Neurodiversity week: 'It's time to change and open doors to more people'
Report by ITV Wales News journalist Annabel Smith
Neurodiversity Celebration Week is a worldwide initiative that challenges stereotypes and misconceptions about neurodivergent conditions.
It aims to transform how neurodivergent individuals are perceived and supported.
Neurodivergent conditions include:
Dyslexia
Dyspraxia
Dyscalcular
ADHD
Autism
Tourette syndrome
Dysgraphia
Craig Keane is a Dyslexia Specialist Teacher and Assessor at Develop Us Wales. He was diagnosed with dyslexia and Asperger syndrome.
Despite struggling throughout school and facing many challenges, Craig hasn't let them hold him back.
He said: "Teachers weren't able to accommodate my needs, I left school with no qualifications and now I've got a masters in additional learning needs, qualified dyslexia specialist teacher and assessor."
His goal as a specialist dyslexia teacher and assessor is to "motivate and inspire" others.
"It's about telling them they can do it, it's about believing in yourself and you can achieve anything you want to do if you've got the right support around you."
Professor Amanda Kirby comes from a neurodivergent family. She used to work as a GP, but when her son was diagnosed with dyspraxia, she changed her career to focus on researching and raising awareness of neurodviersity.
While our understanding of neurodivergent conditions has improved over the last few years, Professor Amanda still feels there is still a long way to go.
She said, "It's great that we're celebrating, great that we're embracing it, but I think for some people they've grown up feeling different, othered, there's a greater risk of bullying in schools so children might be growing up with low self esteem and confidence.
"You might be worried about saying to somebody like you're employer that you are neurodivergent, that .you've got ADHD, dyslexia dyspraxia, and often you've got over laps with all of those.
"So sharing that information with your employer or with your friends can be a big deal [...] and i think while we're celebrating the (neurodiversity) week, the important thing is we start having conversations but people feel safe to do so."
She continued to say that she belivieves we need "more support and more awareness" for those with neurodivergent conditions and tendencies.
"It's really important that we're thinking about how do we engage people to be able to showcase their talents and that means changing some of the ways we do recruitment, that perhaps CVs could be changed."
When asked about how Welsh Government plan on supporting those with neurodivergent conditions, a Welsh Government spokesperson said: “We are committed to ensuring neurodiverse people have access to the services and care they need.
"Specialist mental health services are available and neurodevelopment teams work closely with other organisations to support individuals and their families.
"Our review of all age neurodevelopmental services will be completed this month, and will include options for developing and improving services.
"We have also published a code of practice for the delivery of Autism services and will be consulting on a new neurodevelopmental conditions plan this year. We are also expanding the National Autism Team to provide support across neurodiversity.”