Adam Dance MP raises gender gap in autism and ADHD diagnosis and calls for fairer SEND reform

Adam Dance, Liberal Democrat MP for Yeovil, has called on the Government to address the significant gender gap in autism and ADHD diagnoses, warning that women and girls are being systematically overlooked in the current system.
In a written Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health and Social Care, Mr Dance asked what assessment had been made of the gap in diagnosis rates in Yeovil, Somerset and across England.
In response, Minister of State Stephen Kinnock MP admitted that diagnosis rates for autism and ADHD are lower among women and girls, despite evidence suggesting that prevalence is similar across genders. Differences in how neurodiverse conditions present in females are contributing to under recognition. NHS England data shows that just 0.82 percent of women have an autism diagnosis on their GP record, compared to 1.84 percent of men. For ADHD, 0.9 percent of women are recorded as diagnosed, compared to 1.6 percent of men.
Adam Dance said:
“This data confirms what too many families already know. Women and girls are being let down by a system that was never designed with them in mind. We need urgent action to ensure early identification is not a postcode or gender lottery.
“This must include universal screening in primary schools, better training for school staff and clinicians, and proper data collection so we can build services around real need rather than outdated assumptions.”
The Liberal Democrats have long campaigned for a fairer and more inclusive SEND system. The party has set out five principles for meaningful reform. These include protecting children’s rights to assessments, boosting specialist school capacity, tackling waiting lists, strengthening early identification and improving funding and support for local authorities and frontline staff.
Adam added:
“After years of Conservative neglect, the SEND system needs urgent and honest reform. But it must be built around children and families, not bureaucracy. Too often, parents are left battling for support while their children fall further behind. We must get this right.”
The Liberal Democrats have written to Labour leader Keir Starmer offering to work across parties to ensure reforms are ambitious and deliver the change families so desperately need.