Neurodivergent and Entering the Workforce: What Young People Need to Know

Summary

When people with SEND look at a job application and see an “adjustments box,” they don’t automatically see safety. They see a gamble. Find out more in the blog below.

The first steps into employment are exciting, but for young people with SEND, they can also feel like stepping into a world where the rules are unwritten, the expectations unclear, and the stakes unexpectedly high.

Not because neurodivergent young people lack talent, ambition or capability.

But because they’ve grown up in systems where support was inconsistent, understanding was patchy, and disclosure often came with consequences.

So when they ask whether they should tell a future employer about their SEND profile, they’re not being shy.

They’re being strategic.

They’re remembering what happened the last time they trusted a system to understand them.

Why Disclosure Feels Risky & Why That Fear Makes Sense

Young people entering the workforce today have grown up watching adults fight for EHCPs, reasonable adjustments, and basic recognition of needs. They’ve seen support dismissed as “special treatment.” They’ve seen teachers misunderstand processing differences. They’ve seen parents exhausted by advocacy.

So when they look at a job application and see an “adjustments box,” they don’t automatically see safety.

They see a gamble.

And the employment world gives them plenty of reasons to hesitate.

The Workplace Reality: When “Neutral” Processes Aren’t Neutral

Before we talk about disclosure, we need to talk about the world young people are walking into.

Few people articulate this better than Dan Harris. His work sits at the crossroads of lived experience, policy change, and global influence. As the father of #TheJoshieMan, his 12‑year‑old non‑speaking autistic son who uses a communication device, Dan’s advocacy is rooted in something far deeper than professional interest. It is personal, political, and relentless. Joshie has gone from being underestimated to shaping legislation, meeting heads of state, and inspiring millions, a transformation that fuels Dan’s belief that inclusion is not charity, but justice.

Dan’s work is a reminder that the fight for inclusion doesn’t end at school gates. It follows young people into the workplace, into recruitment, into performance reviews, into redundancy processes, and it is here, in employment, that the stakes often become painfully clear.

Which is why his reflections on recent tribunals matter so much.

“Rita Jandu, a dyslexic Marks & Spencer employee, won more than £50,000 after an employment tribunal found she had been unfairly dismissed and discriminated against in a redundancy process. The tribunal found M&S had failed to make reasonable adjustments, including around how redundancy scoring was applied.That should make every employer pause. Because “we used the same process for everyone” is not always a defence. Sometimes it is the problem. The tribunal noted that managers knew about her dyslexia, and that no changes were made to the redundancy consultation process to take account of it. Reporting also noted that the scoring criteria allowed disability-related issues, including accuracy, tone and communication, to be used against her. This is where organisations get neurodiversity wrong.”

“Under the Equality Act 2010, reasonable adjustments are not suspended because an organisation is restructuring. Redundancy does not cancel disability rights. Selection criteria still need scrutiny. Scoring still needs context. Managers still need to ask:

What do we know about this employee’s disability?

Could the process disadvantage them?

Are we scoring disability-related impacts without adjustment?

Have we changed the process to make it fair?

Or are we calling it neutral because it is easier than adapting it?”

So… Should Young People Disclose Their Neurodivergent Profile?

There is no universal answer.

Only informed choice. At SEND Tutoring, we encourage our students to disclose early on, as long as they feel it is safe to do so. 

1. Disclose early

This can unlock adjustments such as:

• Extra processing time
• Questions in writing
• A slower interview pace
• Alternative assessment formats

It can also reduce anxiety, because expectations are clear from the start.

2. Disclose later

Some young people prefer to mention their profile naturally when discussing strengths or communication style.

3. Not disclose

A completely valid choice.

Disclosure is never mandatory.

The key is that young people should feel empowered, not exposed.

You Are Not Alone: Community Matters

Employment can feel like a lonely frontier, but neurodivergent young people are not stepping into it unsupported.

Charlie Beswick’s words capture exactly why communities like this matter:

“The Vilij was created by families who live this life every single day. For many parents and carers of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), support can feel fragmented, overwhelming and, at times, incredibly isolating. You’re often navigating complex systems, battling for the right support, managing intense emotional and practical demands — all while trying to hold everything together for your child and your family. We know this because we’ve lived it. I became a SEND mum overnight — thrust into a world I didn’t understand and, if I’m honest, one I feared for quite some time. The language was unfamiliar, the systems were complex, and the emotional weight was far heavier than anything I had prepared for. For a long time, I felt lost, overwhelmed and like I was never quite doing enough — despite giving everything I had. Finding my feet didn’t happen quickly, and it didn’t happen alone. And that’s exactly why The Vilij exists — because no parent should have to navigate those early days, or any stage, feeling that way.“

