From July 2024–March 2025 a group of ten practitioners (eight Social Workers, one Occupational Therapist and one academic-based practitioner researcher) participated in a Facilitated Practice-based Research (©University of Sunderland) programme which positions practitioners as researchers by reframing their existing skills as research. The practitioners were from both Children’s and Adults’ Services from different local authorities and trusts across the North-east and Cumbria regions. The focus for the study emerged from practitioners’ own experiences and observations of recent practice issues leading to the research question: What do people who work in social care understand about the concept of Neurodiversity?

In this interactive session we will explore the findings from the research including how practitioners make sense of neurodiversity, how they adapt their practice for neurodivergent people and what key changes they are currently observing in practice. We will also enable participants to discuss and share examples from their own practice.