Back-to-school: the unseen pressure point
For many families, the return to school in August and September is a fresh start. For parents of neurodivergent children, including those with autism, ADHD and related conditions, it can be the most stressful time of year.
Summer already disrupts routine. Just as families adapt, the new school year brings more upheaval: new teachers, classrooms, timetables and social dynamics. Many neurodivergent children find these changes overwhelming, leading to increased anxiety, behavioural challenges or school refusal.
Advice and guidance on neurodiversity at work from the National Autistic Society highlights that routine and predictability are often central to managing anxiety. When these disappear, parents may face sleepless nights, multiple school meetings and medical appointments, and the emotional toll of advocating for support, all on top of full-time work.
These pressures rarely fit into standard working hours, so for many employees September feels like crisis management rather than “back to business”.
Why this matters for employers
There has been a significant increase in the number of neurodiversity-related tribunal claims since 2020. While many concern the employee’s own neurodivergence, disputes can also arise from how organisations treat staff with caring responsibilities for neurodivergent dependants. The City and Guilds Foundation Neurodiversity Index report 2026 found that 70% of employees with a neurodivergent family member said caring responsibilities impact their work.
Rigid attendance rules, inflexible responses to appointments or emergencies, and a lack of understanding can all lead to grievances. Parents and carers can often feel invisible: they may not identify as disabled, yet they shoulder substantial additional responsibilities that affect hours, travel and availability. If these pressures are ignored, organisations can lose valuable team members as people may step off promotion tracks or feel forced to resign.
If workplaces do not support parents of neurodivergent children, employers could face an increased risk of discrimination claims. Caring responsibilities still fall disproportionately on women. Requirements to work strict hours, attend early or late meetings, or travel at short notice may put women at a particular disadvantage and increase the risk of a discrimination claim. Many neurodivergent children meet the legal definition of disability and unfavourable treatment of an employee because of their child’s disability may also amount to discrimination. Employees who raise concerns or make flexible working requests linked to caring responsibilities must not suffer detriment as a result.
Beyond the law, unsupported carers are more likely to leave, reduce hours or stall in their careers, affecting diversity, business performance and morale.
Flexible working requests
Reforms in April 2024 have strengthened employees’ rights around flexible working, including a day-one right to request flexible working, consultation requirements and the ability to make two requests per year. Changes expected to come into force in 2027 will make it more difficult for employers to refuse a flexible working request. Currently, employers only have to deal with a request in a reasonable manner and base any refusal on one of a list of reasons. Under the new regime, employers will only be able to reject a flexible working request where it is reasonable to do in reliance on one (or more) of those factors.
Flexible working is one of the ways that employers can support parents of neurodivergent children. For example, by offering adjusted start/finish times to manage school transitions, part-time or compressed hours, hybrid working for appointments and school meetings or short-term flexibility during acute periods (e.g. school refusal).
Practical steps for employers
There are several steps employers can take to support staff with neurodivergent children, including:
- Ensure flexible working, carers’ leave and absence policies explicitly recognise caring responsibilities, including for neurodivergent dependants. Check how these policies operate in practice at pressure points like the start of the school year.
- Offer temporary adjustments during predictable pressure points, such as around the return to school in August/September or exam periods.
- Provide training on neurodiversity and caring responsibilities.
- Consider networks or peer groups for parents and carers and encourage staff to discuss caring responsibilities without stigma.
- Track whether carers, particularly women, are disproportionately leaving or their careers stalling, and consider mentoring or sponsorship to support progression for those with significant caring responsibilities.
