It has been 5 years since my daughter commenced Prep at her local primary school. It was an exciting time for our family, an important milestone that we expected to be relatively smooth for our bright and engaged child. In less than 6 months it was as if we had a different child, while there were no issues or concerns raised by school, at home we were witnessing increasing distress and reluctance to attend school. It wasn’t until halfway through Grade 1 that my daughter was identified as Autistic with ADHD. Within another 12 months she was completely unable to attend school. My experience as a Social Worker meant I had quickly discovered and accepted Neurodiversity Affirming Practice because it resonates well with Social Work values.

I made numerous attempts to collaborate with my daughter’s school regarding neurodiversity affirming practice and appropriate strategies to support her. It became clear that the leadership team were not capable of learning or implementing new practices that are based on emerging research. We moved home to change our school zone to offer a new school environment, it soon became clear that our daughter had experienced so much sensory trauma and distress that no school environment felt safe for her. Our family made the decision that it was in the best interests of both my daughter and I to completely remove the major stressor that school had become in our lives and to enrol her in home education.

As I reflect on my daughter’s time at school, and the enormous effort that has gone into supporting her recovery, I am dismayed at how much damage was inflicted on her nervous system in such a small period. She is now 10, which means we are at the point where she has spent half of her years as a fairly settled child before commencing school. The other half of her life has been spent in distress, initially being expected to spend the majority of her time in a classroom environment that left her in a constant heightened state of ‘flight/fight/freeze/fawn.’ Once the direct cause of her distress was removed it has been years undoing the damage that was done, a process which will continue for many more years.

I live with the guilt of not changing her situation sooner, however I know that the biggest portion of blame lies with an education system that is not inclusive of its most vulnerable students. As a result of this distressing experience watching my child flounder within a school system that was definitely not Neurodiversity Affirming, I have become a passionate advocate trying to improve the education system, and make it more inclusive for all students. I recently collaborated with other members of Square Peg Round Whole (SPRW) to write a substantial submission to the Parliamentary Inquiry into the State Education System in Victoria. The focus of our submission was to advocate for the rights of neurodivergent students to access an equitable and inclusive education.

What is Neurodiversity?

Neurodiversity is a biological fact that explains the natural variation of how human brains function. The neurodiversity paradigm states that neurodiversity is a natural and valuable form of human diversity, and there is not a ‘normal’ way for brains to function. Therefore, the difficulties experienced by Neurodivergent individuals are due to current societal beliefs and expectations, rather than any deficit within the individual. Neurodiversity affirming practice acknowledges the unique strengths, interests, and support needs of all individuals and highlights the role of environmental and societal barriers in further exacerbating challenges faced by neurodivergent individuals.^[1]

The term neurodiversity encompasses conditions that fall into three categories:^[2]

• Applied Neurodiversity – Conditions with which an individual is born and refers to difficulties in the application of skills such as gross motor control, number concepts, and reading. Examples include Dyscalculia and Dyslexia.
• Clinical Neurodiversity – Neurological differences with which an individual is born, and relates to difficulties in communication, social skills, behaviour, and impulse control. Examples include Autism, ADHD, and Intellectual Disability.
• Acquired Neurodiversity – An Individual develops changes to their cognition and behaviour within their lifetime. These neurodivergent conditions may improve or deteriorate with time and incorporate a range of medical and mental health conditions including OCD, PTSD, Bipolar, Stroke and Acquired Brain Injuries (ABI).

Over the period of an individual’s life they may experience multiple conditions that result in an overlap between these three categories of Neurodiversity.

Within the education system it is mostly students with Applied & Clinical Neurodivergent Conditions that are identified and considered for additional support. SPELD Victoria provides information regarding Applied Neurodivergent Conditions including:

• Dyslexia is a specific learning difficulty regarding accurate and fluent word reading and/or poor spelling leading to problems with vocabulary and reading comprehension.
• Dysgraphia is a specific learning disability that is characterised by persistent and unexpected difficulty with written language – its expression, handwriting and /or spelling. It is often undiagnosed, and commonly co-occurs with dyslexia.
• Dyscalculia is a specific learning disability where students have no intuitive sense of numbers. Including difficulty in learning number facts and procedures, as well as manipulating and calculating numbers.  Even if they do calculate something correctly, they won’t have an innate understanding of why the result is correct.

