Adopted on: 5th June 2023

First Review Completed on: 7th September 2025

Next Review Due By: 7th September 2026

Our Commitment

ADHD PIRATES CIC is committed to providing equal opportunities in employment, services, and all areas of its work, avoiding unlawful discrimination and fostering an inclusive environment that embraces neurodiversity and all forms of human difference. We strive to treat everyone with dignity and respect, creating equitable opportunities for individuals of all backgrounds.

The Law

We comply with the Equality Act 2010, which makes it unlawful to discriminate based on protected characteristics, including:

• Age
• Disability
• Sex
• Gender reassignment
• Marriage and civil partnership
• Pregnancy and maternity
• Race (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins)
• Religion or belief
• Sexual orientation

Under the Equality Act 2010, a disability is defined as a physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities. The Government’s statutory guidance states:
‘A disability can arise from a wide range of impairments which can be … developmental, such as autistic spectrum disorders (ASD), dyslexia and dyspraxia.’ Neurodivergent individuals, including those with ADHD, may meet these criteria, which provide protections against discrimination and a duty to make reasonable adjustments where applicable.

Further information can be found in the Equality Act 2010. We comply with the Equality Act 2010, which makes it unlawful to discriminate based on protected characteristics, including:

• Age
• Disability
• Sex
• Gender reassignment
• Marriage and civil partnership
• Pregnancy and maternity
• Race (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins)
• Religion or belief
• Sexual orientation

ADHD PIRATES CIC recognises the importance of fostering inclusive practices as highlighted by the Equality Act 2010. We are committed to ensuring reasonable adjustments and protections are in place for individuals with conditions such as ADHD, where these meet the Act’s criteria for disability.

Types of Discrimination

 

Discrimination means being treated unfairly because of who you are. It can happen in different ways:

 

Direct Discrimination

Treating someone less favourably because of a protected characteristic. For example, rejecting a job applicant solely due to their age.

Indirect Discrimination

Implementing policies or practices that disadvantage individuals with a protected characteristic without justification. For example, requiring all employees to work long hours, which could disadvantage people with caring responsibilities.

Harassment

Unwanted behaviour related to a protected characteristic that violates someone’s dignity or creates a hostile, degrading, or offensive environment. For example, making jokes about someone’s religion or disability.

Associative Discrimination

Treating someone less favourably due to their association with an individual who has a protected characteristic. For example, discriminating against an employee because their partner has a disability.

Perceptive Discrimination

Treating someone less favourably because they are perceived to have a protected characteristic, whether or not they actually do. For example, assuming someone is gay and treating them unfairly.

Third-Party Harassment

Harassment by service users, suppliers, or others due to a protected characteristic. ADHD PIRATES CIC will take steps to address such harassment when reported.

Victimisation

Unfavourable treatment due to actions like supporting a complaint or raising a grievance under the Equality Act. For example, demoting someone for providing evidence in a discrimination case.

Failure to Make Reasonable Adjustments

Not making changes to reduce disadvantages for individuals with protected characteristics, especially disabilities. For example, not providing a ramp for wheelchair users to access a building or refusing to adapt tasks for an employee with ADHD who struggles with executive function.

Reasonable Adjustments

ADHD PIRATES CIC is committed to removing barriers for individuals with disabilities and fostering inclusivity. Reasonable adjustments may include:

• Physical changes to meeting spaces and other environments.
• Modifications to working practices or communication methods.
• Providing additional equipment or assistance to meet individual needs.

For neurodivergent individuals, including those with ADHD, adjustments may also include:

• Flexible working hours or breaks to support focus and energy regulation.
• Written instructions or breaking tasks into smaller, manageable steps.
• Minimising sensory distractions in the workplace.
• Clear and consistent communication to reduce overwhelm.

Our Accessibility Initiatives

 

We go beyond standard adjustments to create environments that are accessible and welcoming for everyone:

A Purpose-Built Website: Designed to meet industry-leading accessibility standards, with tools to adjust text size, contrast, and readability.

Quiet Rooms and Sensory Aids: All venues include a dedicated quiet room and sensory tools, such as fidget devices, to support focus and self-regulation.

Simplified Feedback Techniques: Evaluation and feedback tools are available in both written and digital formats, designed to minimise cognitive load and enhance usability.

Clear Support Group Information:

Detailed directions, including parking guidance, maps, and visual aids like building photos.

A welcoming and informal meeting environment to help attendees feel comfortable.

