DMU autism officer named best woman in education for student support innovations

A disability expert who has helped make De Montfort University Leicester's (DMU) autism support some of the best in the country has won an award. 

Clare Squires works in the university’s autism support team, which was last year named The National Association of Disability Practitioners (NADP) Service Team of the Year. 

The team won the honour for introducing a number of new innovations, including a weekly programme of events for autistic students including life hack sessions, lunchtime meetings, mindfulness sessions and a social night every week. 

But now it is Clare herself who has been recognised, winning Outstanding Woman in Education at the East Midlands Women’s Awards 2024. 

She said: “I knew that I had been shortlisted but didn’t know that I was the winner so it was very nerve wracking and then massively exciting. 

“I’m really proud to have won but I know this is down to the work the whole autism team has put in.” 

At DMU, the autism team’s work spans the whole student life cycle from the point students start planning to come to university to when they are preparing to graduate and move into life after DMU. This the team call ‘transition care’. 

Those autistic students planning to come to DMU are offered a two-day residential event, fully planned and catered, which sees the DMU autism team spend the night in student accommodation with applicants. 

This attention continues as students navigate the social activities of Welcome Week and the start of their studies. 

Clare said: “We are seeing a lot more students now, which is a good thing: it means students are more comfortable in coming forward for support. We don’t require a diagnosis to give our support; we recognise there are lots of reasons students feel anxious.” 

Other innovations Clare has helped introduce are the use of computer game Minecraft to allow students to meet and get to know each other in the virtual game world before doing so in real life, and the introduction of Cara, a 10-year-old Labrador and certified therapy dog. 

Clare said: “Cara makes such a big difference. We have an open-door policy here and students really do just come in and many are very anxious. But when they see Cara, it breaks that ice and they feel far more comfortable.” 

DMU’s support team is based on campus, on the ground floor of Gateway House. They also post on Instagram @dmuautism.