Our Story

Acorn was founded in 2018 in Tāmaki Makaurau in response to a lack of equity and inclusion for neurodivergent young people in education and employment.

Acorn is the only provider of the international gold standard model of integrated multidisciplinary support for neurodivergent children, filling a huge gap in service provision. Acorn supports children and young people who are neurodivergent and experiencing challenges related to autism, ADHD, FASD, sensory processing, developmental delays, dyspraxia, giftedness and language processing.

We have grown from two professionals providing speech and language therapy to 22 professionals across two centres providing multidisciplinary services to children from all over Auckland in their homes, schools and our centres. 

We are a team of advocates and experts dedicated to providing evidence-based supports that give neurodivergent children the tools they need to reach their potential. We provide speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, behavioural therapy, and psychology services all in one place with coordinated care, giving every family a support team.

Originally started as a business, Acorn Autism was transformed into Acorn Neurodiversity, a not for profit, in late 2021 to allow us to partner with community stakeholders to increase equitable access to support for more neurodivergent children.

  • Our Mission

    Acorn’s mission is to empower neurodivergent children and youth by giving them the tools they need to reach their potential.

  • Our Vision

    Acorn’s vision is to build a future in which all neurodivergent people can fully participate, belong and thrive in Aotearoa.

Our Values

  • We celebrate every person as an individual.

  • We are evidence and strength-based in our practice.

  • We advocate for inclusion in schools and the community.

  • We prioritise self-advocacy.

  • We recognise the unique status of Māori as tangata whenua of Aotearoa and aim to embody the principles of te Tiriti o Waitangi in all of our work.

Acorn supports the principles of Enabling Good Lives

  • Self-determination

  • Beginning early

  • Person-centred

  • Ordinary life outcomes

  • Mainstream first

  • Mana enhancing

  • Easy to use

  • Relationship building