You asked: “How do I respond when someone discloses their neurotype to me?”

Creating a safe space begins with how we listen - and how we respond.

It depends on the context. If it is a friend, then consider their tone when they said it. If they said it in passing, they might not even need a response, just to know that you are accepting. If they are telling you in a more specific and formal way then replying with something supportive like “Thanks for telling me. How does that look for you?”

If it is in a work context to a manager or HR and they are formally disclosing their neurotype, it triggers the Equality Act 2010 and it is now the company responsibility to provide reasonable accommodations to remove barriers so the individual is not at a disadvantage compared to their neurotypical counterparts (it was already the company responsibility if the barriers were obvious though!). The first thing to do is ensure that the person disclosing to you feels safe and secure. Disclosing is often a hugely stressful thing to do. Thank them for telling you and then explain what, as a company, you will do to support them.

The way a company will support an individual differs from company to company, but the outcomes should be similar, which is putting reasonable adjustments into place. Some companies like to work with the individual to come up with these reasonable adjustments themselves, this can mean that many relevant and effective adjustments might be missed. Others prefer to work with neurodiversity experts, who will ensure that the individuals needs are understood and suggest relevant accommodations.