Jane McNeice

Jane McNeice is a wife, mother, grandmother, and mental health training business owner from Yorkshire.

Jane's lived experience and debut book is 'The Umbrella Picker' which documents her life living undiagnosed Autistic and the related mental health struggles and challenges.

Jane was diagnosed Autistic at the age of forty-five, two months later her 26-year-old daughter was also diagnosed, followed three months later by her 8-year-old son in December 2021. Three diagnoses in seven months. None would have been discovered were it not for their own self or parent-identification before formal assessment and diagnosis.

Jane has written the book she wishes someone had written for her 30 years earlier, a book that shares the lived experience of being undiagnosed Autistic, a 'Lost Girl'. She authored her book 'The Umbrella Picker' with the intention of raising awareness, challenging outdated stereotypes of Autism, and to help other 'Lost Girls' to self-identify, because 'Lost Girl' experiences are often a mirror to one another, and the system seems incapable of finding them in most cases.

Jane's family were exposed to well over 100 health, social care, and education professionals, all of whom were unable to spot the signs of non-stereotypical Autism, and which led to mis-diagnosis in herself and daughter, and years of unnecessary suffering.

Forty-five years is too long a wait to learn who you are - your identity! Jane's story has been shared by Forbes, Daily Mail, Top Sante, Brand You, and Take a Break.