Clinical Neurodivergent Conditions that are most likely to impact students include:

• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder(ADHD) is characterised by persistent patterns of inattentive, impulsive, and sometimes hyperactive behaviour, and is frequently accompanied by emotional regulation challenges. This is due to differences in executive functioning such as an impaired ability to inhibit and regulate attention, behaviour, and emotions; to reliably recall information in the moment; to plan and problem solve; to self-reflect and self-monitor; and to self-soothe.^[3]
• Autism affects how a person interacts with and makes sense of the world around them including the way they communicate. Autistic people can experience differences with: Socialising, Sensations, Emotions & Behaviours. Autistic people often experience their senses more intensely than others meaning the world can feel overwhelming at times.^[4]
• Intellectual Disability refers to specific impairments of cognitive functioning and skills, including interpersonal skills and self-care. It leads to slower or different development and learning compared to typically developing individuals. Diagnosis requires an IQ below 70.
• Tourette Syndrome is a neurological condition that causes involuntary tics—sudden twitches, movements or sounds that individuals repeatedly perform. Motor tics involve body movements, while vocal tics are sounds produced by the voice. Tics tend to worsen in stressful or exciting situations but improve during calm activities or the ones requiring increased focus.^[5]

There are neurodivergent traits that are commonly experienced by neurodivergent individuals. Not all neurodivergent individuals will exhibit every trait mentioned and they will have a different experience of the traits they do demonstrate. These traits include:

• Sensory distinctions: varied responses to sensory input
• Social differences: exhibiting unique patterns in social interactions
• Executive functioning challenges: difficulties with planning, organization, and behaviour regulation.
• Intense focus or special interests: ability to concentrate intensely on specific tasks.
• Empathy and justice-oriented mindset: a strong sense of fairness and social justice.
• Intense emotional experiences: powerful emotions in response to various stimuli.
• Unique gender and sexual orientation experiences: differing relationships to gender identity and sexual orientation.
• Thinking outside the box: possessing a propensity for innovative thinking.
• Memory variations: demonstrating either superior memory capabilities or difficulties with working memory.
• Pattern recognition and attention to detail.
• Need for movement breaks: requiring breaks or physical movement to maintain focus and regulate energy levels.

What is neurodiversity affirming practice and why is it important within Schools?

Sonny Jane Wise has assembled 12 core principles of Neurodiversity Affirming Practice which include:

• Respecting Autonomy: An individual’s right to say no and the right to determine what is helpful for them as well as what is distressing for them.
• Presuming Competence: Recognising that an individual has capacity to understand, think, learn and do things.
• Rejecting Neuronormativity: The norms and expectations that centre a particular way of functioning including thinking, feeling, communicating, and behaving as the superior and right way.
• Reframing Expectations: Regarding how individuals should develop, communicate, learn, think, play, socialise and function along with any neuronormative expectations that disadvantages anyone who functions differently.
• Promoting Self-Advocacy: Giving individuals the tools and information to advocate for themselves in all aspects of their lives including education, employment, healthcare and relationships.
• Nurturing Positive Self-Identity: By unpacking shame, connecting with community, validating differences, identifying strengths and reframing both our language and expectations.

To understand the current drive for Neurodiversity Affirming practices within the education system, it is helpful to first understand the current systemic barriers that are impacting on neurodivergent students in Victoria.

Ableism and the inaccessibility that arises because of assumptions and misconceptions about disability are at the heart of these barriers. It is only once the misconceptions of educators and administrators in Victorian schools are addressed that students will feel safe and secure, and better equipped to succeed at school.^[6]

Despite the widespread controversy and criticism towards traditional behaviour management practices^[7] Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) is promoted within the Victorian school system as the best approach for responding to any behavioural issues. Behaviourism-based frameworks are known to diminish feelings of safety and trust which are vital for learning and can cause long-term mental harm especially for neurodivergent people.^[8]

Expulsion and suspension are used disproportionately against students with disability. This is in large part due to a lack of accommodations and support, as well as a fundamental lack of understanding of dysregulation and the needs of students with disability.^[9] Despite informal segregation being against department guidelines, these practices are still regularly experienced by students with disability and have a harmful impact on development and mental health. Informal segregation is when requests by the school, often under the guise of “what’s best for the child,” such as reduced attendance plans, and being refused attendance at school events, camps and excursions.

