Jo Feaster

I am Joanne (Jo) Feaster, a late-identified autistic and bipolar woman. I am married and live in Leeds with my husband and our two children. My children are multiply neurodivergent. I subscribe to the social model of disability and the neurodiversity paradigm. I see our strengths, positive qualities, and spiky profiles just as much as I recognise the barriers we face from society.

We have had mixed experiences with the SEND system in Leeds. I joined the PCF as a volunteer representative in September 2024 to share my skills and knowledge, both professionally (I’m an experienced administrator) and as a mental health and neurodiversity advocate, with the hope of improving things for SEND families in our city.

I have enjoyed the range of opportunities to get involved that the PCF offers, have learnt a lot of helpful information, and have enjoyed contributing to a collective effort to improve things for SEND families in Leeds. At the Leeds PCF AGM in June 2025, I increased my level of involvement by joining the Steering Group.