Children who are neurodivergent are still treated as less than, they are excluded from many social activities and are unable to access basic human rights such as education with their peers in their local community. Their needs are viewed by society as “special” or “extra” and they are not included in the systems and structures of daily life.

The impact of this stigma upon neurodivergent children is devastating. A recent study by the Kennedy Krieger Institute found 35% of Autistic children under 8 years old reported wanting to end their own lives. Children who are neurodivergent are much more likely to suffer from bullying, exclusion, school distress and breakdown. Currently, 1 in 6 autistic children are out of school in UK and our recent survey found that 9 of 10 neurodivergent children are missing school for more than 20 days, with over 55% of those children unable to attend school for more than 50 days. We know that very many more children are neurodivergent than has historically been recognised and consider the recent Scottish Government data showing 43% of children have additional educational needs, as equally applicable in Ireland.

View the Scottish Government data here.

Neurodiversity Ireland works to dispel the idea that there is a right way to be, to think, to act or to experience the world. Neurotypical refers to those children whose minds and bodies conform to typically developing expectations, representing a neuro-majority whose development appears to follow a similar pathway. Society privileges those who conform to a neurotypical pathway, which is often framed as “ideal” or “normal.” Neurodivergent refers to those children whose development diverges from what is considered typical or normal. Neurodivergence is a lifelong difference. Whilst society views these differences as something that needs to be fixed, reduced or overcome, being neurodivergent is its own way of being and should be respected. It is a simple fact that the human population is as diverse in mind and body as it is in ethnicity, gender, sexuality and physical ability.

Neurodiversity is a social and disability justice movement which posits that the way neurodivergent people experience and interact with the world is part of natural diversity. There is no one way of being and neurodivergent people do not need to spend their lives trying to meet neurotypical standards. We move away from the medical model which pathologises disability as something “wrong” with the individual and instead, ask society to remove the barriers and inequities that prevent neurodivergent children from participating in all aspects of life. We do not ask the neurodivergent child to change, rather, we need to change the environments around the child.

We have created a knowledge network of neuroaffirmative therapists, practitioners and professionals, who are abandoning traditional, harmful models such as ABA and PBS.

For further reading we suggest:

Kerry Murphy, Neurodiversity Affirming Practices in Early Childhood

Dr Kavaagh, Dr Day, Hartman, O’Donnell-Killen and Doyle, The Neurodiversity Affirmative Child Autism Assessment Handbook