Working Parents of Neurodivergent Children

Hello, I’m so pleased you’re here.

I’m Jessica Chivers, a coaching psychologist, founder of The Talent Keeper Specialists and author of “Mothers Work! How to Get a Grip on Guilt and Make a Smooth Return to Work”. I’m also mother of two neurodivergent teenagers and I’d really like to know your experience of being a working parent to one or more neurodivergent children.

 

Here at The Talent Keeper Specialists we are growing our understanding and capability to coach people whose careers and work performance are affected by neurodivergence. Working people who are ND,  line managers of neurodivergent team members and  working parents of children who have ADHD, autism or who are neurodivergent in another way.

 

Survey to understand the experience of working parents with (a) neurodivergent child(ren)

We would like to deepen our understanding of how parents’ careers, relationships and wellbeing are affected by their child being neurodivergent. We’re starting by inviting working parents to tell us about their experiences via a confidential survey.

The survey has two sections:

  1. The first section is quick to complete. It will take about 5 minutes.
  2. The second section asks for more detailed reflections from you about your career, wellbeing and relationships as someone raising a child (or children) who is/are neurodivergent. This is likely to take 15-20 minutes depending on how much of what I’m asking is sitting top of mind. You might like a cup of tea and a comfy chair for this bit.

When I wrote my first book I used a survey like this to gather insights before I started writing. People told me they found answering the questions cathartic and looked forward to subsequent surveys gathering their experiences for specific chapters.

 

My experience of raising a child with ADHD, oppositional behaviours and “atypical autism”

My son was permanently excluded from school four months before his GCSE’s in 2022 for ‘persistent disruptive behaviour’. My marriage has been on the brink. And quite frankly I’ve thanked my lucky stars I began working for myself age 25 as I don’t know how on earth I’d have kept earning as an employee these past six years. I LOVE my job but being a parent to an ND child requires higher levels of flexibility and understanding than most employers will give.

I have learned more than I ever would have liked to about how to stay upright and afloat professionally and personally when you’re caring this extra complexity of caring load. School refusal, being called out of meetings, being called into school meetings, fighting for an EHCP (and winning!), cajoling kids for CAMHS appointments, feeling judged by other parents, living with an anxious feeling in your chest…the list goes on.

I was screened for ADHD using the Qb in 2022 and was formally assessed and given a diagnosis of ADHD in November 2023.

(The photo above is from the entrance to a CAMHS space in Hertfordshire at my son’s last appointment July 2024 as he approaches 18).

 

A few helpful resources right now

 

Please be in touch if I raised anything in this post that you would like to discuss, including coaching: hello@talentkeepers.co.uk and +44 (0)1727 856169.