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1 The WestminsterAchieveAbilityCommission for Dyslexia and voices: Opening Doors to EmploymentSupporting the ambitions of those with dyslexiaCharity number: 1161856 The WestminsterAchieveAbilityCommission for Dyslexia and neurodivergent people are ready and willing to work but find themselves faced by insurmountable barriers: this is the focus of our | The Westminster achieveability CommissionNeurodiverse voices: Opening Doors to Employment | 1 AcknowledgementsTerminologyThis report has been written by: Editor: Ross CooperAuthors: Katherine Hewlett, Ross Cooper and Melanie JamesonResearch and Analysis: Ross Cooper and Katherine HewlettThe work was produced with the help of Commission Members. The report design is by Kendall Bickford (KB Graphics Ltd). Illustrations by Fernando Lois Rey. Survey designs are by Craig Kennady and Ross Cooper.

2 Glossary input Richard are due to achieveability Board members for sponsoring and funding 2000 printed reports ( ).A special note of appreciation goes to Barry Sheerman MP, who chaired and championed this commission and to Lord Addington for his expert advice at all stages of the work. What do we mean by Neurodiversity?Like the equivalent term biodiversity , which refers to the whole biosphere, neurodiversity refers to the whole human race, and the infinite variation in neurocognitive functioning that has evolved within our species (with thanks to Nick Walker ).NeurodivergentSometimes abbreviated as ND, neurodivergent means having a style of neurocognitive functioning that diverges significantly from the dominant societal standards of normal . (Nick Walker). Neurodivergent people include dyslexics, dyspraxics, AD(H)D, autistics (including those with Asperger s), dyscalculics, OCD, dysgraphics, tourettes, etc.

3 (Nick Walker)NeurotypicalSometimes abbreviated as NT, neurotypical means having a style of neurocognitive functioning that falls within the dominant societal standards of normal . (Nick Walker)NeurodiverseSometimes abbreviated as ND, a group of people is neurodiverse if one or more members of the group differ substantially from other members, in terms of their neurocognitive functioning. (Nick Walker)Reasonable Adjustments Equality law recognises that bringing about equality for disabled people may mean changing the way in which services are delivered, providing extra equipment and/or the removal of physical The duty to make reasonable adjustments aims to make sure that a disabled person can use a service as close as it is reasonably possible to get to the standard usually offered to non-disabled people.

4 When the duty arises, a service provider is under a positive and proactive duty to take steps to remove or prevent these obstacles. Equality and Human Rights Commission. Equality Act 2010: Summary Guidance on Services, Public Functions and Associations. 2 Last revised 09-2014 Statistical significanceThis is the likelihood that a relationship between two or more variables is caused by something other than random chance. Statistical significance is usually considered to be achieved when the random chance of the occurrence happening is less than 5% (or less than 1 in 20 occasions).Chi Squared testA chi square statistic is a measurement of how expectations compare to results. The data used in calculating a chi square statistic must be random, raw, mutually exclusive, drawn from independent variables and drawn from a large enough Is calculated to give a measure of the statistical significance, and takes account of group sizes.

5 For example p< means that there are less than 5 chances in 100 (or 1 in 20) that the pattern of results could occur by random chance. Similarly, p< means there is less than one chance in a 1000 that it could occur by random LanguageAs neurodivergence is about neurocognitive function, we are using identity-first language in this report. This is preferred by most user-led organisations. This is because our neurocognitive functioning is an intrinsic part of who we are, and we would not be the same person without it. We are therefore neurodivergent, ( dyslexics, dyspraxics, autistics, etc.) or neurodivergent people, rather than people with neurodivergence (dyslexia, dyspraxia, autism, etc.) as if this was somehow added to who we | The Westminster achieveability CommissionNeurodiverse voices: Opening Doors to Employment | 3 ContentsContributions to evidence and sessions Foreword 04 Executive Summary 05 Summary of Recommendations 08 Part oneBackground 10 Research Methods and Main Factors 11 Part twoKey findings Barrier 1 Lack of awareness at all levels 16 Barrier 2 The consequences of disclosure 18 Barrier 3 Government measures are inadequate 22 Barrier 4 Reasonable adjustments are often poorly conceived 26 Barrier 5 Equality Act is not being adequately implemented 30 Barrier 6 Psychometric tests disable neurodivergent applicants 32 Barrier 7 Recruitment and selection procedures require literacy 36 Barrier 8 Recruitment and selection procedures are poorly conceived 40 Barrier 9 Selection and Progression depends on being neurotypical 44 Barrier 10 Performance management that is not

