Rethinking Neuro inclusion in UK Local Government: Lessons from The Canary Code
- truthaboutlocalgov
- 4 days ago
- 9 min read
Local government in the UK is operating under extraordinary strain. Councils are navigating rising demand, workforce shortages, financial instability, and increasing public scrutiny. Services that were already stretched before the pandemic are now facing unprecedented pressures: adult social care demand continues to rise, children’s services are absorbing increasingly complex caseloads, and the cost‑of‑living crisis has driven more residents to seek support. At the same time, councils are grappling with real‑terms funding reductions, recruitment challenges across critical professions, and a political environment where every decision is scrutinised by the public, the media, and central government.
In this context, the sector cannot afford to overlook the talent, insight, and innovation that neurodivergent staff bring. Councils need people who can think differently, spot patterns others miss, challenge assumptions, and bring fresh perspectives to entrenched problems. Neurodivergent employees often excel in exactly these areas, yet many remain under‑supported, under‑utilised, or entirely excluded by systems that were never designed with them in mind.
The Canary Code, developed by organisational psychologist Dr Ludmila Praslova, offers a framework for building workplaces where neurodivergent people can thrive. But its relevance goes far beyond individual adjustments or disability inclusion. It speaks directly to the systemic issues shaping culture, performance, and wellbeing across the public sector: how organisations listen to their people, how they design processes, how they measure performance, and how they respond to early warning signs of dysfunction or risk.
For councils, this is not simply a matter of fairness or compliance. It is about organisational resilience. Neurodivergent staff are often the first to notice when systems are breaking down, when workloads are unsustainable, or when cultures are becoming unsafe. They are the “canaries” in the coal mine, and when their insights are ignored, organisations miss opportunities to intervene early, prevent harm, and improve services.
This blog explores why these ideas matter for UK councils, and why embracing them is not just compassionate, but strategically essential.
Why Neuro inclusion Matters for the UK Public Sector
The scale of the issue in Britain
The UK data is stark:
According to the Office for National Statistics, only 29% of autistic adults are in employment, the lowest rate of any disability group.
Around 15–20% of the UK population is neurodivergent, meaning every council already employs neurodivergent staff, whether they feel safe to disclose or not.
Research from the CIPD shows that neurodivergent employees are more likely to experience workplace stress, discrimination, and barriers to progression, often due to rigid processes or inconsistent management.
Local government workforce surveys consistently highlight recruitment and retention challenges, with many councils struggling to fill specialist and technical roles, from planning officers to social workers to digital specialists.
This is not a niche issue. It is a workforce, productivity, and culture issue. Neuro inclusion is not simply about supporting a minority group, it is about unlocking the potential of a significant proportion of the workforce, improving organisational health, and strengthening the sector’s ability to deliver for communities under pressure.
What The Canary Code Teaches Us
Praslova’s framework is built around six principles that help organisations create environments where neurodivergent people can thrive. Crucially, these principles don’t sit on the periphery of organisational development, they align directly with the values, pressures, and operational realities of UK local government. Councils already aspire to fairness, transparency, accountability, and value for money. The Canary Code simply provides a structure for turning those aspirations into everyday practice. Below is an expanded look at each principle and why it matters so profoundly for the public sector.
1. Participation
Neurodivergent staff often spot risks, inefficiencies, or cultural issues earlier than others, the “canary in the coal mine”. Their sensitivity to patterns, inconsistencies, and emerging problems means they frequently identify issues long before they escalate. When councils fail to include these voices, they lose early warnings about:
safeguarding concerns
toxic team dynamics
inaccessible processes
inequitable decision‑making
policy blind spots
operational risks that others may normalise or overlook
In a sector built on accountability and public scrutiny, participation is not optional, it’s essential. Councils that silence or sideline neurodivergent perspectives inadvertently weaken their own governance, risk management, and organisational learning. Inclusion is not just morally right; it is operationally intelligent.
2. Outcome Focus
Traditional performance management often rewards conformity over impact. This is particularly problematic in local government, where rigid competency frameworks and behavioural indicators can unintentionally penalise people who think or communicate differently.
Neurodivergent staff may:
structure tasks in unconventional ways
communicate more directly or more sparsely
prefer written over verbal updates
work in deep focus rather than constant collaboration
None of these differences diminish their contribution. In fact, they often enhance it.
