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APPG for Dyslexia, Autism and ADHD – Joint Meeting Summary

Topic: Neurodivergent Young People and Mental Health
Date: 6 July 2026
Location: Boothroyd Room, Portcullis House

The APPGs for Dyslexia, Autism and ADHD held their first joint meeting to explore the relationship between neurodivergence and mental health in children and young people.

Chaired by Juliet Campbell MP, the meeting brought together parliamentarians, charities, experts and people with lived experience to consider how better support across education, health and society could improve outcomes.

Opening the meeting, Juliet Campbell MP explained that the three APPGs had come together because of the significant overlap between dyslexia, ADHD and autism. She emphasised that poor mental health should not be seen as an inevitable consequence of neurodivergence, but often results from systems that fail to identify, understand and support children and young people early enough.

Speaker contributions

Ellen Broomé, Chief Executive, ²ÝÝ®´«Ã½
Ellen opened the discussion by setting out the evidence linking neurodivergence and mental health. Drawing on research from the ²ÝÝ®´«Ã½, she highlighted the impact that late identification, poor understanding and inadequate support have on confidence, self-esteem and wellbeing.

She argued that poor mental health is not an inevitable consequence of being neurodivergent, but is often the result of children and young people not receiving the right support at the right time. She called for greater investment in early identification, teacher training, specialist advice and practical support in schools, emphasising that this would improve educational outcomes, reduce demand on mental health services and support better long-term life chances.

Ryan Swain, Founder of You Me and ADHD
Ryan shared his lived experience of ADHD and described his work delivering awareness sessions in schools across the country. He highlighted the urgent need to improve understanding of neurodivergence among teachers, pupils and parents alike, noting that many young people receive a diagnosis without ever being helped to understand what it means. He argued that educating whole school communities would reduce stigma, improve inclusion and ultimately lead to better mental health outcomes.

Alison Hume MP, Chair of the APPG on Autism
Alison reflected both on her role as Chair of the Autism APPG and as the mother of a young autistic adult. She highlighted the severe lack of mental health support available to autistic people, lengthy waiting times for assessment and diagnosis, and the long-term consequences of delayed support. She called for the Government to develop a new neurodiversity strategy that brings together autism, ADHD and dyslexia while recognising the specific needs of each condition.

Ben Branson, Founder of the Hidden 20%
Ben drew on hundreds of interviews with neurodivergent people, researchers and practitioners to describe the common themes emerging across neurodiversity. He highlighted the disproportionate representation of neurodivergent people in poor mental health, school exclusion, unemployment and other adverse outcomes.

He argued that policy, services and funding remain too fragmented despite the high levels of co-occurrence between conditions, and called for a more joined-up approach that focuses on individuals' needs rather than diagnostic silos. He also stressed that public awareness has improved, but genuine understanding has not.

Ella Norie
Ella shared a powerful account of her own experience of dyslexia, ADHD, OCD, anxiety and a recent diagnosis of bipolar disorder. She described the emotional impact of feeling different throughout education, the effects of bullying and social isolation, and the consequences of a lengthy diagnostic journey.

She also spoke very positively about the support she has received from her employer, demonstrating how understanding and appropriate workplace adjustments can enable neurodivergent employees to thrive. She encouraged policymakers to listen directly to people with lived experience when designing services and support.

Sharon Hodgson MP
Sharon reflected on her personal experience as the mother of a severely dyslexic son and her long-standing work championing dyslexia in Parliament. She described the years taken to secure an accurate diagnosis, the life-changing impact of specialist teaching, and the importance of ensuring teachers have the knowledge and confidence to identify and support neurodivergent pupils. She concluded that the education system should enable children to thrive rather than simply survive.

Discussion
The discussion reinforced several recurring themes.

Early identification and support are critical. Speakers agreed that timely identification, effective teaching, appropriate adjustments and specialist support can significantly improve wellbeing and reduce later demand on CAMHS and other mental health services.

Education plays a central role. Schools were recognised as having the greatest opportunity to improve outcomes through better teacher training, increased understanding of neurodivergence and more inclusive practice that builds confidence and self-esteem.

Mental health services remain under considerable pressure. Long waiting times for assessment and treatment mean that many young people's needs escalate while they wait for support, highlighting the importance of earlier intervention outside specialist services.

Lived experience must inform policy. Throughout the meeting, speakers demonstrated the value of lived experience in illustrating the real-world impact of delayed diagnosis, inadequate support and stigma. There was broad agreement that neurodivergent voices should play a central role in shaping future policy and services.

The need to break down silos. A recurring theme was that autism, ADHD and dyslexia frequently co-occur, yet policy, funding and support remain organised around separate diagnoses. Several contributors argued that a more joined-up neurodiversity strategy would better reflect people's lived experiences while still recognising the specific needs associated with individual conditions.

Awareness alone is not enough. While public awareness of neurodivergence has increased, speakers agreed that genuine understanding has not kept pace. Better education for schools, employers and the wider public is needed to improve inclusion and reduce stigma.

Key conclusions

There was broad consensus that improving outcomes for neurodivergent children and young people requires:

•    Earlier identification and intervention. 
•    Better-informed schools and teachers through improved training and access to specialist expertise. 
•    Timely access to appropriate mental health and wider support services. 
•    Greater collaboration across education, health and employment. 
•    A more joined-up approach to neurodiversity that recognises the overlap between conditions while responding to individual needs. 
•    Continued involvement of people with lived experience in shaping policy and services.

The meeting concluded with a shared commitment from the three APPGs to continue working collaboratively to influence Government policy and improve outcomes for neurodivergent children and young people.