3 Inclusive Practices for Neurodivergent Students

In the recent SPARC roundtable "Inclusive Practices for Neurodivergent Campers," auxiliary leaders shared how they're navigating challenges arising from the increase in neurodiversity among their campers. Many said that it was one of their top three concerns as they look toward summer 2026 and beyond. 

The consensus was clear: everyone wants to support a diverse camp community and welcome every student possible. But ensuring the safety and support of neurodiverse (ND) campers while balancing the needs of staff and other campers presents unique challenges, especially when budgets and resources are limited.

The most common concerns included:

• Not enough staff/lack of relevant training
• Lack of money
• Communicating to families what accommodations the camp can or cannot support
• Families not reporting their child's neurodiversity before camp begins
• Clarifying ADA requirements and potential legal issues if a child is not accepted or must be counseled out

Some families pay for a trained aide to support their ND child at camp. While this is a welcome solution, many camp leaders wondered if they are responsible for confirming the aide's credentials or performing background checks. Others reported an uptick in having "those difficult conversations" with families if their child was not thriving at camp and/or had to be counseled out.

Fortunately, auxiliary leaders are finding and sharing creative strategies to support ND campers. Here are the three top practices they shared.

1. Be transparent and communicate expectations clearly with families.

Posing the question "Does your child have any special needs?" on the intake/health form isn't a reliable way to encourage families to report their child's neurodiversity. While it's not well understood why some families don't self-report--resulting in ND campers arriving to an unprepared staff on the first day--it is clear that specificity and clear communication are a must.

Notifying families early on what needs you can accommodate is key. One auxiliary leader suggested a specific "Is your child ready for camp?" form that allows families to consider expectations for their child--that they be toilet trained and can transition from drop-off to a group, for example. Another school requires that campers have successfully completed one group experience on their own before applying--daycare, Sunday school, or similar. 

It's impossible to prepare for every situation, but by taking the time to set expectations with families and clarifying what behaviors would present problems, you create a foundation that prepares both parties in case a camper needs to be counseled out.

Document all communication with families and any issues their child experiences at camp. One person suggested that if you must have that difficult conversation when a child isn't thriving, have one or two other leaders with you so you don't have to manage on your own.

2. Be intentional about deadlines to ensure there's time to prepare for ND campers' needs.

Particularly when it comes to health forms, the sooner you know what to expect, the better. One person said her deadline for health forms is three months before registration, allowing time both for families to consider and communicate their child's needs and for camp leaders to meet and discuss those needs with families and prepare to support them.

When discussing ADA requirements, it was noted that ADA guidelines are designed for organizations to decide what accommodations they can support on a case-by-case basis, not to create policies meant to apply to all ND campers. This may require more work on the part of camp leaders, but allows for flexibility in supporting students and setting expectations.

3. Seek expert guidance and training when possible.

A school with a more generous budget could hire a trained special educator to work with both families and staff, taking stress off of camp leaders. Most schools, however, face limited budgets. Some schools have great ND support during the school year, but lack equivalent support during the summer.

Hiring a specialist part-time can go a long way toward family communication and/or staff training. Even a one-time seminar with a specialist gives leadership and staff a chance to ask questions and to learn tips for interacting with ND campers, what signs to look for that indicate a child is becoming distressed, and the best ways to intervene or ask for help if a problem arises. 

One advantage to the rise of ND campers is that it inevitably leads to ND adults. Noting that her CIT staff has become more and more neurodiverse over the years, one leader said that it helped both staff and ND campers to have CITs who already understood and empathized with ND campers' needs--a sort of built-in resource resulting from years of implementing inclusive practices. 

There's still a great deal for the auxiliary community to experience, share, and consider to build a solid set of best practices to support ND campers. For now, as we work to build diverse camps with a welcoming spirit, mindfulness, intentionality, and communication can help us navigate the unique challenges of supporting ND campers and make sure every child possible has "the best summer ever."

SPARC is the number one resource for auxiliary professional development, peer networking and support, and expert tools to help you create outstanding after school and summer programs that generate revenue and serve families. Join us today to take advantage of all we offer.