When we talk about neurodiversity in policy, we often focus on education or employment. But what about love? Caregiving? Long-term partnerships that quietly strain under the weight of misunderstanding?

Behind closed doors, countless couples are navigating the invisible terrain of neurodiverse relationships—often without language, support, or systems that see them.

And when those relationships falter, the fallout spills into healthcare, housing, legal aid, mental health services, and more.

Policy has the power to acknowledge these relational dynamics not as fringe, but as fundamental.

Policy often centers individual outcomes. But what about the ecosystems we live in—marriages, caregiving partnerships, families under strain from unacknowledged neurodiversity?

This page offers ways to integrate the nuances of neurodiverse relationships into funding models, mental health support frameworks, and inclusion initiatives.

Top Tips:

• Recognize the overlap between undiagnosed neurodivergence and relational breakdown.

• Fund couples support programs that include ND-specific training.

• Create flexible models of care—standard timelines don’t serve everyone.

• Ensure accessibility isn’t only physical, but cognitive and emotional.

• Embed relational equity into public health campaigns.