The National Neurodivergence Team is funded by the Welsh Government and hosted by the Welsh Local Government Association, working in partnership with Public Health Wales. The Team provides training, information and guidance ‘to help improve the lives of neurodivergent people, their families and carers across Wales’.
The team was established to assist the Welsh Government in raising awareness, understanding and acceptance of, initially autism and now wider neurodivergence across Wales.
Coproduction is the foundation to and informs all the work. The work of the National Neurodivergence Team can be summarised under the following headings:
- Quality improvement, assurance and innovation.
- Workforce development, awareness raising and training
- Data and research
- Digital transformation
The team works closely with the Welsh Government, National Autism Leads within local authorities and IAS Teams in each of the health boards, key stakeholders and advisory groups.
The team currently consists of:
- Wendy Thomas, Head of Wales Neurodivergence Service
- Ben Ewart-Dean, Family Support Neurodivergence Development Officer
- Donna Sharland, Neurodivergence Transformation Project Manager for Wales
- Frances Rees, National Neurodivergence Development Officer
- Ieuan Rees, Administrator – Creative and Digital Projects
- Kirsty Jones, National Neurodivergence Development Officer
- Linda Pilgrim, National Neurodivergence Team Administrative Support Officer
- Rachel Hazlewood, National Neurodivergence Team Communications, Research and Improvement Officer
- Sioned Thomas, National Neurodivergence Development Officer
Welsh Government Social Services and Integration Directorate aims to promote, protect and improve the health and well-being of everyone in Wales.
NeurodivergenceWales.org is the national website for neurodivergence developed and maintained by the National Neurodivergence Team with our partners. Here you'll find information about neurodivergence, including Autism, ADHD, Tourette’s & tic conditions as well as service details, training resources and updates on the implementation of the Neurodivergence Improvement Programme for Wales.
There are a range of free, bilingual, easily accessible resources for neurodivergent people, their family/carers and professionals working with neurodivergent children and adults.
The resources are co-produced with neurodivergent people and are aimed at developing practitioner’s skills as well as those who directly support neurodivergent people including parents and carers. These include various e-learning certification schemes, post diagnostic information, films and other resources. New resources are being developed to provide useful tools, strategies and advice to help neurodivergent people live well.
The resources and the website have been jointly developed with key stakeholders including neurodivergent people, parents and carers, Local Authority Autism Leads and partners from health, education and the third sector.
For more information please visit the website at: NeurodivergenceWales.org