Children and young people with Autism and ADHD are being failed by a lack of understanding in education.

We call on the UK Government to make Autism and ADHD training mandatory for all educational staff, from nursery through to university, so every student can be supported, included, and understood.

Across the UK, thousands of autistic and ADHD students are struggling in silence — not because they can’t learn, but because they aren’t understood.

Many teachers and support staff want to help but simply haven’t been given the right training. Most receive little to no education about Autism or ADHD during their teacher training or careers. This means signs are often missed, needs are misunderstood, and students are unfairly labelled as “disruptive”, “lazy”, or “difficult”.

This lack of awareness can lead to anxiety, exclusion, school refusal, and damaged confidence for students who just need understanding and the right kind of support. It also leaves parents and carers exhausted from fighting a system that isn’t equipped to help.

We — autistic students, ADHD students, families, and educators believe that must change.

We are calling on the Department for Education to make Autism and ADHD awareness and support training mandatory for all educational staff in every early years setting, school, college, and university in England.

This should include:

All teachers, teaching assistants, early years and support staff and senior leadership.

Compulsory training as part of Initial Teacher Training and ongoing Continuing Professional Development.

Practical, evidence-based training focused on:

Recognising early signs of Autism and ADHD

Understanding sensory needs and emotional regulation

Adapting teaching and communication approaches

Supporting students compassionately and effectively

This training must align with the SEND Code of Practice and ensure every educator understands their responsibility to meet the needs of all learners, not just academically, but emotionally and socially too.

The SEND Code of Practice states that “every teacher is a teacher of pupils with SEND.”

But without proper, mandatory training, this cannot truly be achieved.

We call on the Government to act now — to make Autism and ADHD training mandatory for all educational staff across all levels of education.

Because understanding is not optional. It’s essential.

Please sign and share this petition to urge the Department for Education to make this change a national priority.

Together — as students, families, and educators we can build an education system that celebrates neurodiversity and ensures that every child and young person is seen, supported, and understood.