In line with our Manifesto, ND Labour have made several submissions to Labour Policy Forum, which is a way to influence future Labour Party policy and manifestos. We would really like it if you could vote for and comment on our policy suggestions. Share these links with your local Labour Party groups and activist groups.
Millions of people are autistic, dyslexic, dyspraxic or otherwise neurodivergent. They experience systematic discrimination and exclusion.
Neurodivergent Labour has consulted widely in drafting a comprehensive manifesto for change.
We want the Labour Party to adopt our manifesto in full.
We call for:
Diagnostic/identification service available to all, without delays, which recognises neurodivergent conditions in all genders. Assessment as to whether the individual has other, related conditions.
Adequate support following diagnosis, for example coaching from other neurodivergent people.
Stop and reverse cuts; expand services.
Resource local government to provide services.
Use statutory guidance to ensure that local authorities carry out the requirements of the Autism Act through decision-making forums that include representatives of autistic people.
Scrap Work Capability Assessments; adequate benefits for all who need them.
Equal and adequate health and social care: restore the NHS; reverse privatisation.
Provide appropriate, publicly-controlled and accountable care close to home, family and/or other support networks.
Provide necessary social housing and support to enable independent living. Secure tenancies and protection for private renters.
Consideration of neurodiversity in domestic violence services.
Neurodiversity training for all public service staff.
Provision for autism service dogs animals with the same status and rights as other assistance dogs.
We call for:
The use of statutory guidance to ensure that local authorities carry out the requirements of the Autism Act through decision-making forums that include representatives of autistic people.
Equal and adequate health and social care for Neurodivergent People.
The provision of appropriate, publicly-controlled and accountable care close to home, family and/or other support networks.
Neurodiversity training, led by Neurodivergent People for all social care staff.
We call for:
Equal and adequate health and social care: restore the NHS; reverse privatisation
Ensure that all treatments and therapies aimed at autistic and other neurodivergent people are properly regulated. Legislate against quack ‘cures’ such as MMS (bleach) which harm autistic and other neurodivergent people.
An investigation of the concerns of autistic people about interventions such as Applied Behaviour Analysis and similar ‘treatments’ that aim to ‘make autistic people indistinguishable from their peers’ and which many consider to be abusive.
A campaign to raise public awareness of neurodiversity and neurodivergent conditions, including through GPs’ surgeries and promotional materials.
More resources for research, in areas guided by the needs and concerns of neurodivergent people, including research into historical mistreatment of neurodivergent people.
https://www.policyforum.labour.org.uk/commissions/making-the-nhs-accessible-to-neurodivergent-people
We call for:
Well-funded, publicly-run and accountable schools.
Smaller class sizes.
Varied teaching and assessment methods, recognising diversity in people’s learning style and pace.
Neurodiversity training for all teachers and teaching assistants as part of core training.
Provision for neurodivergent students and all schools, colleges and universities.
No cuts in support through Education and Health Care Plans.
Consideration of neurodiversity in early years and SureStart.
Education about neurodiversity in the curriculum, including support with social interaction.
Take the stress out of studying. Take measures to support the mental health of teenagers (including neurodivergent teenagers).
We call for:
Apply the principle of Universal Design to make the built environment less distressing and more accessible.
Apply a strategy to tackle bullying and hate crime, including compiling accurate statistics, and recognising in law that that ‘hate crime’ can be aimed at neurodivergent people.
Ensure that all treatments and therapies aimed at autistic and other neurodivergent people are properly regulated. Legislate against quack ‘cures’ such as MMS (bleach) which harm autistic and other neurodivergent people.
Investigate the concerns of autistic people about interventions such as Applied Behaviour Analysis and similar ‘treatments’ that aim to ‘make autistic people indistinguishable from their peers’ and which many consider to be abusive.
Education and training about neurodiversity at all levels: for political decision-makers; employers; administrators of justice; education staff; public service providers; (prospective) parents; etc.
A campaign to raise public awareness of neurodiversity and neurodivergent conditions, including through GPs’ surgeries and promotional materials.
More resources for research, in areas guided by the needs and concerns of neurodivergent people, including research into historical mistreatment of neurodivergent people.
Ensure that when the government is considering new policies (eg. citizens’ income), it considers the impact on all of our neurodiverse population.
Tackling Judicial Discrimination against Neurodivergent People
We call for:
A review of the workings of the justice system to ensure that it is accessible to people of all neurologies.
Neurodiversity training for all justice staff.
Ensuring that non-harmful unusual behaviours are not criminalised, and that people receive support rather than punishment if an intolerable environment causes disruptive behaviour.
Support and rehabilitation for offenders with ADHD and/or other neurodivergent conditions.
Restore Legal Aid and scrap Employment Tribunal charges.
The strengthening of equality laws, including:
‘Neurological status/condition/divergence’ to be an additional protected characteristic under the Equality Act, with the same legal protections as disability.
Strengthen the Public Sector Equality Duty and extend it to the private sector.
Develop the Autism Act to include eg. obligations on employers.
We call for:
A legal requirement on employers to make workplaces and working conditions more equal and accessible and less hostile, including through adopting a neurodiversity policy and training for all staff.
Job applications and interviews to be accessible, non-discriminatory, and include support – for example, alternatives to written applications for dyslexic applicants.
The replacement of Work Capability Assessments with Workplace Accessibility Assessments.
Adequate Benefits for all
Pursue a full employment policy, with the right to an appropriate, secure job for all who can work.
Remove the cap on Access to Work.
Restore Remploy as an employer of disabled people.
Ensure that anti-discrimination law covers volunteers as well as employees.
Support for self-employed neurodivergent people, recognising that commercial and reporting requirements may be difficult to meet.
Brilliant work, Labour would be wise to adopt the full manifesto