Routines and transitions

Authoritative Acas guidance specifically focused on neurodivergent workers. It gives practical examples such as quiet working areas, headphones, screen filters, written instructions broken into steps, visual planners, regular check-ins, additional reminders, extra planning time and advance warning of workplace changes. Acas stresses that adjustments should be based on the individual rather than diagnosis alone, and that workers do not necessarily need a formal diagnosis before support is considered.

NICE clinical guideline for adults aged 18 and over with suspected or confirmed autism. It covers identification and comprehensive assessment, interventions, coexisting mental health conditions, behaviour that challenges, support for families and carers, and how services should be organised. It also recognises sensory sensitivities, difficulties with flexibility and emotional regulation as common features that may need to be considered in assessment and support.

A pragmatic randomised controlled trial evaluating the Let's Get Organised intervention against treatment as usual for adults with impaired time management. Participants included people with ADHD, autism and other mental-health conditions, so the findings are relevant to neurodivergent time-management difficulties but are not specific to one diagnosis

Public-facing NICE guidance for adults with suspected or confirmed autism. It explains that adults who may be autistic should be offered an assessment, describes what should happen during the assessment and says people should be asked how they would like results explained. After diagnosis, professionals should discuss what the diagnosis means, future care and support, communication needs and sensory sensitivities. The guidance also notes that people can ask for an advocate to help communicate their views.

Practical autism-focused guidance covering what to do before, during and after overload or a meltdown. For changes and transitions it recommends approaches such as clear visual explanations, preserving predictable parts of the routine, countdowns or timers, structured timetables and access to familiar calming activities. Strategies should be adapted to the individual rather than applied universally.

Practical guidance covering the benefits of routine and predictability, when rigid routines may become difficult, and ways to prepare for change. Suggested strategies include advance warning, visual prompts, practising journeys or new situations, creating backup plans and allowing extra processing time.

Practical NHS support material for adults with ADHD, including guidance on recognising emotional escalation, pausing before reacting, calming strategies, routines and other day-to-day coping approaches. It is ADHD-specific practical guidance rather than a formal clinical guideline or research study.

Practical NHS guidance explaining why familiarity, predictability and routine can support wellbeing and reduce anxiety for autistic people. Suggested strategies include finding out about changes in advance, using calendars and planners, explaining what will stay the same, using visual timetables or social stories, and visiting unfamiliar places beforehand.

Practical autism-specific employment guidance with examples of workplace adjustments suggested by autistic people, professionals and researchers. Examples include clearer and more precise communication, agreeing preferred communication methods, changing sensory aspects of the workplace, altering working arrangements and providing appropriate supervision or support. The page emphasises that adjustments should reflect the person's individual needs rather than assuming every autistic person needs the same support.