Our website is currently down temporarily, following guidance from CTSI. ⛔

🚨 Important Notice: All Neuroclacks Sessions Suspended 🚨

Updated 12/04/2025 following on from CTSI's statement.

We want to keep everyone fully informed about what’s happening right now with Neuroclacks.

💬 Following a serious incident during our last session, and in line with safeguarding guidance from CTSI, all Neuroclacks sessions are currently suspended until further notice. This pause is to allow time for a full investigation to take place and for us to reflect, review, and strengthen the safety measures we have in place — with support from Scottish Autism.

🛑 CTSI has also advised that members pause communication in WhatsApp group chats for the time being.

🧩 Scottish Autism will be supporting us and CTSI with the next steps. Hopefully to help us rebuild, with better safeguards and clarity around our processes.

We understand this is upsetting and confusing for many of you. One member summed up how they felt over CTSI's update by saying:

“Censorship and removal of support networks just because of a bad day smdh 🙄”

This situation has highlighted just how essential Neuroclacks is for people who are otherwise left out of traditional services — and we hear your frustration.

Here’s some key information to clear up misunderstandings and give reassurance:

• 🧠 Neuroclacks is an independent, neurodivergent-led support network. CTSI has helped enormously by promoting our sessions, facilitating them with centre bookings and funding, and connecting people to us through their community link workers, especially those referred via GP mental health nurses. But we were always meant to be an independent, member-led group — and that’s what we’ve become.

• 👩‍💻 I (Amelia) have never been employed by CTSI. I’ve been helping to lead the committee, organise and develop Neuroclacks, completely voluntarily and despite my own health challenges. This is purely because I know how vital and life-changing these spaces are. It matters to me because I’ve lived through what it’s like not to have them and I do see the enormously positive difference they make.

• ❌ CTSI said during a recent Teams call that they were considering closing us down completely. However, Neuroclacks operates under its own constitution and policies, written and agreed by our committee. CTSI’s role is to support, not control, and they can only withdraw their involvement, not shut down our community outright. We hope there is a way forward where we're able to continue working together.

• 📹 I reviewed the recording of the full Teams call. The only agreement I made was to temporarily suspend the website so new people couldn’t sign up or see events while safeguarding concerns were being looked into. I did not agree to delete our social media or shut down the project, and I want to be very clear that Neuroclacks still exists.

• 📊 We’ve built something incredibly valuable together. Neuroclacks supports over 60 neurodivergent adults in and around Clackmannanshire, and many of us have no other spaces where we feel understood. We’ve been featured on STV News for our impact, as you can see here. With assessment waiting lists spanning years, our support is needed now more than ever. This is a trusted brand and name people rely on, and we’ve all worked hard to make it what it is.

That’s why I will do all I can to ensure support remains. 💜 We really don’t want to go anywhere.

🤝 We’re keen to work with CTSI — and with organisations like Scottish Autism — to rebuild in a way that’s sustainable, safer for everyone, and shaped by those it’s meant to serve.

If Neuroclacks has helped you or you want to share your experience with CTSI, especially to offer encouragement or balance out the negative and potentially prejudice emails, you’re welcome to email them directly:

📧 admin@ctsi.org.uk

If you have ideas, feedback, or suggestions about how we can improve or do things differently, please email me so I can take them to the Neuroclacks committee once it’s reinstated:

📧 amelia@neuroclacks.com

If you need anything at all, or just want to talk about what’s going on, you can always reach out to me. You're not alone in this — and I really appreciate and admire all of you for your bravery, resilience, and confidence, by taking the step to join and attend a peer support group.

💜 Please be kind to yourselves and each other during this time. If you need emotional support, we encourage you to reach out to someone you trust or use one of the mental health resources listed below:

📞 Mental Health Support in Scotland

• Breathing Space – 0800 83 85 87 (Weekdays 6pm–2am, Weekends Fri 6pm–Mon 6am)

• Samaritans – 116 123 (Free, 24/7)

• Shout – Text SHOUT to 85258 (Free, 24/7 crisis text support)

• NHS 24 – Call 111 for urgent mental or physical health concerns

• Scottish Mental Health Hub (via SAMH) – www.samh.org.uk

If you have any questions, concerns, or would like to talk privately, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. You can email our chairwoman, Amelia, directly at 📧 amelia@neuroclacks.com – we’re still here to listen and support you as much as we can.

We’ll continue to share updates to support our members as soon as we have more information. We hope to get a decision from CTSI the week commencing the 28th of April 2025.

Thank you for your understanding, patience, and care.

— Amelia and the rest of the Neuroclacks team 💙

Amelia Connolly

She / Her

Chairwoman

Neuroclacks

https://www.neuroclacks.com/