Source for graphic data ^[10], ^[11], ^[12], ^[13]

Emotional regulation is the process which allows us to register, analyse, assess, control, and express an emotional response that is considered socially appropriate in the context and circumstances.^[14] It is the external expression of that regulation, the action of the student, that is judged by school staff, often using an ableist view, as to whether it was an appropriate response. What this judgement often fails to consider are the triggers that occurred prior to any actions that activated the students stress responses. Rather than retrospective punishment for the action, it is more appropriate to support emotional regulation by proactively providing appropriate accommodations, sensory breaks, and sensory-friendly environments.^[15]

Neurodivergent students and schools

The recent Disability Royal Commission found that teachers need skills in de-escalating challenging behaviour, managing their own behaviour, cultural competency, an ability to respect diverse backgrounds and experience, and finally communicating and collaborating with parents, teaching assistants and other specialist roles in the school. It also found that when principals and senior leaders were not supportive of including students with disability, this shaped the culture of an entire school and the experience of students with disability.^[16]

In addition to improving the quality of teaching and learning, school leadership teams also have a powerful impact in shaping the wellbeing of all members of the school community.^[17]

In understanding these barriers that are currently impacting neurodivergent students, it will be easier to recognise an appropriate education environment for neurodivergent students. A recent study found that a school’s ability to offer a positive learning experience for neurodivergent pupils was linked to the schools’ abilities to respond to a diverse population in general.^[18]

Given the influence that the principal and senior leaders have over the school culture and student wellbeing it is imperative that the attitudes of the leadership team regarding all types of diversity are understood. A school ethos that is already accepting of other diverse cultures is more likely to be adaptable when it comes to the needs of Neurodivergent students.

How to recognise a neurodiversity affirming school

One way to determine the school’s leadership team’s understanding of Neurodiversity is to consider the language they use, either in person or in information provided by the school. Neurodiversity affirming language aims to destigmatise and empower people, by not focusing on their deficits. Generally, the Autistic community’s preference is to use Autism (not ASD), Autistic (not ‘a person with Autism’), and to discuss specific support needs (not use functional labels like ‘low-functioning’).

Schools that provide affirming education will focus on a student’s strengths and interests, rather than the student’s deficits. When students have an opportunity to use their strengths and succeed, they feel good about themselves and remain engaged with learning, which allows them to further develop their skills and knowledge.^[19]

Reframing Autism explains that neurodiversity affirming education occurs when students feel that their neurotype is understood, and is grounded in safe, respectful relationships with teachers and peers alike. They recommend that adopting an ethics of care approach is the best way to frame teaching so that Autistic learner’s needs can be met, behaviours be understood, and they can experience welcome and inclusion in schools.^[20] Ethics of care is when teachers commit to validate, respect, and accept their students’ needs, insights, and feelings, and these are considered valid, relevant, and valued.

A neurodiversity affirming school needs to cater to the natural variability of humanity, and therefore all of its students. This can be achieved using universal design which focuses on eliminating barriers at the initial design stage by considering the needs of diverse people, rather than overcoming barriers later through individual adaptation. A universal design approach to classroom design and support means that all students, no matter what their circumstances are, can benefit from those changes.^[21]

An example of one teacher implementing universal design into their classroom is a maths teacher who requested that all desktops be replaced with whiteboards and a supply of whiteboard markers and erasers. This allowed students to doodle on the desk, easily erase any mistakes, and it was acceptable for students to choose to stand and do their work on a window. Then, at the end of class students would wipe down whatever space they used ready for the next class.

This approach did not negatively impact any student who prefers a more traditional approach of sitting at their desk, but it also meant attention was not drawn to those who worked differently.

