures judges are able to make fully informed and safe decisions for children.

2️⃣ Exploring accountability mechanisms for local authority officials who make unsafe or unethical decisions for children, in line with the safeguards that already exist for teachers, doctors, and other professionals.

3️⃣ Partnering with Members of Parliament to establish a new statutory regulator dedicated to neurodivergent children with complex mental health needs across social care, residential, and education. A new framework - designed specifically for this cohort - is already being delivered in partnership with an ICB in the south of England, with positive outcomes emerging.

Children, families, and professionals deserve a system that listens, responds, and protects.

“When oversight becomes detached from the lived reality of children, it fails in its most fundamental duty.”

👉 We are actively seeking to connect with policymakers, sector leaders, and professionals who share this vision. If you want to be part of building a system that puts children’s voices and experiences at the heart of regulation, we invite you to join the conversation.

@helenhayes_ @NAHTnews @JustineGreening

[Great Minds Together © @greatmindsmcr]

2,500 children.
That’s how many are being moved around on scary letters that hold no legal weight… Letters that cause more trauma, more attachment difficulties, more fear. Families are breaking under the strain. Parents’ mental health is suffering, and the ripple effects are placing pressure on our NHS.

This isn’t safeguarding. This is a system causing harm.

At Great Minds Together, we’re calling for urgent system change, starting with ensuring that providers are made party to proceedings in DoLS hearings, so children’s rights and wellbeing are truly protected.

📢 Families deserve better. Children deserve better. Our whole society deserves better. Add your voice. Sign the consultation today.
👉 https://t.co/eesl1qjuR3 or follow the link in our insta BIO

#GreatMindsTogether #Autism #ADHD #Neurodiversity #ChildrensRights #SystemChange #DoLS #TraumaInformed #Safeguarding

[Great Minds Together © @greatmindsmcr]

Too often, we see the difference between systems that work for children and systems that work against them.

Some local authorities use their position of power to genuinely partner with providers - creating strong, collaborative relationships that put young people at the heart of decision-making. In those cases, the outcomes are clear: children thrive, families feel supported, and staff feel empowered to deliver their best.

But there are also cases where power is misused. When providers are bullied or sidelined, when decisions are made from authority rather than partnership, it doesn’t just create tension - it creates harm. It becomes systemic abuse. And it is children who pay the price, with poorer outcomes, missed opportunities, and in some cases, direct harm.

We must do better. And we are taking steps with government and partners to ensure change:

1️⃣ Working on changes to the Mental Health Act so that providers can be made party to proceedings in deprivation of liberty hearings to ensure safe judicial decisions.

2️⃣ Exploring consequences for local authority officials who make unsafe and unethical decisions for children - in-keeping with the same safeguards that exist for doctors, teachers, and other professionals.

3️⃣ Partnering with members of Parliament to establish a new statutory regulator dedicated to neurodivergent children with complex mental health needs across social care, residential, and education. We have created a framework in line with the needs of this cohort and it is currently being delivered in partnership with an ICB in the south of England, with positive outcomes already being evident.

Children deserve a system that delivers positively every time - not one that depends on luck, personalities, or whether a particular local authority chooses to collaborate.

It’s time to move from power struggles to partnerships that protect and empower young people.

#systemchange @AngelaRayner

[Great Minds Together © @greatmindsmcr]

🚨 The OFSTED framework is failing children.

It’s meant to safeguard, regulate, and ensure safety... but instead it fuels fear, paperwork, and professional anxiety. The human element has been lost.

Even OFSTED inspectors admit the system isn’t working. Yet nothing changes, because “that’s the way it’s always been done.”

Meanwhile, children are being failed. Families are being failed. And the cycle of trauma continues.

At Great Minds Together, we are demanding change. Our first step: calling for providers to be made party to proceedings in DoLS hearings, so that Children’s voices are heard and wellbeing truly protected

💜 This is about safeguarding children, supporting families, and building a system that cares.

📢 Add your voice. Sign the consultation today.
👉 https://t.co/eesl1qjuR3 or follow the link in our insta BIO

#GreatMindsTogether #Autism #ADHD #Neurodiversity #ChildrensRights #SystemChange #DoLS #Safeguarding

[Emma Mander @EmmaMander]

https://t.co/80imDl5Ztm

#petition #change #systemchange

https://t.co/dqg9XRWKTy

[Great Minds Together © @greatmindsmcr]

Published today

https://t.co/gFMvkaLznH

[Emma Mander @EmmaMander]

🥰❤️

[National Diversity Awards @ndawards]

Emma Mander!! Congratulations!! You have been shortlisted for the Entrepreneur of Excellence Award at the National Diversity Awards 2025 in association with @HSBC_UK! Good Luck! #NDA #NDA25 #ShortlistedNominee @Kantar

[Emma Mander @EmmaMander]

So proud and excited to be a part of this 🙌🏻

[Great Minds Together © @greatmindsmcr]

You can see our latest webinar which was facilitated by Gov Connect over on our YouTube channel.

https://t.co/H3MwVXgsFt

#autism #autismcentral #neurodiversity #mentalhealth

@EmmaMander @Govconnect

[Govconnect @Govconnect]

📢 Webinar Date Change! 📢

We’re pleased to share that our upcoming Webinar will now be held on 20th November 2024, from 1 PM to 2 PM.
Join us as we dive into addressing the critical issue of wrongful hospitalization for neurodivergent young people, with industry expert Emma Mander, ready to share practical insights and the latest developments.

This is an opportunity not to be missed for anyone looking to stay updated and informed!
✅ New Date: 20th November 2024
⏰ Time: 1 PM – 2 PM

For more information and to secure your spot, please visit our event page: https://t.co/266rijsCSm

#Govconnect #WebinarUpdate #ProfessionalGrowth #Learning

@greatmindsmcr

[Great Minds Together © @greatmindsmcr]

#proud #neurodiversity #childrenshome #mentalhealth #ofsted

[Great Minds Together © @greatmindsmcr]

Amazing day @NHSEngland @Govconnect

[Emma Mander @EmmaMander]

@oasis @TicketmasterUK @Twickets Are you going to add some more dates? If you release them now it might free up some space in these queue's! 🤞🏻

[Emma Mander @EmmaMander]

@liamgallagher @liamgallagher @NoelGallagher @oasis Over 40’s and those from Burnage should get priority booking 😂😂 #cantwait

[Great Minds Together © @greatmindsmcr]

Welcome to Kelsey, our new Clinical Director.

Kelsey returns to GMT after originally working for us back in 2021.

She brings extensive knowledge and experience, and will be key in supporting us to achieve our system change aspirations for neurodivergent children 💫

[Emma Mander @EmmaMander]

@CMParrish1 Exactly my thoughts when he said this. Typical of a Torie

[Great Minds Together © @greatmindsmcr]

Listen to our latest podcast episode here:
#AutismAcceptanceWeek #AutismAcceptance

https://t.co/cXMtfOyAkl

[Great Minds Together © @greatmindsmcr]

“Neurodiversity describes the variation and differences in neurological structure and function that exist among human beings. One is no more “right” or “normal” than another, they are just different. We are all different and we all deserve equal representation.”
@AutisticGirls_

[Paula McGowan OBE @PaulaMc007]

#Oliverscampaign
It makes me proud to see The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability & Autism being rolled out across England @CWPT_NHS