Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to The Neurodivergence Task and Finish Group's report on children and young people, published on 23 February 2026, whether she will commission research on the experiences, retention and contribution of neurodivergent members of the school workforce.

The department welcomes the Neurodivergence Task and Finish Group’s report on meeting the needs of neurodivergent children and young people. We value the contribution of neurodivergent teachers and recognise the importance of an inclusive workforce and school cultures in which all staff and pupils feel supported. We remain committed to helping all pupils, including neurodivergent pupils, to achieve and thrive through high-quality teaching and effective special educational needs and disabilities support.

While the report does not recommend additional research into neurodivergent workforce, we recognise better data can help support a more inclusive workforce. The School Workforce Census collects disability information, including from neurodivergent staff, but does record neurodivergence separately due to low response rates and data reliability. We value data on teachers’ experiences across different characteristics and regularly review the census, balancing evidence needs against staff privacy, data quality and burdens on schools. Additionally, our longitudinal Working Lives of Teachers and Leaders survey also captures teachers’ experiences.