How to find the best school for neurodivergent students

There is no one best school for all Neurodivergent students, instead it is best to find a school that’s culture aligns with the needs of the individual. While some Neurodivergent students thrive within a very structured environment others need to retain their autonomy to feel safe. For students with high sensory sensitivities, it may be important for their school to be flexible regarding uniform policies or attendance at the whole school assembly.

For this reason, it is not practical to provide a list of the best Neurodiversity Affirming Schools, however there are examples of schools implementing practices that are neurodiversity affirming and where some neurodivergent students are succeeding.

Parents have shared how some neurodivergent children thrive in the environment that Lower Plenty Primary School has created. Lower Plenty is a small public primary school with a high proportion of neurodivergent students. They focus on education for life, which not only develops rigorous academic knowledge but emotional, social, and physical wellbeing as well. Their instructional model underpinned by the ‘whole-part-whole’ methodology aims to effectively ensure all students have equal access to the educational program and engage and motivate teachers to consider how their teaching practice can best support student learning.

A Victorian government secondary school, Templestowe College collaborates with each student on their own Individualised Learning Plan and allow students to manage their own curriculum once they have reached functional levels of literacy and numeracy. This provides a high level of student agency and freedom to explore their own passions and interests in depth, leading to exceptional levels of engagement and achievement. As the school has no year levels, students interact and collaborate within mixed age classes, and are able to undertake VCE studies at any age. ^[22]

It may also be that the best neurodiversity affirming learning environment for your child may not actually be a school. There has been a dramatic rise in the number of students being home educated in Victoria, reportedly increasing by 20% from 2019 to 2021.^[23] The QLD Department of Education^[24] found in 2022 that around 61% of the families enrolled for home education have children who are neurodivergent, have a disability or are dealing with a health issue, with 46% of those children being neurodivergent.

Research completed by Aspect[25] found that 78% of the Autistic students enrolled in home education had previously attended a mainstream school, with more than half of their parents saying there were left with no option but to home educate. Over 75% of parents stated that they did not want their child to return to school and the problems they had previously faced. While 36% of the parents found that their family was under increased stress because of the decision to home educate, 43% stated that they believed the family stress levels had decreased. While home education may not be the right option for every family, if you are actively seeking a neurodiversity affirming learning environment it can be worth considering your own home.

To find an appropriate neurodiversity affirming school for your student, first identify what their barriers to school currently are or what you anticipate they may be. This will help create a list of the most important neurodiversity affirming aspects to consider during your search. While some information may be available through information published by the school a more effective way to learn will be in speaking with the school leadership team.

When speaking directly with the school, craft your questions carefully to help you elicit the information you need. Start the question with What/Why/When/Where/How which will result in a more comprehensive answer rather than just yes or no. For example, change the question ‘Do you offer indoor play options’ to ‘what indoor options are available to students during breaks.’

If you have the opportunity to speak with parents or students already involved with the school, again be specific in the questions you ask. You are less interested in if they think it’s a good or bad school, but what has given them that opinion and what that is likely to mean for your child.

Suggested Questions to Ask Leadership

• What is your school’s process for working collaboratively with a student’s external therapy team, especially regarding suitable accommodations or adjustments?
• How are your staff supported to have regular consultation with students and their families as appropriate/if required?
• What arrangements are made for students who may require a ‘sensory break’ from class? (are there suitable spaces for them to go, do they have to get permission every time)
• Who is in the Student Wellbeing/Support Team and what training have they had regarding Autism/ADHD/Learning Disorders etc?
• What training have staff & teachers received in trauma-informed practices or emotional regulation strategies?
• What opportunities are there for students and families to contribute to decisions regarding school culture?
• How do you support students who may require adjustments to positively attend camps or activities?

Conclusion

When it comes to finding the most appropriate school for your neurodivergent child the main things to be aware of regarding the school itself is the leadership teams attitude towards all types of diversity, their understanding of neurodiversity and if they use affirming language, an awareness that challenging behaviours are best managed by collaborating with the student rather than with staff dictated responses, and teachers who value students’ strengths and passions. Then consider the needs of your child and what type of environment and ethos will provide the support that will help your child flourish. Remember you are looking for the best school for your child, which will be different for different students in the same way that Neurodivergent Individuals all have different challenges and abilities.

