My name is Lisa James. I am 52 years old, married, and the mother of five grown children. I’m autistic myself and was diagnosed later in life as an adult.
I am a qualified nurse who retired in 2004 to become a full-time caregiver for three of my autistic children. During this period, I founded one of the largest autism support groups in West Yorkshire, ZigZag Leeds Autism Support Group, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2024. ZigZag Leeds Autism Support Group | Facebook
In 2011, I returned to work, initially supporting autistic adults in a supported living setting. Despite the demands of running ZigZag Leeds Autism Support Group, I sought further fulfillment and chose to leave nursing behind to focus on my passion for autism. I began as a one-to-one Teaching Assistant (TA) for an autistic child in a pre-school setting, witnessing the joy of helping him thrive and prepare for mainstream primary school. My subsequent role in a primary school further ignited my passion, as I worked with a large number of autistic children.
After completing autism training with STARS through the AET, I proposed a role adaptation to the senior leadership team, and I am now an Autism Lead Practitioner. In this role, I make a significant impact on the 20+ children I support, working with all staff to ensure that the individual needs of autistic children—diagnosed or not—are met. I deliver one-to-one and group interventions using techniques such as sensory play, music, talking mats therapy, intensive interaction, and social skills development. The positive changes in the children and the feedback from parents about improvements in their home life have been remarkable.
Now, I aim to share my extensive knowledge and experience with parents, carers, and educational settings to further support the autistic community.
