What do we mean by Neurodisability?
Changing the way we speak about our services.
Language is always evolving, and it’s important to be mindful of the words we use as they promote people’s rights and identity. In recent years, there has been a significant shift in language, particularly with the growing awareness of neurodiversity and an increased understanding of individual’s support needs.
We recognise that terms like “learning disability” and “neurodiversity” cover a broad spectrum of people, and some of the people we support might feel excluded by these terms. To address this, we have decided to adopt the term “neurodisability” when referring to the services we offer. This term aligns with the language of neurodiversity and better describes the diverse support we provide to individuals whose neurodiversity has a disabling impact on their lives.
The word “neurodisability” is also becoming more common, especially in children’s services. This may be because terms like “learning disability” and “autism” do not always fully capture the needs of the people we support. Additionally, some families may prefer the term “neurodisability” because rather than implying someone’s inability to learn, it could instead better reflect part of that individual’s identity.
Whilst we are changing how we describe the services we offer by emphasising that we provide neurodisability support services. We are not suggesting that the people we support should use this term; it is up to them to choose the terms that best describe their characteristics. We will continue to support the same individuals in the same way. This change simply clarifies that not everyone with autism or learning disabilities needs our support, and individuals with conditions such as motor-neurone disease, cerebral palsy, or acquired brain injuries can also benefit from our services!
If you would like to find out more then check out the video below where our CEO Jonathan discusses Neurodisability and changing how we speak about disability services:
