Northern Ireland’s First Neuroinclusion Social Worker & Advocate Service
Northern Ireland has the highest PTSD rates in the UK, with over 6% of the population affected — a direct legacy of the Troubles (Commission for Victims and Survivors, 2023). More than 60% of adults report childhood trauma, and nearly 1 in 5 live with four or more Adverse Childhood Experiences (Department of Health NI, 2022).
Mental illness is now the leading cause of disability in Northern Ireland (NI Health Survey, 2023), yet services remain critically underfunded and overstretched.
Trauma-Informed: Neuroinclusion Support Services
Spark’s Neuroinclusion Support Services are designed to respond to this crisis with trauma-informed, neurodivergent-led solutions that restore agency, build safety, and create lasting change.
This is not just a health issue - it’s a workplace, community, and human rights issue.
At Spark, we help employers and organisations embed neuroinclusion into the heart of their culture, services, and systems.
Our support is led by Daria, a Registered Qualified Social Worker, and Neuroinclusion Practice Lead, with over 20 years of experience across health and social care.
Meet Daria
Daria has worked in residential care, family interventions, older people’s services, and hospital social work, where she led a multidisciplinary team. She’s a senior practitioner in trauma-informed care, creative interventions, and neurodiversity advocacy.
She also brings lived experience as a neurodivergent family member, making her approach both professionally robust and personally informed.
📍Living in county Down, Daria is also an amateur artist and creative practitioner who uses arts-based interventions to support clients. She’s passionate about nature, gardening, and caravanning, bringing warmth and authenticity to her work.
👥What We Offer
🧭 Neuroinclusion Advocate Service
A structured, professional support service that helps neurodivergent individuals and organisations navigate complex systems and embed inclusive practice. This service includes:
- Individualised support for neurodivergent people navigating education, employment, health, and social care
- Strategic guidance for employers and service providers on inclusive policy and practice
- Stakeholder engagement to improve outcomes and reduce barriers
- Consultation and training to build neuroaffirming environments
🧑⚕️ Neuroinclusion Social Worker Support
Professional, trauma-informed social work. Ideal for complex situations. From care coordination and safeguarding to inter-agency collaboration and emotional support, this service is ideal for adults facing transition, crisis, or post-diagnosis challenges.
Specialist social workers with deep experience in:
- Mental health support
- Connecting individuals to community resources
- Supporting transitions and life changes
Why businesses and organisations should adopt trauma-formed approaches
Why Advocacy Matters Now More Than Ever: Neurodivergent adults in Northern Ireland deserve more than fragmented support.
Spark’s trauma-informed Advocate Service offers real, relational help, backed by lived experience and research. Whether you’re an individual, employer, or organisation, this is your chance to be part of a more inclusive future. Let’s build it together.
“Neurodivergent employees deserve more than awareness. They deserve agency! And they deserve to choose who advocates for them!”
🚨 Northern Ireland Has the Highest PTSD Rates in the UK
Over 6% of the population experiences PTSD or complex PTSD, significantly higher than other UK regions. This is directly linked to the legacy of the Troubles and ongoing generational trauma (Commission for Victims and Survivors, 2023).
🚨 Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Are More Common
Nearly 1 in 5 people in Northern Ireland report four or more ACEs – more than double the rate in England. These early traumas increase vulnerability to mental health challenges later in life (Health and Social Care Board, 2022).
🚨 Mental Health Services Are Critically Underfunded
Despite higher need, Northern Ireland spends significantly less per person on mental health than other UK nations. In 2025, only £15.5 million was allocated – just 20% of the funding required to meet demand (Mental Health Champion NI, 2025).
🚨 Generational Trauma Impacts Families and Communities
Trauma from the Troubles continues to affect younger generations through maladaptive parenting, toxic stress, and psychological vulnerability. This transmission of trauma is well-documented in both clinical and community-based research (Bunting et al., 2020; CVSNI, 2023).
“Letting employees choose their own advocate service is not just empowering, it’s trauma-informed. It acknowledges lived experience, builds psychological safety, and restores control to those who’ve often had it taken away.”
🚨 Why Organisations Must Act Now!
Modern managers are often expected to:
- Respond to neurodivergent disclosure
- Manage trauma-informed adjustments
- Navigate safeguarding, conflict, or burnout
- Support access to external services
But most aren’t trained for this.
The result? Miscommunication, delayed support, lost staff, and rising grievances.
🧑🤝🧑 Who these services are for
Neurodivergent adults across Northern Ireland
- Empowering individuals to be heard, supported, and confident, especially during transitions, post-diagnosis, or crisis.
Employers looking to support ND staff ethically and effectively
- Partnering with workplaces to build trust, reduce conflict, and support neurodivergent staff through real-world challenges.
Community organisations needing partner services
- Providing trauma-informed, relational support that complements existing services and strengthens inclusion.
Commissioners, funders, or carers supporting vulnerable individuals
- Offering trusted, multi-agency advocacy that bridges gaps and safeguards wellbeing.
Trauma-Informed Means:
- Listening first
- Respecting lived experience
- Supporting autonomy and choice
💡 Why Spark?
Delivered by professionals: Led by a practitioner with 20+ years of frontline and leadership experience.
Grounded in lived experience and trauma-informed values: We walk alongside neurodivergent adults with empathy, insight, and respect, not just support, but understanding. We are ‘them’ and ‘them’ are us!
Responsive, flexible, and ethically led: We adapt to complexity, offering real-world solutions that honour dignity, autonomy, and inclusion.
Backed by Spark’s Research Hub and co-production model: Spark’s Research Hub ensures our services are evidence-led, ethically delivered, and shaped by those who use them.
Social Responsibility
A Smarter Way to Support
Our socially responsible approach helps organisations reduce risk, improve outcomes, and align with best practice. Co-produced, evidence-led services mean better engagement, stronger impact, and lasting change.
Take action TODAY!!
✅ Taking Action Means:
- Reducing harm by offering support that’s chosen, not imposed
- Building trust through transparency and respect
- Creating inclusive cultures where neurodivergent people thrive, not just survive