References

^[1] https://yourmindmatters.net.au/a-neurodiversity-affirming-approach-what-is-it-and-how-can-it-support-your-children/

^[2] https://theeducationhub.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Neurodiversity-An-overview.pdf

^[3] https://www.adhdaustralia.org.au/about-adhd/

^[4] https://kidshelpline.com.au/teens/issues/understanding-autism

^[5] https://medvidi.com/blog/types-of-neurodiversity

^[6] Saggers B, Klug D, Harper-Hill K, Ashburner J, Costley D, Clark T, Bruck S, Trembath D, Webster AA & Carrington S, 2018, ‘Australian autism educational needs analysis – What are the needs of schools, parents and students on the autism spectrum?’ Full report and executive summary, version 2. Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism, Brisbane

^[7] Kurt S, 2022, ‘Behaviorism: Key Terms, History, Theorists, Criticisms, and Implications for Teaching’. Educational Technology, https://educationaltechnology.net/behaviorism-key-terms-history-theorists-criticisms-and-implications-for-teaching/

^[8] Reframing Autism, ‘WA Education Inquiry Into Support for Autistic Children and Young People in Schools’, https://reframingautism.org.au/wa-education-inquiry-into-support-for-autistic-children-and-young-people-in-schools/

^[9] Education Today, 2020, ‘Disabled students face exclusion from education’, https://www.educationtoday.com.au/news-detail/Disabled-students-face-exclusion-from-education-5101

^[10] https://www.amaze.org.au/creating-change/research/community-attitudes-education/

^[11] Tape S, 2023, Disappointment and discrimination: CYDA’s surveys of the learning experiences of children and young people with disability, Children and Young People with Disability Australia, https://apo.org.au/node/323925

^[12] Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability 2023, Final Report: Volume 7 – Inclusive Education, Employment and Housing, https://disability.royalcommission.gov.au/publications/final-report-volume-7-inclusive-education-employment-and-housing

^[13] Disappointment and discrimination: CYDA’s surveys of the learning experiences of children and young people with disability (ix)

^[14] https://reframingautism.org.au/emotional-regulation-part-one-what-is-it-and-why-is-it-so-hard/

^[15] https://neurodivergentinsights.com/blog/the-power-of-sensory-regulation

^[16] Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability 2023, Final Report: Volume 7 – Inclusive Education, Employment and Housing, https://disability.royalcommission.gov.au/publications/final-report-volume-7-inclusive-education-employment-and-housing

^[17] Centre for Social Impact (CSI), 2023, ‘New research reveals leadership practices to improve school community wellbeing’, https://www.csi.edu.au/news/new-research-reveals-leadership-practices-to-improve-school-community-wellbeing/

^[18] Friskney, R., Tisdall, E.K.M. & Aitken, D. (2019). Communication matters: Three scoping studies about the experiences of children with learning difficulties, and their families, in Scotland. Salvesen Mindroom Centre and University of Edinburgh. Edinburgh.

^[19] Using a strengths-based approach to help students realize their potential. 2022. https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/60088/using-a-strengths-based-approach-to-help-students-realize-their-potential

^[20] https://reframingautism.org.au/service/i-am-an-educator/

^[21] Neurodiversity-affirmative education: why and how? 2022. https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/neurodiversity-affirmative-education-why-and-how

^[22] https://hundred.org/en/innovations/templestowe-college

[23] https://www.livingonthespectrum.com/uncategorized/why-thousands-of-parents-are-choosing-to-home-school-in-2022/

[24] Parent With Child/ren Registered for Home Education: Research Insight Report. 2022. Queensland Department of Education. https://education.qld.gov.au/schools-and-educators/other-education/Documents/research-insight-report.pdf

[25] Home education: An Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect) research project. 2017. https://www.autismspectrum.org.au/about-autism/our-research/home-education