Confidential, non-judgmental discussions offering practical advice on local services, treatment, and life management.

Recruitment

While ADHD PIRATES CIC does not currently recruit staff, we remain committed to inclusive recruitment practices. These include:

Avoiding unnecessary requirements unrelated to job performance.

Offering adjustments for candidates with disabilities.

While we do not currently recruit staff, if this changes we will evidence our compliance with equality law by documenting adjustments offered during recruitment and monitoring outcomes.

Equal Opportunities in Employment

We avoid unlawful discrimination in all aspects of employment, including promotions, pay, training, and redundancy. When applicable, reasonable adjustments will be made to support employees.

Accessibility and Inclusion Practices

We ensure our services are accessible to all, with a focus on removing barriers for neurodivergent individuals and others with specific needs. Examples include:

• Hosting meetings in accessible spaces.
• Providing inclusive online resources.
• Regularly reviewing and improving accessibility measures based on user feedback.

Peer Group Inclusion Practices 

ADHD Pirates CIC recognises the importance of peer-to-peer group in fostering inclusion, connection, and shared understanding within the neurodivergent community. While peer supporters are not formally employed or volunteering in a traditional sense, we remain committed to:

• Creating psychologically safe spaces for all participants.
• Encouraging mutual respect, understanding, and accessible communication during sessions.
• Ensuring peer group participants know how to raise concerns, in line with our safeguarding policy.
• Embedding inclusive practices in both peer-led and staff-led services.

We recognise that neurodivergent individuals may also experience intersecting forms of discrimination, and we are committed to ensuring all spaces reflect our values of equity, dignity, and belonging.

Training

Although ADHD Pirates CIC currently does not have paid staff or volunteers, the organisation is committed to ensuring that all future recruits, directors, and team members understand their responsibilities regarding equality, diversity, and inclusion.

Training Commitment:

All directors, staff, and volunteers will receive training on equality, diversity, and inclusion before taking on responsibilities within the organisation.

This training will ensure compliance with the Equality Act 2010 and promote best practices in fostering an inclusive environment for neurodivergent individuals.

Delivery of Training:

Training will be provided in collaboration with Staffordshire County Council or Support Staffordshire, ensuring it aligns with UK legislative requirements and industry standards.

Additional neurodiversity awareness training will be delivered internally, leveraging the expertise of the organisation’s Director, Robert Walmsley.

Role-Specific Training:

Individuals in decision-making roles will receive enhanced training to ensure they are equipped to embed equality, diversity, and inclusion into recruitment, service delivery, and organisational policies.

Responsibilities

All individuals associated with ADHD PIRATES CIC must:

• Support the organisation in meeting its equality, diversity, and inclusion commitments.
• Report discrimination, bullying, or harassment to the Director.

If you believe you have been discriminated against, report this through our grievance procedure. Complaints are taken seriously and will not result in penalties unless they are found to be untrue and made in bad faith.

Monitoring and Review

This policy is monitored periodically to assess its effectiveness and ensure compliance with legal updates. Information provided by users or stakeholders for monitoring is handled per Data Protection legislation.

Contact Details

For concerns or issues related to this policy, contact us at:

Email: hello@adhdpirates.co.uk

Feedback and Continuous Improvement

ADHD PIRATES CIC actively seeks ongoing feedback regarding our activities, both online and in person. This feedback helps us continuously improve our services and ensure they remain accessible and inclusive. Feedback can be provided via email to hello@adhdpirates.co.uk.

Accessibility Support

Anyone can request adjustments through our general email address (hello@adhdpirates.co.uk), and we will do our best to accommodate these requests to ensure our services and communications are accessible to everyone.

Glossary of Terms

Neurodiversity: Recognises the limitless variations in how human minds are wired differently. It embraces the natural spectrum of differences rather than focusing on deficits. As a word, ‘neurodiversity’ describes the whole of humanity.

Neurodivergent and Neurodivergence: Describes individuals whose brains function in ways that differ from what society considers “typical.” Neurodivergent is an identity and a community term, while neurodivergence describes the state of being neurodivergent.

Reasonable Adjustments: Modifications made to remove or reduce barriers for individuals with disabilities, ensuring equal access and opportunities.

Accessibility: The design of environments, services, or products to ensure they can be used by everyone, including individuals with disabilities.

Inclusion: Practices and policies that ensure individuals of all abilities and backgrounds are valued, respected, and provided equitable opportunities.