Dr Virginia Bovell is the mother of Danny, 25, who has a diagnosis of autism and severe learning disabilities. A former trustee of the National Autistic Society, she was also one of the founding parents of TreeHouse School and its UK umbrella charity Ambitious about Autism. During Danny’s school years, she was active in UK policy and campaigning in relation to autism and SEN, contributing to several national guidance documents, including the NICE Guideline on the management of autism in children and young people. She has since written and spoken about autism and ethics, for which she received a doctorate in 2015. She is currently a member of Islington Learning Disability Partnership Board, with particular involvement in issues of housing, health and family support.