City of York Council, in partnership with Humber and North Yorkshire ICB, has unveiled a new draft strategy aimed at improving the lives of autistic people and those with ADHD across the city.
Titled “A City That Works for All”, the five-year plan sets out a vision for a more inclusive, supportive, and understanding York.
This all-age strategy, developed through extensive co-production with neurodivergent residents, families, and local organisations, outlines three key pillars:
- Changing Society for Inclusion – Tackling stigma and improving public understanding of neurodiversity.
- Making Diagnosis and Assessment Work – Reducing waiting times and improving access to timely, effective assessments.
- Improving Support in Every Setting – Ensuring services in education, employment, housing, and healthcare meet the needs of neurodivergent people.
The strategy recognises that barriers in society are often at the root of exclusion and poorer outcomes for autistic people and those with ADHD, and these must be tackled alongside the need to improve health and care services.
It draws on findings from York’s 2025 Health Needs Assessment, which revealed significant gaps in diagnosis, long waiting lists, and high rates of co-occurring mental health conditions.
Councillor Lucy Steels-Walshaw, Executive Member for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care, said: "It’s absolutely vital that services meet everyone’s needs, including the approximately 1 in 7 neurodiverse people living in our city. Consultation on this strategy will ask all organisations, service providers and residents to support us in creating a city in which all neurodiverse people thrive and play an active part. Small changes can often make big differences”.
Michael Ash-McMahon, NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) Interim Place Director for York, said: "The draft strategy is a welcome step towards creating a City that celebrates neurodiversity and reaffirms the NHS shared commitment to improving diagnosis and tackling long waiting lists for assessment. The ICB and City of York Council are eager to hear what people think of the strategy to ensure the voice of our population is heard and fully understood, before a final version is published later in the year
Ayesha, who is a neurodivergent student mentor living in York, and is a proud member of York's thriving LGBTQIA+ community. Ayesha is neurodivergent and is encouraging other people to have their say: "This strategy is important to me because I get to see the Council in action, working to make this city more accessible for the neurodivergent community, which is a vital step closer to a more fair and equitable society."
The draft strategy is now open for public consultation with feedback invited from residents, professionals, and community groups. The final version will be published in Autumn 2025.
You can have your say in various ways:
- In person: At the Gateway Centre in Acomb on Tuesday 15 July 11-1pm and Monday 21 July 5-7pm
- Join the online session via bit.ly/40Ebbna on Thursday 31 July 1-2pm
- Complete an online survey
- Complete a paper survey: Available from Customer Services at West Offices
For more information and to view the draft strategy, visit the City of York Council website.
City of York Council is also inviting children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and their families in York to have their say on a new SEND strategy.
You can have your say on the draft SEND strategy at the same in person or online events as for the Autism and ADHD Strategy, or complete the online survey
The Autism and ADHD Strategy consultation will run until Monday 11 August. The SEND survey will run until Sunday 7 September. Feedback will be used to shape the final strategies.