Deborah Brownson

Deborah Louise Brownson MBE (born October 1974) is a solicitor and British autism campaigner.^[1] She campaigned successfully for autism to be included in teacher training and wrote a leading guide to the condition, He's Not Naughty!, told from the point of view of a child.^[2][3][4] She was awarded an MBE in March 2018 by Prince William, the Duke of Cornwall and Cambridge, for her outstanding contribution to global autism awareness.^[2]

Brownson's eldest son was diagnosed as severely autistic at 18 months. Frustrated with how his primary school was treating him she removed him at age 5 and homeschooled him for five months. She stopped working as a solicitor to focus on her role as caretaker. The notes she collected while caring for her son became, He's Not Naughty! A Children's Guide to Autism.^[2]

Selected publications

• He's Not Naughty! A Children's Guide to Autism, Bodhi Book Press Ltd (2014) ISBN 978-1-7859-2872-7
• Life will never be dull: The little book of autism adventures, Jessica Kingsley Publishers (2020) ISBN 978-1-7877-5322-8
• Rebel Legs! - A Humorous Guide to Cerebral Palsy, by Frankie Warburton-Watts and Deborah Brownson (2018)