Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2026
Dear Colleagues,
Neurodiversity Celebration Week (16th – 20th March 2026) is a time to recognise and celebrate the unique strengths and contributions of neurodivergent individuals. It’s also an opportunity for Trade Unions and employers to raise awareness, promote understanding and celebrate differences.
Neurodiversity Celebration Week
Neurodiversity Celebration Week Resources | Mates in Mind
We are raising awareness of the fact that there are several free of charge, open to all, online events for Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2026.
NCW26 Events (List) | Neurodiversity Week
These events cover key topics of neurodiversity, with the aim to educate and inspire. Please do sign up for as many events as you like and share with your branch networks, as celebrating different minds is important.
Supporting CWU members in the workplace
Whilst lots of neurodivergent people would not consider themselves disabled; it is likely that they meet the wide definition of “disability” under the Equality Act 2010. The definition covers non-visible, mental impairments where they have a substantial and long-term adverse effect on a person’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.
The most simple and straightforward reasonable adjustments can (and often do) make a massive difference to neurodivergent colleagues in their workplaces.
Neurodiversity inclusion
Neurodiversity inclusion in the workplace refers to recognising and accepting the natural human variation in neurological traits among individuals, especially concerning conditions such as Autism, ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and other neurological differences. When embracing neurodiversity inclusion, it is important to try and always emphasise the positive elements of neurodivergent workers, what they bring into workplaces and how they perceive and interact with the world differently than the neurotypical majority.
All employers should strive to create environments where all employees can thrive. Understanding and accommodating neurodiversity has become a crucial aspect of embracing difference in the workplace, as we all bring value to the world of work in our own unique way. Recently updated ACAS guidance can be accessed via the link below:
Making your organisation neuroinclusive – Neurodiversity at work – Acas
Hidden Disabilities Focus – DYSPRAXIA.
Dyspraxia is a neurodivergent condition that affects how the mind processes actions. It usually affects coordination, manual dexterity, movement, balance and organisational abilities. Dyspraxia can affect adults and children across a range of intellectual abilities and is a lifelong condition. It is a common disorder. It is thought that around 6% of the population have Dyspraxia, which equates to approximately 1.6 million workers in the UK, with many workers being severely impacted by the condition. Yet, despite it being as prevalent as dyslexia and significantly more so than Autism, Dyspraxia is much less known about.
Colleagues with Dyspraxia will often face unnecessary barriers whilst at work because of having this condition and often face unconscious bias.
Driving and learning new skills is often taken for granted but is more difficult for someone with Dyspraxia. If unnecessary work barriers remain, there becomes a higher risk of developing mental health problems, which can include anxiety, depression and social withdrawal.
What causes Dyspraxia? There is no known cause, however you may be more likely to develop it if you were born prematurely. The condition is also more common in men and often runs in families.
Dyspraxia and reasonable adjustments – this could be as simple as removing tasks that require adept co-ordination skills, acceptance of potential reduced manual dexterity, affording extra time for work tasks/work tests and reducing lone working where balance or slip/trip risks exist such as working at height.
The CWU holds several disability risk assessment templates for various neurodivergent conditions which can be provided upon request.
This LTB is shared on behalf of CWU Central Services.
If you have any questions or need any further information, please contact:
Jamie McGovern FRSPH MIIAI
CWU Health & Safety Policy Assistant at jmcgovern@cwu.org
CWU Eastern No5 Branch 
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