Behind the scenes we are working away at Ocelot creating free, accessible resources for the Neurodivergent community. When creating resources, and particularly when looking at gold standard work in the field, you will inevitably come across work that does not align itself with the Neurodivergent paradigm and is less than Neurodivergent affirming. I have been asked in the past how to tell which resources benefit the community and which don’t. There are no hard and fast rules, what works for some doesn’t for others. If you have been newly introduced to the world of Neurodivergence I know how important finding support can be. Wading through pages of conflicting advice can feel pointless and confusing, so here are a couple of things to look out for when seeking resources that support the Neurodivergent community.  

Language 

“Diff-abled”, “person with a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder” or my personal favourite “diagnosed with a Neurodiversity Condition”. All of these immediately raise red flags for me when reading resources. To use Autism as an example of language. I am not going to get into the argument of personal preference around language - Autistic or with Autism - but I will say community preference leans towards Autistic (Keates, Martin & Waldock, 2025 is a really good article on this whilst we are talking good resources). When looking for resources keep a careful eye on language, does it use identity-first or person-first and what is community preference for that specific Neurodivergence? Refusal to support community preference risks showing a lack of understanding or support for the community. Keep an eye out for how Neurodiversity related language is used - Neurodiversity relates to everyone in the world, a diagnosis of Neurodiversity literally means they are a person.      

Deficit model

I cannot stress how much damage the deficit model of disability has done to millions of people. The idea that there is one way of being in the world and that one must twist and contort oneself into fitting this mould is farcical. It would be laughable if Neurodivergent people around the world did not lose their lives over the delusion of normality placed upon them. When it comes to resources, those that focus on changing someone’s sense of self in order to appear normal sends my Spidey senses tingling. A classic example of this is the way stimming appears in resources; if resources aim to remove stimming due to its impact on how the person is perceived it is likely rooted in the deficit model. If on the flip side it is rooted in supporting a person to stim in a safe and manageable way that promotes their independence and self-regulatory needs, it’s more likely to be Neurodivergent affirming.  

Inspiration porn  

How often have you seen a feel good news story about a person overcoming their Neurodivergence(s). The message in them being “see if they can do it then of course you can”. Therein lies the problem: what makes overcoming Neurodivergence(s) a feel good story, why should Neurodivergent people be used as a motivational tool? More importantly, why should it be assumed that overcoming is necessary for quality of life, or even desirable? There are really good examples in Young Adult literature that explore Neurodivergence(s) with all the ups and downs that come with spikey profiles, that uplift without infantilising or using Neurodivergent youth as soulless sources of inspiration (check out A Different Sort of Normal: A real-life completely true story about being unique by Abigail Balfe as an example). When looking for resources, look for messages that uplift Neurodivergent people and Neurodivergent voices. Avoid resources that use Neurodivergent people as a tool to motivate others.   

So that is what to avoid when looking for a good resource. The next question is what are the things to actively seek when looking for a good Neurodivergent affirming resource. To find out, check out next Friday’s blog for part two of what makes a good resource. 

If you are struggling to create Neurodivergent affirming resources for your organisation, get in touch to discuss how we could help you via our contact page.