Neurodiversity Advice for Employers

Not Sure How to Support a Neurodivergent Employee? Get Specialist Guidance.

Supporting a neurodivergent employee can feel uncertain - especially when you want to do the right thing but aren’t sure what “the right thing” looks like in practice. Whether you’re navigating a disclosure, considering reasonable adjustments, managing performance where neurodivergence may be a factor or simply want to check you’re meeting your legal obligations, this call gives you clear, practical, specialist guidance.

For £295, you get a 45-minute phone call with a neurodiversity and employment law specialist - not a generalist HR advisor but someone who understands how neurodivergence actually affects the workplace and what the law requires you to do about it.

What You Might Call About

• An employee has disclosed they are neurodivergent and you want to respond well - both as an employer and legally
• You suspect neurodivergence may be a factor in a performance or attendance issue and want to know how to proceed
• You’ve been asked to make reasonable adjustments and aren’t sure what’s reasonable or what’s required
• You’re about to have a difficult conversation with a neurodivergent employee and want to prepare properly
• You want to check whether your current approach to supporting a neurodivergent team member meets your Equality Act obligations
• A workplace needs assessment has been recommended and you want to understand what that involves and whether it’s the right next step

Looking for general HR advice on performance, absence, disciplinary or grievance? Our PAYG HR Advice page covers a wider range of employment issues.

Why This Isn’t Generic HR Advice

Most HR advisors can tell you the procedure. Very few can tell you how neurodivergence actually affects the situation - why a neurodivergent employee might struggle with a process that seems straightforward, what adjustments genuinely help (and which are performative) and where the Equality Act duty intersects with your management process.

Jenefer’s PGCert in Neurodiversity, combined with Chartered CIPD status and 20 years in employment law, means you get both sides in one call. You won’t need to speak to an HR advisor and then separately find a neurodiversity specialist - the expertise is in one place.

The SHAPE Method

Jenefer uses the SHAPE Method - a framework developed through years of supporting neurodivergent employees and the organisations that employ them. It stands for Spot, Hold, Assess, Plan, Evaluate. It underpins every piece of advice Silk Helix gives on neurodiversity. Whether your call is about a single employee situation or a wider question about how your organisation supports neurodivergent people, the SHAPE Method provides a structured, practical approach.

What’s Included in Your £295 Call

• A 45-minute phone call with Jenefer Livings, focused on your specific neurodiversity situation
• One letter or document drafted following the call, where the advice recommends one be issued (for example, a reasonable adjustments confirmation letter or an invitation to a meeting)
• One follow-up email after the call if you need brief clarification on something discussed

Your call is a focused, one-off advisory session designed to give you clear, actionable guidance on a specific neurodiversity matter.

Please note: the call does not include the review of existing documents such as contracts, policies or handbooks. If you need a document reviewed or updated, we are happy to provide a separate quote - just mention it on the call. If your situation needs ongoing support beyond the call, we can discuss a retained advice arrangement or provide a fixed quote for the additional work.

What Happens After the Call

Many neurodiversity advice calls naturally lead to a next step. Depending on your situation, that might include:

• A Workplace Needs Assessment - if an individual employee would benefit from a formal assessment of their workplace support needs, Silk Helix can arrange one, often within the same week
• Neurodiversity awareness training for managers - if manager understanding is the underlying issue, a training session for the team may be more effective than addressing individual situations one at a time
• Neurodiversity consultancy - if you need a broader review of how your organisation supports neurodivergent employees, from policy through to practice

None of these are expected or required. Many clients get exactly what they need from the call itself.

Price: £295 excluding VAT.
To book simply select your desired date and time from the calendar, where the price displayed and charged includes VAT.
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Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a diagnosis to get advice about supporting a neurodivergent employee?

No. You do not need to wait for a formal diagnosis before seeking advice or making adjustments. Under the Equality Act, the duty to make reasonable adjustments applies where you know, or could reasonably be expected to know, that an employee has a disability - which includes many neurodivergent conditions. If an employee is struggling and neurodivergence may be a factor, that is enough to act on. Jenefer can advise you on what steps are appropriate regardless of whether a diagnosis is in place.

What’s the difference between this call and a Workplace Needs Assessment?

This call is employer-focused advice - you are speaking to Jenefer about your situation, your obligations and your options. A Workplace Needs Assessment is an assessment of an individual employee’s workplace support needs, involving a structured conversation with the employee themselves and a detailed report with recommendations. If the call identifies that a WNA would be helpful, Silk Helix can arrange one as a next step.

Can you help with a performance issue involving a neurodivergent employee?

Yes - this is one of the most common reasons employers call. The intersection of performance management and neurodivergence is where many organisations come unstuck, particularly since the ERA 2025 qualifying period changes. Jenefer can help you understand what reasonable adjustments look like in a performance context and how to manage the process fairly and lawfully.

What if I’m not sure whether neurodivergence is a factor?

That’s a perfectly good reason to call. Many situations involve a suspicion or an informal disclosure rather than a confirmed diagnosis. Jenefer can help you think through the signs, your obligations at this stage and what a proportionate response looks like - without overstepping or making assumptions about the employee.

Do you advise the employer or the employee?

Silk Helix advises the employer only. We do not provide advice or support to individual employees. If an employee needs support, we may recommend a Workplace Needs Assessment or signpost to appropriate resources.

What happens after the call?

After the call, you will receive any documents we agreed to draft (for example, a reasonable adjustments letter). You may also send one follow-up email for brief clarification on something discussed during the call. If your situation develops and you need further advice, you are welcome to book another call or ask about our retained advice service for ongoing support.