Neurodivergence is surprisingly common in funeral service but until recently it went unrecognised. Ruth Nicholas reports
A question about neurodivergence was tacked onto a trade association membership survey a couple of years ago and the results took everyone by surprise. Well, not everyone, because it brought to light what
many knew but no one seemed to talk about.
Last month’s article acknowledging the number of differently wired brains working in funeral service touched a nerve. The response was overwhelming and overwhelmingly positive, with people from across the
bereavement sector broadly saying “at last”. Many people with ADHD, autism, dyslexia and dyscalculia got in touch to talk about their experiences, a handful of which you’ll find on the following pages.
There are many reasons why neurodivergence was the pachyderm in the parlour. Not everyone wants to disclose their condition; some fear the consequences. Not everyone understands neurodivergence and
some don’t believe it really exists (‘people didn’t have it back in my day’) or that everyone is on the spectrum/has a touch of ADHD/is a bit OCD etc. Some don’t want to acknowledge to themselves that their brains work differently.
For the record, ADHD was first described in 1798, dyslexia was identified in 1877, and the term autism was introduced in 1911.
While we’re at it, let’s tackle ‘everyone is on the spectrum because (ta-da) it’s a spectrum’ and everyone is a little bit ADHD. The autism spectrum isn’t from ‘not very’ to ‘wow that guy is totally autistic’; it’s a spectrum of characteristics or symptoms, not a yardstick. Everyone has jittery or distracted moments, but there’s a world of difference between having too much coffee and the ADHD brain permanently flying like a Formula 1 car around Silverstone.
Research by the National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors (SAIF) in 2024 highlighted the number of neurodivergent people: one in three business owners, one in four across the profession. It also pointed up problems people were experiencing, such as 56% said they lacked sufficient knowledge of neurodivergence, 61% struggled with understanding and applying adjustments for ND staff, 33% reported
making no adjustments at all and 6% had already ended up in employment tribunals.
The numbers are based on an admittedly small sample, but nonetheless fascinating if indicative, not least because a sizeable minority identified themselves as being differently wired, but the majority of respondents declared a lack of understanding. That 55% struggle with identifying/enabling strengths of ND
employees, is particularly intriguing.
Last month’s flash survey by SAIF painted a more positive picture. People are becoming more comfortable disclosing their differences; almost 80% of respondents had fully or partially disclosed. When these things are discussed, neurodifferent people thrive. Over 79% believe their differences are an asset and there is a strong correlation between disclosure and the perception of neurodivergence as a strength. Respondents
who’ve fully disclosed are significantly more likely to view it as a major strength.
Support is mixed but moving in the right direction. Some 25.6% of neurodivergent respondents described their workplace as supportive and the same number as sometimes supportive, but over 15% feel the workplace is not. These findings suggest a clear need for greater awareness, understanding, and support.