Outcome‑focused management aligns with public sector values: fairness, transparency, and value for money. It shifts the emphasis from how someone works to what they deliver. For councils under pressure to do more with less, this shift is not just inclusive, it is efficient.
3. Flexibility
Rigid systems disproportionately disadvantage neurodivergent people. Councils often pride themselves on consistency, but consistency can easily become inflexibility. Flexibility in:
communication (e.g., offering written instructions, avoiding ambiguous language)
scheduling (e.g., allowing quiet hours, predictable routines, or remote work)
sensory environments (e.g., reducing noise, harsh lighting, or interruptions)
task allocation (e.g., matching strengths to responsibilities)
…is not about lowering standards. It’s about enabling people to meet them.
For many neurodivergent staff, small adjustments can make the difference between thriving and burning out. And when councils build flexibility into their systems, everyone benefits, not just neurodivergent employees.
4. Organisational Justice
Despite strong equality frameworks, neurodivergent staff often experience:
inconsistent adjustments
unclear expectations
inequitable treatment in capability or disciplinary processes
informal norms that disadvantage those who don’t “fit in”
performance conversations that focus on style rather than substance
Justice is not just procedural, it’s cultural. Councils may have policies that look fair on paper, but fairness is experienced in the day‑to‑day interactions between managers and staff. When neurodivergent employees feel they are treated differently, or that their needs are seen as inconvenient, trust erodes.
Organisational justice is foundational to psychological safety, and psychological safety is foundational to good governance.
5. Transparency
Ambiguity is a major barrier for many neurodivergent employees. Vague expectations, shifting priorities, and unspoken norms create unnecessary stress and reduce performance. Clear expectations, predictable processes, and open communication reduce anxiety and improve outcomes.
In a sector built on public accountability, transparency should be a strength. Yet internally, councils often rely on unwritten rules, informal networks, and tacit knowledge. Neurodivergent staff are disproportionately disadvantaged by this.
Transparent systems benefit everyone, but they are transformative for those who struggle with ambiguity.
6. Valid Measurement
Many assessment tools, interviews, competency frameworks, performance ratings, are biased towards neurotypical communication styles. Councils risk misjudging talent and potential when they rely on:
panel interviews that reward social fluency
competency frameworks that prioritise “behaviours” over outcomes
performance ratings influenced by interpersonal style
promotion processes that favour extroversion or political skill
Valid measurement means evaluating what actually matters: capability, contribution, and impact.
For councils facing recruitment challenges, mismeasurement is not a minor issue, it is a strategic risk. When neurodivergent talent is overlooked or misjudged, the organisation loses skills it desperately needs.
Why This Matters Specifically for UK Local Government
1. Councils need diverse thinking to solve complex problems
Local government is dealing with challenges that are not only complex, but systemic. These are not issues that can be solved through linear thinking or traditional approaches. Councils need people who can see patterns, anticipate unintended consequences, and challenge assumptions, and neurodivergent staff often excel in exactly these areas.
Neurodivergent strengths frequently include:
systems thinking, seeing how policies, processes, and behaviours interact
pattern recognition, spotting anomalies, risks, or emerging trends early
creative problem‑solving, approaching challenges from unconventional angles
deep focus, sustaining attention on complex tasks that others may find overwhelming
These strengths map directly onto some of the most pressing issues facing councils today:
social care transformation, where long‑term thinking and system redesign are essential
digital modernisation, which requires analytical rigour and innovative thinking
climate adaptation, demanding pattern recognition and scenario planning
financial resilience, where councils must identify efficiencies without compromising outcomes
In short, neurodivergent staff bring exactly the kind of cognitive diversity that complex public sector problems require.
2. Public sector values naturally align with Neuro inclusion
Fairness, dignity, and equity are already embedded in the ethos of local government. Councils are expected to model the values they promote in their communities. The Canary Code does not ask organisations to adopt new values, it simply provides a practical framework for living out the ones they already hold.
Neuro inclusion strengthens:
fairness, by ensuring systems do not inadvertently disadvantage certain ways of thinking
dignity, by recognising and valuing difference rather than pathologising it
equity, by providing support based on need rather than uniformity
For councils, Neuro inclusion is not an add‑on. It is a natural extension of their public duty.