My co-founder Steph brings another powerful perspective. As a grandparent, she supports her own child in raising two autistic sons with very different profiles and needs. She sees, day in and day out, just how relentless this life can be — the constant advocacy, the exhaustion, the fight to access even the most basic support. Through her daughter’s experience, Steph has witnessed how hard families have to work simply to be heard, understood and supported. Together, we created The Vilij to make life easier, happier and fairer for families who deserve it the most. The Vilij is an online community designed to bring everything SEND into one trusted place. It combines peer connection, expert guidance, practical resources and real-life experience — so families don’t have to search endlessly, second-guess decisions or feel like they’re doing it all alone. Because while raising a child with additional needs can be relentless and uncertain, it should never feel like something you have to face in isolation. Our aim is simple: to create a space where SEND families feel understood, supported and equipped, not just to survive, but to find a way to thrive.”

Planning for the Future Starts Earlier Than You Think

Employment readiness doesn’t begin at 18.

It begins with understanding strengths, needs, and pathways long before the first job application. 

Post‑16 pathways aren’t just “the next step”, they’re the bridge into adulthood, independence and long‑term career direction. The choice a young person makes at 16 can shape the opportunities available to them at 18, 21 and beyond. An internship or apprenticeship can open a door that becomes a lifelong vocation. A sixth form or specialist post‑16 provision with strong career‑path integration can give neurodivergent students the confidence, structure and support they need to transition into employment successfully.

This is why these decisions shouldn’t be rushed or left until the last minute. The earlier families begin exploring options, the more time there is to choose an environment that genuinely fits the young person, not just academically, but emotionally and practically.

SEND consultant Lorna Woolley captures this perfectly:

“Year 9 feels early to think about post-16, but it’s the perfect time to start planning. For families of children with SEND, the transition to post-16 education can feel like a huge leap. It’s easy to put off thinking about what comes next, especially when you’re still navigating day-to-day school life. But starting the conversation early opens up more options, allows for thoughtful decisions, and helps ensure a smoother, less stressful transition. Why does early planning matter? More time means more options. Colleges, specialist provisions, and apprenticeship programmes often have different application timelines and requirements. Starting early means you won’t miss out on the best fit. Better chance of the right placement. You’ll have time to visit settings, talk to staff, and see which environments genuinely suit your young person’s needs and interests.

Smoother transition. Early planning gives your child time to process the change, build confidence, and develop the skills they’ll need for greater independence. Some key decisions to consider:

Which pathway?

Further education college, specialist post-16 provision, supported internships, or apprenticeships?

What support will they need?

From travel training to daily living skills, what will help them thrive?

Is independent living a goal?

If so, what steps can you take now to prepare?

I work with families to map out these pathways, explore all the available options, and prepare for the transition, so your young person can move forward with confidence and the support they need. Now is always a good time to start the conversation. Early planning is the best way to ensure a positive, personalised next step.”

SEND Tutoring’s Perspective

At SEND Tutoring, we want young people to enter employment with:

• A clear sense of their rights
• Confidence in their strengths
• Language to advocate for themselves
• Realistic expectations of the workplace
• A community behind them

Disclosure should never be a leap of faith. It should be a choice made from a place of knowledge, not fear. The world of work is changing, slowly, unevenly, but undeniably. Young people with SEND deserve to enter it with clarity, dignity and support.

They deserve workplaces that understand them, respect them, and refuse to let outdated systems dictate their future.

Dan Harris’s advocacy makes one truth impossible to ignore:

“When support is mocked, trust disappears.”

And trust is the foundation of every healthy workplace.

“When a neurodivergent employee uses support, the workplace response matters. It can say:

Your needs are not serious.

Your support is wasting time.

You are less committed than others.

 You should cope quietly.

 You are a burden for asking.

Or it can say:

We understand.

We respect this.

You belong here.”

So here is the call‑out to employers, leaders, HR teams, and anyone with influence over recruitment and employment processes:

Do better.  

Not because it looks good on a policy document, but because young people are relying on a future that doesn’t punish them for the way their brain works.

• Review your processes.
• Question your assumptions.
• Train your managers.
• Protect adjustments.
• Challenge bias wherever it hides.
• Build systems that work for everyone, not just those who fit the mould.

The next generation of neurodivergent young people is stepping forward with talent, creativity, resilience and potential. They are ready to contribute. Ready to work. Ready to thrive.

Your responsibility is to make sure the door is open, and stays open, for every single one of them.

Support for Every Learner
Discover how SEND Tutoring supports students with a wide range of needs, including autism, dyslexia, PDA, SEMH, epilepsy, and more. 

Resources and Insights 

Looking for more practical tools and expert guidance? Visit our resources page for additional blogs, strategies, and helpful links.

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Ella Jones

If you’re looking for support for a child or young person with special educational needs or a disability, book a free call with us today and find out how we can help.