We’re excited to announce that we have partnered with The National Autistic Society to launch a specialised training initiative for 15 of our colleagues across various legal teams including crime, court of protection, wills and probate, employment and family law, to foster an inclusive working environment for both clients and colleagues. This initiative will equip our team members with the knowledge and skills needed to better support and understand autistic people and their families.
The launch of this training coincides with World Autism Awareness Day on 2 April, an internationally recognised day dedicated to raising awareness and a greater understanding of autistic individuals worldwide. Thanks to the training, which was also undertaken by colleagues in the property, dispute resolution, faith and charities as well as HR & communications teams, the champions are now all fully versed in supporting their teams in adapting their communications more effectively and ensuring better interactions with our clients and their families.
Kristen Drummond, Head of Marketing and Chair of the EDI committee at Slater Heelis, said: “At Slater Heelis, we are committed to creating an inclusive and supportive environment for all. By working with The National Autistic Society, we aim to ensure that our colleagues have the tools to better engage with and assist autistic individuals, whether they are clients, colleagues, or members of the wider community and we are proud to have our first cohort of 15 from the firm complete the training.”
This training initiative is a significant step in our ongoing commitment to diversity, inclusion, and accessibility, which already offers LGBT and Neurodiversity Champions. By enhancing awareness and understanding with this latest training, we are striving to create a more welcoming and accommodating experience for autistic individuals and their families across all aspects of our business.
Lisa Myers, Head of Training, Consultancy and Conferences at the National Autistic Society, said: “We were delighted to work with the team at Slater Heelis to help improve their understanding of autism and how they can better support autistic employees across their various sites. It’s really important that employers make reasonable adjustments to ensure recruitment is accessible and inclusive for autistic people. We have lots of information about employment and our training programmes on our website at autism.org.uk.”