3. Workforce shortages demand new approaches
The recruitment and retention crisis in local government is well documented. Councils are struggling to fill roles in:
planning
social work
environmental health
digital and data
legal and regulatory services
At the same time, a significant proportion of the UK’s neurodivergent population remains unemployed or underemployed, not because of lack of ability, but because traditional recruitment and management practices exclude them.
Tapping into this under‑utilised talent pool is not only inclusive; it is strategically necessary. Councils cannot afford to overlook capable people simply because their strengths do not fit conventional moulds.
4. Psychological safety improves service quality
Psychological safety, the confidence to speak up without fear of negative consequences, is a cornerstone of effective public service. When staff feel safe to raise concerns, challenge decisions, or highlight risks, councils are better able to:
prevent safeguarding failures
identify process breakdowns
address cultural issues early
avoid ethical or compliance breaches
Neurodivergent staff are often the first to notice when something is not working. But if the culture punishes difference, discourages candour, or rewards conformity, those early warnings go unheard.
A psychologically safe environment is not only good for staff, it is essential for protecting residents and maintaining public trust.
UK Data That Strengthens the Case
The Local Government Association reports persistent recruitment challenges across the sector, particularly in planning, social work, environmental health, and digital roles, areas where neurodivergent strengths are often highly relevant.
The Office for National Statistics highlights that disabled employees are more likely to face workplace discrimination, with neurodivergent people reporting some of the highest barriers to progression and inclusion.
Research from Deloitte shows that inclusive cultures improve innovation by up to 20% and significantly reduce staff turnover, a critical advantage for councils facing budget pressures and workforce instability.
Studies consistently show that diverse teams outperform homogeneous ones, especially in complex problem‑solving and crisis response, exactly the conditions in which councils operate.
What UK Councils Can Do Next
Turning the principles of The Canary Code into practice requires more than goodwill, it requires intentional redesign of systems, culture, and leadership behaviours. The following actions offer a practical starting point for councils ready to build genuinely neuro inclusive workplaces.
1. Audit your talent systems
Most barriers faced by neurodivergent staff are created unintentionally by systems that assume a narrow range of communication and working styles. Councils can begin by reviewing:
recruitment, Are job descriptions unnecessarily broad? Do interviews over‑rely on social performance?
onboarding, Are expectations clear, structured, and accessible?
performance management, Are outcomes prioritised over behaviours?
leadership development, Are managers equipped to support diverse thinkers?
A neuroinclusive audit helps councils identify where processes inadvertently filter out talent or create avoidable stress.
2. Train managers in neuroinclusive practice
Most exclusion in the workplace is not deliberate, it stems from uncertainty, lack of confidence, or reliance on “default” ways of working. Managers play a pivotal role in shaping day‑to‑day experience, yet many have never received training on:
recognising neurodivergent strengths
offering clarity without micromanagement
adapting communication styles
providing consistent, fair adjustments
Training builds competence, but it also builds permission, permission for managers to lead differently, and permission for staff to ask for what they need.
3. Create psychologically safe teams
Psychological safety is the foundation of high‑performing public services. Councils can foster it by:
encouraging open dialogue and curiosity
reducing ambiguity in priorities and expectations
normalising difference rather than pathologising it
responding constructively when staff raise concerns
When neurodivergent employees feel safe to speak up, councils gain earlier insight into risks, inefficiencies, and cultural issues, insights that protect residents and improve services.
4. Co‑design adjustments with staff
Adjustments work best when they are collaborative. Neurodivergent people are experts in their own needs, and councils benefit from treating adjustments as:
conversations, not checklists
dynamic, not one‑off decisions
tailored, not standardised
Co‑design ensures adjustments are meaningful, sustainable, and aligned with both individual strengths and organisational goals.
5. Embed the Canary Code principles across the organisation
Neuro inclusion cannot sit solely within HR or Equality, Diversity and Inclusion teams. It must be woven into:
leadership expectations
service design
organisational development
governance and risk management
workforce strategy
This is not an HR project, it’s a cultural shift. Councils that embed these principles create environments where all staff, not just neurodivergent colleagues, can thrive.
Final Thought
Neurodivergent staff are not the problem. They are often the early warning system, the canaries signalling where systems, cultures, or processes are failing. When councils listen, adapt, and redesign work with these insights in mind, everyone benefits. A neuro inclusive council is a healthier, fairer, and more effective council. It is better equipped to navigate complexity, respond to risk, and deliver for its communities. And in a sector under immense pressure, that is not just desirable, it is essential.