6 Applicable for the neurodivergent 48 Part threeRecommendations1 Awareness Training programmes 532 DWP good practice recruitment guide 553 JobCentre Plus 574 Access to Work 585 Disability Confident 596 Accessibility of written employment information 607 Reasonable Adjustments 618 Psychometric and other tests 62 The Role of Government 64 Case Studies of Positive Practice 66 Glossary of Acronyms 68 Resources 69 Commission members Barry Sheerman MP Chair of WAC andthe Autism Commission Lord Addington WAC Advisor andPresident of BDA Craig Kennady Board memberAchieveAbility Katherine Hewlett CEO achieveability Melanie Jameson Vice Chair of DAN Pierre Marsh Vice Chair achieveability Ross Cooper Chair of achieveability Richard Todd Dyspraxia FoundationCharities and service providers Adam Hyland Director of Diversityand Ability (DnA) Andrew Sutherland Head of researchat ACAS Cathy Magee CEO Dyslexia Scotland Chris Rossiter Director Youth Driver Trust Jo Todd Consultant formerly fromKey4 Learning John Tims Prospect Union Margaret Malpas MBE Vice Chair BDA Nasser Siabi OBE MicroLink Waltham Forest Dyslexia Association(WFDA)

7 Adult Focus GroupOrganisations and businesses Gemma Davies TFL Giles Barker TFL Ian Haythornthwaite Director ofFinance BBC Kim Brown SpLD Specialist at Transport for London TFL Leena Haque Designer at the BBC Mandy Maskell Business Continuity Manager, T Rowe Price Global Investment Matt Davies Operational Development Manager TFL Matt Boyd CEO Dyslexia Recruitment Agency Exceptional Individuals Sean Gilroy Head of Cognitive Design, BBC Stuart Edwards Disability EmploymentStrategy Policy Adviser at the DWPA dvocates Becki Morris Arts Marketing Association,Disability Co-operative Network(DCN Museums) Charles Freeman Consultant SEEDS Jon Adams Research Fellow Universityof Portsmouth Kelly Kinsella Events Manager, Defragroup Communications Animal and PlantHealth Agency (APHA)

8 Team Lennie Varvarides CEO DYSPLA Marcia Brissett-Bailey Trustee WFDA Mark Willitts Dyslexia Forum Lead,Planning Advisor, Sustainable Places Team,Wessex Paul Milton BDA AmbassadorAcademics Nancy Doyle Chartered Psychologist Professor Amanda Kirby, MBBS MRCGPPhD University of South Do IT Solutions LtdContentsForeword 04 Executive Summary 05 Summary of Recommendations 08 Part oneBackground 10 Research Methods and Main Factors 11 Part twoKey findings Barrier 1 Lack of awareness at all levels 16 Barrier 2 The consequences of disclosure 18 Barrier 3 Government measures are inadequate 22 Barrier 4 Reasonable adjustments are often poorly conceived 26 Barrier 5 Equality Act is not being adequately implemented 30 Barrier 6 Psychometric tests disable neurodivergent applicants 32 Barrier 7 Recruitment and selection procedures require literacy 36 Barrier 8 Recruitment and selection procedures are poorly conceived 40 Barrier 9 Selection and Progression depends on being neurotypical 44 Barrier 10 Performance management that is not applicable for

9 The neurodivergent 48 Part threeRecommendations1 Awareness Training programmes 532 DWP good practice recruitment guide 553 JobCentre Plus 574 Access to Work 585 Disability Confident 596 Accessibility of written employment information 607 Reasonable Adjustments 618 Psychometric and other tests 62 The Role of Government 64 Case Studies of Positive Practice 66 Glossary of Acronyms 68 Resources 694 | The Westminster achieveability CommissionNeurodiverse voices: Opening Doors to Employment | 5 Executive summaryForewordIn response to the government commitment to increasing the number of people with disabilities in employment by one million, the Westminster achieveability Commission recognises that neurodivergent adults represent the highest percentage of those who are disabled. The Commission was set up to give a voice to the issues for this community, as well as reveal their value and strengths within the workplace.

10 This work has provided much needed evidence, building on the research of recent reports. Our Commission s call for evidence included focus groups, extensive surveys, expert witnesses, employers, written evidence and neurodivergent voice sessions. These triangulated the evidence, throwing a clear light on the experiences of living with neurodivergence and seeking employment. They also allowed us to discover and highlight examples of good practice, along with the talents, skills and abilities of neurodivergent it became clear that they face numerous barriers, due to the lack of understanding of their skills and abilities by employers businesses policy makers trainers networks. This situation has significant economic repercussions, which track back to the education system: the charity Xtraordinary People estimated that the avoidable cost of dyslexia on the economy caused by unnecessary educational underachievement is billion a year (2008).