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Neurodiversity Specialist Coaching

Frequently asked questions for educators

Contents

What is neurodiversity specialist coaching?

Neurodiversity specialist coaching is a structured, confidential form of one-to-one professional support delivered by a qualified coach with specialist expertise in neurodivergence, including knowledge of specific neurotypes such as ADHD, autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia and dyscalculia. 

It aims to help neurodivergent individuals understand how their neurotype affects the way they think, work, and learn, and to develop practical, personalised strategies that work with their cognitive profile rather than against it.

Sessions are exploratory and goal-focused. The coach will help the coachee identify their strengths, understand the specific challenges they face, and build a toolkit of techniques they can apply in their day-to-day training and clinical practice.

Why might neurodiversity specialist coaching benefit a PGDiT?

Postgraduate training can be very demanding, and its combination of clinical work, examinations, portfolio requirements, and frequent transitions between posts and locations can be particularly challenging for neurodivergent PGDiTs. Neurodiversity specialist coaching can support PGDiTs to understand the specific reasons they may be finding aspects of their training difficult and to develop practical strategies that are realistic in a clinical environment.

Coaching commonly addresses areas such as time management and organisation, managing high cognitive load in clinical settings, examination preparation, portfolio engagement, communication, managing transitions, and building self-advocacy. It also takes a strengths-based approach, helping PGDiTs to identify and harness the valuable strengths that often accompany neurodivergence and can have significant benefit in healthcare, such as creativity, pattern recognition, attention to detail, and sustained focus.

Where a PGDiT's neurodiversity assessment report recommends specialist coaching, this is a strong indicator that coaching is likely to be beneficial, and you should ensure they are aware of the routes available to them.

When should I consider requesting deanery-funded neurodiversity specialist coaching for a PGDiT?

The deanery may be able to fund neurodiversity specialist coaching where a PGDiT:

  • Has already applied to Access to Work and be awaiting an outcome  or  be ineligible for Access to Work

 and 

  • Has an immediate need for support, for example, a resit examination is approaching or they have fewer than twelve months of training time remaining

As with deanery-funded neurodiversity assessments, specialist neurodiversity coaching can only be funded by the deanery where there is an impact to the PGDiT's training progression.

  • Where a PGDiT was assessed by Genius Within via the Professional Support Neurodiversity Assessment Pathway, an impact on training has already been provided and a neurodiversity coaching request can be submitted without any further evidence.
  • Where a PGDiT was assessed by Genius Within via the GP School Neurodiversity Assessment Pathway  or  has a prior diagnosis from an appropriately qualified professional, there must be an impact on the PGDiT's subsequent training progression for neurodiversity specialist coaching to be funded. This impact must be described within the neurodiversity coaching request and therefore must be noticeable to/identified by the PGDiT's Educational Supervisor and/or Training Programme Director for the funding to be justified.

Before requesting coaching referral, you should meet the PGDiT to discuss their circumstances and support needs, and ensure they are eligible for funding. 

If you are uncertain whether a PGDiT meets the criteria, please contact the Professional Support Team for advice.

Should I encourage PGDiTs to apply to Access to Work before requesting deanery funding?

Yes. Where a PGDiT is eligible for Access to Work, this is the primary route we would encourage, as it can fund up to twelve hours of specialist coaching, which is more than the maximum of eight hours available through deanery funding, as well as specialist equipment and technology. You can find more information on our Reasonable Adjustments and Practical Support page.

Deanery-funded coaching is intended as an interim measure for those who are awaiting an Access to Work outcome and have an immediate need, or for those who are ineligible for Access to Work.

How do I submit a request for deanery-funded neurodiversity specialist coaching?

Requests for deanery-funded coaching must be submitted by the Training Programme Director; PGDiTs are not able to self-refer.

To submit a request, please complete and submit the online Neurodiversity Coaching Request Form.

 

The request form will ask you to provide contextual information, including the basis on which you are requesting coaching (i.e. the assessment report recommendation or prior diagnosis), the nature of the immediate need (for example, an upcoming resit or limited remaining training time), any support that has already been put in place, and to confirm the PGDiT has consented to the referral. 

The more context you can provide in the request form, the better placed the Professional Support Team will be to promptly process it. 

What happens after a coaching request is submitted?

A copy of the submitted request form is emailed to you and the PGDiT for your reference. 

The Professional Support Team aim to review requests within five working days of receipt. We may contact you for more information if the request form doesn't provide enough context of the PGDiT's need for timely specialist coaching.

Once a request is approved, we will submit an email referral to our neurodiversity coaching provider, Genius Within, copied to you and the PGDiT for your reference. Genius Within will contact the PGDiT directly to arrange their first session.

What if a PGDiT has a prior diagnosis rather than having been assessed through the deanery pathway?

Where a PGDiT has a pre-existing diagnosis, you should follow the same process of completing the Neurodiversity Coaching Request Form. You will be asked an additional question about impacts on training progression, equivalent to that asked within the neurodiversity assessment request form.

After receipt, the Professional Support Team will liaise with the PGDiT to review diagnostic evidence before any referral is made to the coaching provider. The referral will be copied to you and the PGDiT for your reference. If we experience any difficulties or delays in receiving evidence from the PGDiT, we will keep you informed. 

What is my role during a PGDiT's coaching programme?

Coaching sessions are confidential and the content of conversations between a PGDiT and their coach will not be shared with you. Your role is to support the PGDiT to attend their sessions, to have regular supportive conversations about how they are progressing, and to implement any reasonable adjustments or support recommendations that arise from their assessment report or coaching.

Where a PGDiT shares updates with you about their coaching and the strategies they are developing, you can help by providing opportunities for them to put these strategies into practice in their training environment. For example, if a PGDiT is working on strategies to manage their workload, you might support this by agreeing interim milestones for portfolio tasks.

What if the PGDiT I am supporting cannot access deanery-funded coaching?

Where deanery funding for specialist coaching is not available, there are a number of other options you can recommend to PGDiTs:

  • If the PGDiT is eligible, an Access to Work grant may fund specialist coaching and they don't need to have had an assessment or diagnosis to apply. More information is available on our Reasonable Adjustments and Practical Support pages.
  • The deanery's coaching scheme offers up to six sessions with a trained coach at no cost to the PGDiT. The number of sessions can be increased, where formallt requested and appropriate. Whilst our coaches have undertaken neurodiversity training, including workshops focused on specific approaches to coaching neurodivergent individuals, they aren't qualified specialists in this area. However, all our trained coaches are current or past postgraduate educators, have a thorough understanding of the clinical and training context and many have experience of both supporting neurodivergent PGDiTs and supporting neurotypical PGDiTs who experience similar challenges to those of individual neurotypes, including but not limited to organisation, prioritisation and interpersonal skills.
  • Our Professional Skills Courses cover a range of topics relevant to neurodivergent PGDiTs, including time management, communication and managing compassion sustainably.
  • Our Neurodiversity and Me eLearning resource, available via our Educational and Supportive Resources pages, offers self-paced support for PGDiTs to understand their neurotype and develop positive strategies.

A combination of these options is often the most effective approach.

We also recommend viewing our Supporting neurodivergent PGDiTs page, which provides guidance and advice to educators and supervisors. 

I have further questions. Who can I contact?

If you have any questions about neurodiversity specialist coaching or broader neurodiversity support options, please contact the Professional Support Team.

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