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Liverpool City Council has launched “Liverpool’s Commitment to Neurodiversity: A Strategy for an Inclusive City 2025–2035.” Options is proud to have been part of the steering group shaping this work. We have supported members of the Options community to share their views, and we are pleased to see Liverpool publicly engaging with what neurodiversity means, and how we can build a truly accessible and inclusive city for the future.
Being involved in the development of the strategy has been a really positive experience for us. The participative and collaborative approach has stood out, and the project team has consistently taken time to listen well. Now, as the focus shifts from planning to implementation, we want to offer some reflections on the key priorities raised.
Priority 1: Embracing Neurodiversity
Options continues to build its own understanding of diversity, amplifying the voices of neurodivergent people within our community and promoting wider public awareness. As a city, we must be careful not to default in creating separate or dedicated services for neurodivergent people. Instead, the focus should be on everyday inclusion, building a culture where everyone is recognised as unique, valued, and able to participate fully. This shift will take time and radical change, but it reflects the founding values of Options. We welcome the renewed attention this strategy brings.
Priority 2: Accessible Healthcare
Options has long worked with GPs, health visitors, and hospitals to encourage good listening and reasonable adjustments. Many people supported by Options have campaigned for better healthcare, and their voices are reflected in this strategy. Everyone has the right to access good healthcare, yet inequity for neurodivergent people and those with learning disabilities remains widespread, and overlooked. Liverpool has set a goal to tackle health inequalities by 2040. We would like to see neurodiversity considered more fully within this wider ambition.
Priority 4: The Right to a Fulfilling Life
At our core, we all seek the same things: love, acceptance, security, belonging, community, friendship, dignity, choice, and the occasional holiday, chocolate, or even a glass of wine. Options has always championed the right to an ordinary life, showing over many years that this is possible for anyone, though it looks different for everyone.
Liverpool’s strategy focuses on employment, transitions from childhood to adulthood, and housing, key areas for improvement. But a fulfilling life is more than these. It requires recognising individual uniqueness, value, aspiration, nurturing relationships, deepening understanding of diversity, and providing the right support where needed. As this strategy is delivered, we must continue to see each individual as a person and respond accordingly.
You can read the full strategy here.
Join Us in Building an Inclusive Liverpool
We are always looking to build partnerships and alliances with like‑minded people and organisations. If you have ideas about what Liverpool needs to become a truly inclusive city, we’d love to hear from you.
We also support organisations who want to improve accessibility and inclusion, and we offer a range of opportunities to get involved. Find out how our training and consultancy can help you create positive, lasting change.
If you’re interested, please get in touch, we’d be delighted to work with you.
