As outlined above, Neurodivergent individuals have spiky profiles with different strengths and needs across settings. The previous sections have explored general guidance on how to make services more neuroinclusive, and to ascertain the specific strengths and needs of the individuals you are working with. This information will help practitioners to support a client to engage more effectively and prevent and manage distress.
We know that Neurodivergent people are over-represented within the criminal justice system and experience poorer criminal justice outcomes38. Autistic people may also typically have been placed on programmes designed for learning-disabled people. While research on neurodivergence and domestic abuse perpetrator interventions is still in its infancy, individuals with ADHD have been found to drop out of domestic abuse perpetrator programmes (and re-assault their partners) at higher rates39. This is likely a consequence of failing to develop neuroinclusive programmes40, including ensuring that the intervention is a safe space for all to share and learn, irrespective of differences.
In this section we will explore how to apply information gathered via the assessment phase in practice, further guidance on how to prepare a neurodiverse population of clients to learn together in mixed neurotype groups, and what you can do if things go wrong.
This section will cover the following areas:
- 5.4a Scenario three: conflict in the group
- 5.4b Group and intervention rules and agreements.
- 5.4c Providing predictability during sessions.
- 5.4d Communicating information and facilitating learning.
- 5.4e Recognising and preventing distress.
- 5.4f Responding to distress.
- 5.4g Group work – managing competing needs.
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HM Inspectorate of Prisons (2021). Neurodiversity in the criminal justice system.
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Romero-Martínez, Á., Lila, M., Sarrate-Costa, C., Comes-Fayos, J., & Moya-Albiol, L. (2023). The interaction between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and neuropsychological deficits for explaining dropout and recidivism of intimate partner violence perpetrators. European Journal of Psychology Applied to Legal Context, 15(1), 33–42.
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Renehan, N. (2026). Towards Neurodiversity-Affirmative Provision Within Domestic Abuse Perpetrator Programs: Exploring the Experiences and Perspectives of Domestic Abuse Practitioners From Australia, The Netherlands, The United Kingdom and The United States. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 0(0).
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