Evidence Hub

“It’s about adapting to the person not the label”: Exploring social care practitioners’ understanding of neurodiversity

This work has been supported by ARC NENC Social Care Research Fellow Dr Lesley Deacon from the University of Sunderland. It has been produced by a Practice Research Project Team consisting of Social Care Research Ambassadors, educators and researchers, funded by the NIHR Research Delivery Network (RDN) North East and North Cumbria.

Quick read summary

The aim of the this work is to understand social care workers’ current knowledge and practice experiences concerning neurodiversity.

The analysis reveals inconsistencies in practitioners’ understanding of neurodiversity terminology, with confusion between terms like ‘neurodiverse’ and ‘neurodivergent’.

Despite this, there is a positive perception of neurodiversity as an identity.

Practitioners observed various forms of neurodivergence and noted challenges in accessing
services due to misdiagnosis and long waiting lists.

Strategies for supporting neurodivergent individuals include tailored communication and more time for processing information.

However, there are concerns about time constraints and a significant gap in formal training.

Addressing these issues is crucial for improving support in social care settings. Further
research and training initiatives are recommended.

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