Celebrating neurodiversity week

The School of Health & Psychological Sciences (SHPS) marked Neurodiversity Week 2024 with a series of talks that discussed a wide range of aspects of neurodiversity and new research.

Hosted by Michelle Ellis, Associate Dean for EDI in SHPS, the online event was part of the School’s EDI programme. It was well attended by staff, students and external experts, and it gave participants an excellent opportunity to share their knowledge. The talks also led to thought-provoking conversations with fellow academics and students.

Introducing neurodiversity

To kick off the event, Dr Helen Spicer-Cain, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Language & Communication Science in SHPS, provided the audience with an introduction to neurodiversity that was put together with Professor Lucy Henry. Within the School, Dr Spicer-Cain teaches speech and language therapy students about autism and language development, and she researches the communication skills of children who have increased genetic likelihood of communication difficulties. During the talk, Dr Spicer-Cain also spoke powerfully about being neurodivergent in the academic world, and the various ways this influences her work and life.

In her talk ‘Celebrating the work of City’s Neurodiversity Team’, Dr Sarah Hopp, Student Disability and Neurodiversity Service Manager, spoke about student health and wellbeing at City. This included the structure of the team and the various services at the University, namely the Student Mental Health Service, Student Counselling Service, Student Disability and Neurodiversity Service. Dr Hopp also expanded on how the Neurodiversity Team celebrate neurodiversity at the University.

Supportive practices

SHPS has long been known for its excellent research, and the focus of the event then shifted to new insights. In their talk ‘Neuro-affirmative teaching and learning’, students Yeshoda Singhania and Eirini Papasileka, along with Dr Holly Kahya, Lecturer in Counselling Psychology in SHPS, discussed how neurodivergent students tend to have poor wellbeing and employment outcomes, but academic attainment is good if they are well supported. They also mentioned how there can be educational trauma, which is an emotional response – e.g. feelings of shame and failure – due to harmful systemic practices perpetuated by educators and school staff that often have harmful long-term effects on students.

This has led to them creating neuro-affirmative teaching guidelines, which have been put together by students from the DPsych programme. The speakers also touched on the importance of neurodiversity-affirming language, e.g. specific support or service instead of cure/treatment.

Following a short break, Sara Baig, a third-year trainee counselling psychology student, delivered a talk on how she is trying to bridge the gap in research by exploring the experiences of women diagnosed with ADHD in adulthood in the UK.

Sara’s emerging findings have revealed four main themes, namely a childhood of undiagnosed ADHD, receiving an ADHD diagnosis, life with an ADHD diagnosis, and the stigma and impact of social influences on the experience of ADHD. Recommendations include increased screening for girls and women who access mental health services, reducing the current wait times to receive an ADHD diagnosis, and increasing awareness in South Asian communities.

Supporting neurodiverse companies

Lastly Dr Michelle Newman, Research Fellow at Autistica, spoke about the Neurodiversity Employers Index (NDEI®), which assesses how companies are supporting neurodiverse colleagues to thrive.

Autistica’s mission is to help autistic people to live happy, healthy and long lives. The organisation has also set an ambitious target of doubling the rate of employment of autistic people by 2030 (based on 2021 figures of 21.7%).

As part of this, the NDEI® has set out a framework for what best practice in neuroinclusive employment looks like, and it measures the processes and practices that companies currently have in place to recruit, support and retain neurodivergent talent in the workplace.

Speaking at the event, Michelle Ellis said:

Welcome to Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2024, I'm absolutely delighted to be able to share this event and have so many wonderful members of staff, students and colleagues presenting today. In line with the School of Health & Psychological Science’s commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, we are celebrating Neurodiversity Week, which is a worldwide initiative that challenges the stereotypes and misconceptions about neurological differences, and this is really an opportunity for us to celebrate and embrace the talents and the advantages of being neurodivergent.