How do we support an employee with dyspraxia at work?

First, ask the employee what helps

Start by asking the employee what helps, then make reasonable adjustments: assistive software, clear written instructions, a quiet workspace. The Equality Act 2010 requires this; Access to Work can fund equipment. Dyspraxia, which the NHS also calls developmental co-ordination disorder (DCD), is a lifelong condition that affects movement and co-ordination, and often planning and organisation too. How it shows up at work varies a lot from person to person, so the worst move is to copy a generic list. Have a short, private conversation: what makes the job harder, and what would take the friction out of it?

Two points carry real legal weight here. You do not need to wait for a formal diagnosis. Acas is clear that a worker does not need a diagnosis to be protected under the Equality Act 2010, and that you should offer support whether or not one exists. A line manager who holds off until a diagnosis arrives may already be exposed. Keep the conversation confidential, and let the employee lead on what they are comfortable sharing with the wider team.

Then put the adjustments in place

Agree the changes and actually make them. The kinds of adjustment that commonly help with dyspraxia include:

• Assistive software such as speech-to-text, screen readers, or mind-mapping and planning tools.
• Clear, written instructions and checklists instead of long verbal handovers, plus extra time on tasks that need fine motor control or sequencing.
• A quieter or less cluttered workspace. Acas gives the example of organising a storeroom so nothing is left on the floor.
• Reviewing how you assess the role, so the employee is not marked down for handwriting, typing speed, or a tidy desk rather than the work itself.

This is a legal duty, not a goodwill gesture. Under the Equality Act 2010 (section 20, applied to employers by section 39), once a working practice, a physical feature, or the lack of an aid puts a disabled employee at a substantial disadvantage, you must take reasonable steps to remove it, and you cannot pass the cost to the employee. Failing to make reasonable adjustments can itself be disability discrimination. Write down what you agreed and a date to review it, because dyspraxia and the demands of a role both change over time.

Use the funding and assessment routes

You do not have to work it all out alone. Your employee can apply to Access to Work, a Department for Work and Pensions grant that can pay for specialist equipment, assistive software, support workers or a job coach, travel, and workplace adaptations. The grant tops up your own legal duty; it does not replace it, so keep making the everyday adjustments while any claim is in the queue. Where it would help to pin down exactly what the person needs, occupational health or the employee's GP can advise, and a workplace needs assessment can turn the conversation into specific recommendations.

This page is general information, not clinical or legal advice.