Professor of developmental disabilities @KingsIoPPN. Co-leads https://www.thesparkproject.net/, editor of @journalautism.bsky.social Migrant. Loves London, loves travelhttps://bsky.app/profile/rosahoekstra.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/rosahoekstra.bsky.social/post/3mk2tuojkqs2sHello Prague, you are looking gorgeous this morning! Ready for the first #INSAR2026 master class22 Apr 2026 06:15 +0000at://did:plc:jds7tkebgrd3a4dhh3bjvxuq/app.bsky.feed.post/3mk2tuojkqs2shttps://bsky.app/profile/rosahoekstra.bsky.social/post/3mjynarj5ns2j"The scale of the recent UK aid cuts had been so severe that people giggle at conferences where the UK claims to be thought leaders on the subject" https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/20/us-spending-on-reckless-iran-war-could-have-saved-87m-lives-says-un?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other21 Apr 2026 09:11 +0000at://did:plc:jds7tkebgrd3a4dhh3bjvxuq/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjynarj5ns2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/rosahoekstra.bsky.social/post/3mjwls5a6oc2rHello autism researchers #AutRes, looking forward to seeing you in Prague later this week for #INSAR2026! I'm really looking forward to this anniversary edition and to what I hope is a varied and rich programme of talks, workshops and posters20 Apr 2026 13:40 +0000at://did:plc:jds7tkebgrd3a4dhh3bjvxuq/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjwls5a6oc2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/rosahoekstra.bsky.social/post/3mjbtawcckk2kThis is so, so dispiriting. It's difficult to be positive about the UK to international colleagues when we have such an incompetent and mean Home Office [contains quote post or other embedded content]12 Apr 2026 07:27 +0000at://did:plc:jds7tkebgrd3a4dhh3bjvxuq/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjbtawcckk2khttps://bsky.app/profile/rosahoekstra.bsky.social/post/3mie4dgzuyk2j"The UK spent 75 years building something genuinely worth having: a track record of successful integration. And now a Labour government plans to blow it all up." [contains quote post or other embedded content]31 Mar 2026 11:50 +0000at://did:plc:jds7tkebgrd3a4dhh3bjvxuq/app.bsky.feed.post/3mie4dgzuyk2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/rosahoekstra.bsky.social/post/3me4sqwrgl22bShe did it! I am so proud of Dr Tsegereda Haile Kifle, who did a brilliant job defending her PhD thesis at @kingsioppn.bsky.social today and passed with minor corrections 🎉🎉🍾05 Feb 2026 16:29 +0000at://did:plc:jds7tkebgrd3a4dhh3bjvxuq/app.bsky.feed.post/3me4sqwrgl22bhttps://bsky.app/profile/rosahoekstra.bsky.social/post/3mdzooh3ges2wThe consequences of developmental aid cuts by countries like the USA, UK and the Netherlands: millions of unnecessary deaths, including the deaths of young children. This resonates for me especially today, while prepping for teaching on the social determinants of developmental disabilities [contains quote post or other embedded content]04 Feb 2026 10:38 +0000at://did:plc:jds7tkebgrd3a4dhh3bjvxuq/app.bsky.feed.post/3mdzooh3ges2whttps://bsky.app/profile/rosahoekstra.bsky.social/post/3md3f4tx5fs2hThe future we want: an incredibly powerful session with autism advocate Merry Barua about what needs to change to allow autistic people to thrive as adults. Some keys points: I) stop fixing the behaviour, instead focus on understanding autistic people's needs. #AutRes23 Jan 2026 09:27 +0000at://did:plc:jds7tkebgrd3a4dhh3bjvxuq/app.bsky.feed.post/3md3f4tx5fs2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/rosahoekstra.bsky.social/post/3md2rsqc2cs2kGood morning Bangalore! Really looking forward to in depth discussions on Autism in the global South. Kicking off today with a keynote by Dr Valsamma Eapen. #AutRes23 Jan 2026 03:42 +0000at://did:plc:jds7tkebgrd3a4dhh3bjvxuq/app.bsky.feed.post/3md2rsqc2cs2khttps://bsky.app/profile/rosahoekstra.bsky.social/post/3mcf5lmvc3227An Ethiopian colleague just received a UK visa rejection. He has worked on a UK government funded project for the past 4 years, has a permanent university post and a family in Eth. It is so offensive to then receive a letter the UK is 'not satisfied that you are genuinely seeking entry as a visitor'14 Jan 2026 13:14 +0000at://did:plc:jds7tkebgrd3a4dhh3bjvxuq/app.bsky.feed.post/3mcf5lmvc3227https://bsky.app/profile/rosahoekstra.bsky.social/post/3m7hwei5rhc2xCuts have consequences. For the first time this century under 5 mortality rates are projected to rise. The full report is here: https://www.gatesfoundation.org/goalkeepers/report/2025-report/#WeCantStopAtAlmost What a dereliction of duty by high income countries like the US, UK and the Netherlands, who all cut their aid budgets08 Dec 2025 11:27 +0000at://did:plc:jds7tkebgrd3a4dhh3bjvxuq/app.bsky.feed.post/3m7hwei5rhc2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/rosahoekstra.bsky.social/post/3m7bde2663c2yWhat a productive week analysing data and writing papers with this wonderful group. I can't wait to come back to Addis!05 Dec 2025 20:31 +0000at://did:plc:jds7tkebgrd3a4dhh3bjvxuq/app.bsky.feed.post/3m7bde2663c2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/rosahoekstra.bsky.social/post/3m3nmvd3cz22mAmidst all the gloom, a genuine glorious reason to live in the UK: to attend a popular science gig and find a large theatre hall completely sold out https://www.barbican.org.uk/whats-on/2025/event/merlin-sheldrake-the-secret-lives-of-fungi-live?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22832296027&gbraid=0AAAAA95n_65Xr0vCze3oaFgHXlCIlBZXr&gclid=CjwKCAjwu9fHBhAWEiwAzGRC__0nX4vg-2IJGAdf5uRJVx19EBqAgH_AS7hV1JzEn9vcJ_Hnq9AoqBoCg5UQAvD_BwE20 Oct 2025 20:13 +0000at://did:plc:jds7tkebgrd3a4dhh3bjvxuq/app.bsky.feed.post/3m3nmvd3cz22mhttps://bsky.app/profile/rosahoekstra.bsky.social/post/3m3maxpuyrc23This is bleak. https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/oct/20/ai-generated-poverty-porn-fake-images-being-used-by-aid-agencies?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other20 Oct 2025 07:07 +0000at://did:plc:jds7tkebgrd3a4dhh3bjvxuq/app.bsky.feed.post/3m3maxpuyrc23