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Autistic school employees & reasonable adjustments

JRB23

I work in a non-teaching but student facing role in a large secondary school. Just wondering if there are any other autistic educators on here who might share some tips or anecdotes on how they make the usual work stressors more manageable?

For context, I’m fairly newly diagnosed and am trying to get my school to consider some reasonable adjustments. I know schools are dynamic places with lots of moving parts so I’m trying to be thoughtful and realistic with what I’m asking for. This has not been a positive experience for me so far, and process of requesting adjustments seems really opaque at my school.

Parents
  • Hi 
    I think https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/employment/what-are-reasonable-adjustments-and-when-can-they from  is a good resource.
    I also think I understand from personal experience how overwhelming it is to navigate the "opaque" process of getting adjustments, especially when you are newly diagnosed and dealing with the unique stressors of a school environment.  I think that I understand that being autistic in a school requires an amount of extra, unseen hard work just to mask and navigate the constant sensory and social demands, which makes having the right adjustments vital to prevent meltdowns and burnout.
    Have you heard of Damian Milton’s "double empathy problem"? It suggests that communication breakdowns between autistic and non-autistic people aren't due to a deficit on our part, but a two-way mismatch in experiences and communication styles. Because schools have so many moving parts, it can maybe feel like both sides need a "translation service" just to understand each other's perspectives on what is "reasonable" and manageable.
    Personally, I have started using AI tools as a communication bridge to help with this translation. When I need to draft a message or format a formal request, I use AI to help rephrase my thoughts. I usually start by prompt-priming it—letting the AI know that I am autistic (so its algorithms adjust appropriately - well by my experience mostly!) and asking it to help me structure my text for a neurotypical workplace environment. I also ask it to analyse what the neurotypical thoughts and unwritten expectations might be behind the school's responses, which helps me see where they are coming from.
    If you decide to try this, just be careful:
    • Avoid rabbit holes: It is easy to spend hours tweaking prompts or getting lost in long conversations with the tool.
    • Watch out for "hallucinations": AI can sometimes give inaccurate advice or simulate emotional agreement, so always double-check the final output and don't let it lead you astray.
    • Keep it secure: Never type sensitive personal details or specific school/employer information into public AI tools.
    Using a tool like this could maybe help protect your energy so you can focus on what matters. Autistic educators bring important benefits to a school environment—such as deep problem-solving skills, intense focus, strong empathy for neurodivergent students, and an ability to see systemic improvements that others miss.
    Finding the right adjustments is a learning curve, but looking at it through the lens of a mutual translation issue might help you clarify how to frame your requests. Best of luck with everything!
    Disclaimer: The use of AI tools mentioned above is based on my personal experience as an aid for communication and productivity. It is not official advice, and users should always exercise caution, protect sensitive data, and independently verify any professional or legal information provided by AI systems.
Reply
  • Hi 
    I think https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/employment/what-are-reasonable-adjustments-and-when-can-they from  is a good resource.
    I also think I understand from personal experience how overwhelming it is to navigate the "opaque" process of getting adjustments, especially when you are newly diagnosed and dealing with the unique stressors of a school environment.  I think that I understand that being autistic in a school requires an amount of extra, unseen hard work just to mask and navigate the constant sensory and social demands, which makes having the right adjustments vital to prevent meltdowns and burnout.
    Have you heard of Damian Milton’s "double empathy problem"? It suggests that communication breakdowns between autistic and non-autistic people aren't due to a deficit on our part, but a two-way mismatch in experiences and communication styles. Because schools have so many moving parts, it can maybe feel like both sides need a "translation service" just to understand each other's perspectives on what is "reasonable" and manageable.
    Personally, I have started using AI tools as a communication bridge to help with this translation. When I need to draft a message or format a formal request, I use AI to help rephrase my thoughts. I usually start by prompt-priming it—letting the AI know that I am autistic (so its algorithms adjust appropriately - well by my experience mostly!) and asking it to help me structure my text for a neurotypical workplace environment. I also ask it to analyse what the neurotypical thoughts and unwritten expectations might be behind the school's responses, which helps me see where they are coming from.
    If you decide to try this, just be careful:
    • Avoid rabbit holes: It is easy to spend hours tweaking prompts or getting lost in long conversations with the tool.
    • Watch out for "hallucinations": AI can sometimes give inaccurate advice or simulate emotional agreement, so always double-check the final output and don't let it lead you astray.
    • Keep it secure: Never type sensitive personal details or specific school/employer information into public AI tools.
    Using a tool like this could maybe help protect your energy so you can focus on what matters. Autistic educators bring important benefits to a school environment—such as deep problem-solving skills, intense focus, strong empathy for neurodivergent students, and an ability to see systemic improvements that others miss.
    Finding the right adjustments is a learning curve, but looking at it through the lens of a mutual translation issue might help you clarify how to frame your requests. Best of luck with everything!
    Disclaimer: The use of AI tools mentioned above is based on my personal experience as an aid for communication and productivity. It is not official advice, and users should always exercise caution, protect sensitive data, and independently verify any professional or legal information provided by AI systems.
Children
  • in reply to Phased

    Thanks for this thoughtful reply. When trying to advocate for myself I can sometimes feel backed into over explaining in the hope of being believed, so using tools to support this I will give some consideration.

    Schools are staffed by some brilliant verbally dexterous leaders, probably because they spend so much time managing students as well as colleagues, so difficult conversations can feel especially hard when my processing is slower than usual.