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Information, Advice and sources of support for young people in Suffolk

I have additional needs

Throughout this site we use this yellow colour to highlight information for people with additional needs (SEND).

If you have additional needs or want to know more about being neurodivergent you have come to the right place.

Neurodiversity Awareness Week 2024

What is Neurodiversity Awareness Week?

Neurodiversity Celebration Week is a worldwide initiative that challenges stereotypes and misconceptions about neurological differences.

What do people mean when they say Neurodiversity or Neurological differences?

Our brains are all wired differently. We think, move, process information and communicate in different ways. Many people use the term neurodiversity, neurological differences to describe a persons alternative thinking style such as:

  • Dyslexia
  • DCD (Dyspraxia)
  • Dyscalculia
  • Autism
  • ADHD
  • Tourette’s & Tic disorders

Regardless of labels, neurodiversity is about recognising and raising awareness of those who think differently within our community, schools and other educational settings.

More and more children and young people are being diagnosed as Neurodiverse (Particularly Autism and ADHD).

Children and young people who are Neurodivergent may need extra support.

To find out more about neurodiversity celebration week please visit Neurodiversity Celebration Week

What support do neurodivergent young people in Suffolk want?

The Source asked young members of their SEND Network what would help them feel more supported.

Students have helped us create the poster below which sums up their feedback for schools and settings in Suffolk to use to support Neurodivergent young people.

What helps me in school?

This is the support that our young people told us they want more of in school:

  • Doodling – Helps to control emotions, cope, calming.
  • Listening to music before a lesson.
  • Headphones.
  • Books.
  • Sports.
  • Being able to rap.
  • Hobbies and interests.
  • Talking to close family.

What’s important to us in school, is there anything that could be done differently?

  • Teachers – To understand us.
  • Things that help in lesson – Doodle paper, Blue tac.
  • Support managing emotions/anger – Noises, unwanted sounds can be triggering to us.
  • Give us “time out” if we need it.

What is Autism like for a young person?

The video below is good at explaining what it might be like for a young person with Autism.

What is ADHD like for a young person?

What is Masking?

Masking is the act of suppressing or concealing neurodivergent traits in schools and workplaces to appear neurotypical.

It is often commonly experienced by autistic people.

People mask for a variety of reasons, including:

  • To avoid prejudice, stigma, bullying and discrimination.
  • To meet social expectations and avoid social rejection.
  • To hide discomfort in environments that are not autism-friendly (a lack of acceptance or accommodation of autistic characteristics.
  • To cope at school and avoid negative attention or punishment (for example for moving around or stimming)
How young people feel about masking their behaviour.
  • “So you don’t show people that you have something wrong with you”.
  • “You can hide your emotions”,
  • “No one knows what inside my head!”
  • “Mum usually gets the side effects for how I feel”.
  • “Masking is annoying, the affects can cause me to have a meltdown, it’s tiring”.
  • “Sometimes it’s difficult to know what behaviours to mask and when? Especially with different teachers”.

Suffolk Youth Parliament talks about hidden disabilities

Listen to Kelsey, a member of the Youth Parliament in Suffolk talks about hidden disabilities and shares her experiences.

Choose a section you would like to visit, using the buttons below.

Assume that I Can – help challenge negative assumptions

On the 21st March it is World Down Syndrome Day. Please share the below video to your school, college, family and friends as it really hits hard the point about if people had more positive assumptions about young people with Down syndrome (or with any other additional need), then there will be more opportunities for us at school, at work, in relationships, and in other activities. And maybe these positive assumptions will become reality. Watch the video below and help challenge negative assumptions.

DISCLAIMER – Please be aware this video includes a swear word.

Assume that I can so maybe I will YouTube video

To tell us which logo you like go to our SEND Strategy logo page

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Page updated on March 21st, 2024 at 11:53am