Supporting Neurodiversity at Work and School: Lea Cole's Advice for Businesses and Schools
By Lea Cole, Business Director, Moment of Truth Well-being Group Ltd
Neurodiversity is part of everyday life in workplaces and schools. People with ADHD or autism, and people with other differences in how they think, communicate, learn or process their surroundings, bring individual strengths and support needs. The practical question for organisations is how to make it easier for each person to take part and do well.
The need is substantial. The Department for Education’s latest special educational needs statistics for England report that, in 2025/26, 538,547 pupils had an education, health and care plan (EHCP), or 6.0% of pupils. A further 1,319,780 pupils-14.8%, received SEN support.
Timely assessment and planning remain challenging, too. The latest EHC plans statistics report that 46.1% of new plans were issued within the statutory 20-week period in 2025, excluding cases where exceptions applied. That figure is sometimes quoted as 46.4%, but that refers to 2024.
For me, these figures are a reminder that support cannot depend on a label or a completed assessment. Businesses and schools can take practical steps to reduce barriers now.
In the workplace: make support easier to access
Under the Equality Act 2010, employers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled employees and job applicants where the Act applies. Some neurodivergent people will meet the legal definition of disability; individual circumstances matter. The purpose of an adjustment is to reduce a substantial disadvantage, not to give someone an unfair advantage.
The right adjustment depends on the person and the job. Start with a respectful conversation: What parts of work feel harder than they need to? What changes might help? Avoid making assumptions based on a diagnosis or expecting everyone with ADHD or autism to want the same support.
Small changes can make a meaningful difference
Depending on the person’s role and preferences, adjustments might include:
- Sharing meeting agendas in advance and sending clear written follow-up actions.
- Breaking large tasks into manageable steps, with priorities and deadlines made explicit.
- Offering a quieter workspace, a low-stimulation area or permission to use noise-reducing headphones where appropriate.
- Agreeing flexible hours, short breaks or some remote working, where practical.
- Providing assistive software or an alternative way to receive and share information.
- Scheduling regular, predictable check-ins rather than relying on informal updates.
The Acas guidance on reasonable adjustments for neurodiversity offers further examples. It’s useful to write down agreed changes, check that they are working, and revisit them when someone’s role or circumstances change.
Managers have an important part to play. A straightforward adjustments process, clear communication and training can help staff raise concerns early. It also helps to review recruitment, meetings, performance processes and workplace environments: are there unnecessary barriers that could be removed for more people?
Wellbeing support is part of an inclusive workplace
Neurodivergent employees may experience stress or exhaustion when they have to continually adapt to a working environment that does not suit them. This is not inevitable, and it should not be assumed that neurodivergence itself is a problem. But it is one reason to take workplace wellbeing seriously.
An employee counselling service or Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) can give staff a confidential route to emotional support, subject to the provider’s offer and confidentiality arrangements. Workplace counselling may complement reasonable adjustments, supportive management and occupational health advice; it does not replace them. Employers should explain what the service offers, how staff can access it, and what information is or is not shared with the organisation.
Our workplace wellbeing support is tailored to the organisation. It can include mental health training, consultation, workshops and staff support. The aim is to help employers create a healthier working environment and have more confident, constructive conversations about wellbeing.
In schools: build support around the pupil
In a school, useful support begins with listening to the pupil and working in partnership with their family and the staff who know them. The SENCO can help coordinate support and connect it with the school’s wider SEND processes. Where appropriate, involve other relevant professionals too.
A diagnosis or EHCP can help clarify needs, but support should not have to wait for either. The figures on assessment timescales underline why it matters to notice barriers early and respond to the child in front of you.
Make the whole school more accessible
A whole-school approach means that support is not left to one member of staff or confined to a single intervention. Consider how the pupil experiences the school day: lessons, transitions, lunch and break times, assemblies, attendance expectations and communication between home and school.
Practical strategies could include:
- Giving instructions in clear, manageable steps, with visual or written reminders where helpful.
- Allowing extra processing time or agreeing how the pupil can ask for clarification.
- Considering sensory needs, such as noise, lighting, movement and access to a quieter space.
- Preparing pupils for changes to routine and explaining what will happen next.
- Agreeing consistent approaches across staff, while staying open to the pupil’s feedback.
- Reviewing behaviour and attendance concerns with curiosity about what may be getting in the way.
These are examples, not a checklist to apply automatically. Ask what helps that pupil, record agreed strategies, and review them with the pupil and family. Schools also have duties under the Equality Act to make reasonable adjustments for disabled pupils and to avoid discrimination.
Counselling can complement school support
School counselling services can give pupils a confidential, supportive space to explore feelings and experiences. Counselling is not a substitute for appropriate teaching, SEND provision or safeguarding action. Schools should agree referral routes, confidentiality boundaries and safeguarding arrangements with the provider, and explain these clearly to pupils and families.
Our school support service works with schools and colleges on pupil counselling, staff wellbeing, training and consultation. We begin by understanding the setting and its priorities, then agree the support and review how it is working.
A practical place to start
Whether you are a school leader, SENCO, business owner or manager, begin with three questions:
- Where might someone be facing an avoidable barrier?
- Have we asked the person what would help, rather than guessing?
- How will we check that the support is working and adapt it if needed?
You do not need to have every answer before starting the conversation. A clear, respectful process can make it easier for people to explain what they need and for organisations to respond.
At Moment of Truth Well-being Group Ltd, we support businesses and schools through workplace wellbeing, counselling, assessments and clinical supervision. Explore our workplace wellbeing support, school services, ADHD assessments, autism assessments and clinical supervision, or contact us to discuss what might be useful for your organisation.