Neurodiversity
Neurodiversity is a growing area of work within the Scottish Union Learning (SUL) Everyday Skills Programme. In the early 2000s, we began supporting workers with literacy difficulties. Many of them had unhappy experiences at school, and later on were identified as having Dyslexia. SUL developed a support and signpost service, working in partnership with relevant organisations. This area of work developed into supporting workers with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism, and other types of neurodivergence.
SUL aims to make workplaces more inclusive, removing barriers to work and to learning opportunities, and fostering a culture of diversity. SUL has worked in partnership with unions, employers, and delivery partners to provide neurodiversity awareness training for workers, especially those with a public-facing role, including teachers, classroom assistants, health and social care staff, retail staff, and firefighters.
This is an area of work that continues to evolve, and we strive to keep up-to-date with government policy, support available from partner organisations, and specialist learning providers. A list of useful resources is provided later in this briefing.
Neurodiversity in the Workplace
The following information is taken from the ACAS website.
Neurodiversity in the workplace
Neurodiversity is a relatively new term that many people may not yet know much about. However, learning more about neurodiversity and taking steps to better support it in workplaces can be hugely beneficial for employers and employees.
What is Neurodiversity?
Neurodiversity refers to the different ways the brain can work and interpret information. It highlights that people naturally think about things differently. We have different interests and motivations, and are naturally better at some things and poorer at others.
Most people are neurotypical, meaning that the brain functions and processes information in the way society expects.
However it is estimated that around 1 in 7 people (more than 15% of people in the UK) are neurodivergent, meaning that the brain functions, learns and processes information differently. Neurodivergence includes Attention Deficit Disorders, Autism, Dyslexia and Dyspraxia.
Types of neurodivergence
Most forms of neurodivergence are experienced along a ‘spectrum’. Each form of neurodivergence (such as dyslexia and autism) has a range of associated characteristics and these can vary from individual to individual. For example, the effects of dyspraxia on one person can be different to another person who also has dyspraxia. The effects on the individual can also change over time.
Additionally, an individual will often have the characteristics of more than one type of neurodivergence.
It is therefore important that people are not stereotyped according to the better known characteristics. For example, not all autistic people will be good at maths.
Despite this, it is still helpful to have an awareness of some of the indicative traits that each type of neurodivergence can have:
ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)
It is estimated that about 4% of the UK population have ADHD. It affects the person’s ability to control attention, impulses and concentration, and can cause inattention, hyperactivity and impulsiveness. Some people have problems with attention but not the hyperactivity or impulsiveness. This is often referred to as ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder).
People with ADHD can often be good at completing urgent, or physically demanding tasks, pushing on through set-backs and showing a passion for their work.
Autism (which includes Asperger’s Syndrome)
It is estimated that about 1-2% of the UK population are autistic. It impacts how a person perceives the world and interacts with others, making it difficult for them to pick up social cues and interpret them. Social interactions can be difficult as they can have difficulty ‘reading’ other people and expressing their own emotions. They can find change difficult and uncomfortable.
People on the autistic spectrum are often very thorough in their work, punctual and rule observant. Many autistic people develop special interests and can hold high levels of expertise in their given topic.
Dyslexia
It is estimated that 10% of the UK population are dyslexic. It is a language processing difficulty that can cause problems with aspects of reading, writing and spelling. They may have difficulties with processing information quickly, memory retention, organisation, sequencing, spoken language and motor skills.
People with dyslexia can often be very good at creative thinking and problem solving, story-telling and verbal communication.
Dyspraxia (also known as Developmental Coordination Disorder)
It is estimated that up to 5% of the UK population are dyspraxic. It relates to issues with physical co-ordination, and for most, organisation of thought. People with dyspraxia may appear clumsy or have speech impediments and might have difficulties with tasks requiring sequencing, structure, organisation and timekeeping.
People with dyspraxia often have good literacy skills and can be very good at creative, holistic, and strategic thinking.
Other forms of neurodivergence include Dyscalculia, Dysgraphia, and Tourette’s syndrome. Like other forms of neurodivergence, these bring strengths as well as difficulties.
Further information from ACAS can be found at:
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SUL aims to provide useful up-to-date resources, and lists below links to some organisations. If you are aware of any we have not included, please email us at: learning@stuc.org.uk
Resources:
ACAS - Neurodiversity in the workplace (advice and guidance)
Access to Work - get support if you have a disability or health condition
Autism & Neurodiversity North Scotland
Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development (CIPD) - Benefits of employing neurodivergent people and ways you can support them to be successful at work.
www.cipd.org/uk/topics/neurodiversity
Different Minds Autism Scotland - Where to Find Autism Help and Support
differentminds.scot/where-to-get-support
Discover Pathways to Wellbeing in Moray - General information about Neurodiversity, Support and Resources
discoverpathwaysmoray.org.uk/neurodiversity-pathways/neurodiversity-general-info-support
Dyslexia Scotland
Dyslexia Scotwest
Do-IT Solutions Ltd - Neurodiversity Training Courses and Screening Tools
The Donaldson Trust - The National Body for Neurodiversity
Education Scotland - Neurodiversity Resources
education.gov.scot/resources/neurodiversity
NHS Education for Scotland - Autism and Neurodiversity across the Lifespan
www.nes.scot.nhs.uk/our-work/autism
Neurodiverse Connection - Resources Library
OpenLearn (The Open University) - Neurodiversity Collection
www.open.edu/openlearn/health-sports-psychology/neurodiversity-celebration-week
Red in the Spectrum - Neurodiversity Training for Trade Union Staff
redinthespectrum.co.uk/neurodiversity-training-for-trade-union-staff
Royal College of Nursing (RCN) - Neurodiversity Resources
Scottish Union Learning Accessibility Guide
https://www.scottishunionlearning.com/resources/Accessibility-Guidance-Equality-Rep-Network.pdf
Scottish Union Learning Dyslexia Guide
www.scottishunionlearning.com/resources/Dyslexia-Guide-2022.pdf
SensationALL - Adult Support Group
www.sensationall.org.uk/adults-support-group/
TUC - Autism in the Workplace
www.tuc.org.uk/research-analysis/reports/autism-workplace
Related resources
Accessibility Guidance
Scottish Union Learning teamed up with Trade Union Equality Reps and disabled workers around Scotland to produce an employer-focussed accessibility guide.
Dyslexia Guide
This guide is designed to help Union Learning Reps support and signpost people in the workplace who may have dyslexia, and to encourage them to contact relevant organisations that can provide the expertise required.
OpenLearn - Neurodiversity Collection The Open University articles and free courses to help you understand neurodiversity more and discover support strategies.
Towards a dyslexia-friendly Scotland? Findings of the biggest-ever survey to date of the dyslexic population in Scotland.
TUC - Autism in the Workplace Guide for informing union reps and workers of the facts around the condition, and advice on how to support autistic staff to ensure they get the adjustments they may need – and are legally entitled to.
