Language and description changes

Rolling out online soon

Since the Plus Value Awareness website was launched in 2015, the information and content have focused on non-visible difficulties associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia and Social Anxiety. Overall, these were collectively described as “Hidden Differences”.

This description was developed to distinguish these difficulties from the general characteristics of each condition and to set them apart from other categories, such as learning disabilities and mental health disorders.

However, this has led to conflicting interpretations and has allowed people to define themselves according to specific conditions rather than as part of the collective.

Over the past decade, Neurodiversity has emerged as a recognisable collective term encompassing different neurological differences and difficulties. However, Plus Value Awareness does not cover all areas of neurodiversity. It does, however, feature Neurodiversity as an overall family when addressing topics, supporting events and through the mini online feature Neurodiversity Focus.

However, due to changes in social media dynamics earlier in 2025, particularly in how audiences access content, the description “Hidden Differences” has lost some of its overall appeal, both to audiences and in online and social media environments.

Additionally, through my interactions with different groups of people, I have observed a degree of cultural misunderstanding and lack of awareness. Some key decision-makers have claimed to understand Neurodiversity but have demonstrated limited or distorted knowledge, resulting in inaccurate and, at times, irresponsible judgements when making decisions that can affect an individual’s life.

Because of these factors, decisions had to be made about how to generate interest without creating misunderstanding or being misleading.

Change of approach

A change therefore had to be made to the collective description. It has been decided that the description “Hidden Differences” will be changed to “Neurodiversity or Neurodivergent with Hidden Differences”.

This change is intended not only to make the description more relatable to audiences when accessing information, but also to distinguish it from the broader Neurodiversity family.

As a result of this change, it will take some time to update all written content and information across projects and features online, along with extracts published on social media.

The mini feature Neurodiversity Focus will remain unchanged. The Understanding webpage will be renamed “Selected Neurodiversity with Hidden Differences”.

Keep updated

Keep up to date with the new changes by following Plus Value Awareness on Social media and visit the Plus Value Awareness website for further developments

Select the links below

Higher Aspirations index

The current objective index page the vision on how we need to value & embrace understanding of Plus Value Awareness towards hidden differences.

Projects

Explore the different examples of projects availaible online