Reasonable adjustments letter

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) 

"Health Adjustment Passport"

documents (in different formats) and the guidance notes might be helpful to you too:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-adjustment-passport

There is also a relationship to the addressing and resolving some practical needs via the "Access To Work" scheme:

https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work

More information about reasonable adjustments:

https://www.gov.uk/reasonable-adjustments-for-disabled-workers

and

https://www.acas.org.uk/reasonable-adjustments

(This might seem like a lot of information to wade through). 

Unfortunately, understanding the difference between:

- which government department views a need as related to a support need / disability / physical health / mental health / neurodivergent impact, and

- which scheme / whether a scheme views "reasonable adjustments" as within their remit (as opposed to the responsibility of the employer)

...means it might be worth reading through the documentation and thinking about the information is a way of becoming better equipped to self advocate.

In theory:

"You can get advice on reasonable adjustments from the Disability Employment Adviser (DEA) at your local JobCentre Plus office."

https://find-your-nearest-jobcentre.dwp.gov.uk/search.php

... however, although I have asked various sources of information in my area; I have yet to locate a DEA with whom to test the service available.  My area is rural - maybe people might have better fortune with their enquiry in a more urban area.

It can be worth considering presenting requests within the context of "To aid my productivity in the workplace ...". (Adapt it to how you like to say things).

If you have already tried some strategies of your own, reviewed what was / was not so - helpful to you - that can strengthen your approach too: "I tried a), b) and c); however, I found a) worked well, but I discovered these barriers with approaches b) and c) - with which I realise I need some further assistance.". (People may not have noticed your efforts so far in adapting to your challenging workplace environment - it is time to advertise your own endeavours and ask for help).

It can be difficult if your manager / colleagues / HR are accustomed to you in masking / camouflaging.  Sometimes, depending upon how you experience your Autism; you might need to remind people how much hidden effort is involved for you navigating and accommodating those things in the workplace which are an uphill battle (the things and situations which sap your energy more than other colleagues may experience in the same situation).

With one team; I found it necessary to remind / educate them that: although they may have experienced me as having apparently "low support needs" compared with other Autistic people with whom they may have worked or known ...there was (as I experienced things in their workplace) a large delta between "low" and "no" support needs.

It can also be important to explain to people the dynamic nature of Autism as a disability.  People might have heard of spiky skills profiles - and yet they may not appreciate something which you can manage on one day ...may not be the case on another given day (there may be a complex interplay of wider context to be balanced).

Best wishes with your progressing / lobbying in support of provision and respect for your support needs / reasonable adjustments and necessary boundaries in the workplace.

Honestly, this is brilliant. I really appreciate your advice here. Yes, it is a lot to read through but all relevant I feel. Thank you! x

Honestly, this is brilliant. I really appreciate your advice here. Yes, it is a lot to read through but all relevant I feel. Thank you! x