25 FEBRUARY 2026
In this webinar for teaching professionals, Stephanie Batey, Neurodiversity Trainer for The Inclusive Teacher Company, shares practical strategies on how to recognise hidden indicators of masking and practical action to better support your students’ wellbeing.
Masking In Schools: How To Spot The Signs
Stephanie defines masking and explains its social, behavioural, and physical impacts. She explores the signs of masking and how it might appear in the classroom, support your self-reflection on practices that may unintentionally encourage masking, and shares practical strategies to better support learners who are masking.
Please see the link below to Steph's additional resources mentioned in the webinar.
Presentation slides
Your questions answered
Masking (also called camouflaging) is recognised in the research literature and is not limited to autism, with evidence of camouflaging also reported in adults with ADHD (van der Putten et al., 2024). Studies link camouflaging with poorer wellbeing and increased strain, meaning a pupil can appear “fine” in class while experiencing significant stress (Wicherkiewicz et al., 2024). Masking has also been described as a broader response to social expectations and stigma, not simply a “made up” concept (Miller et al., 2021). A practical school response is to focus on functional impact: gather pupil voice, check patterns across contexts and trial reasonable adjustments while monitoring outcomes (DfE and DHSC, SEND Code of Practice 0 to 25). If SLT remain dismissive, keep it evidence based and put your concerns in writing with the key studies attached so decisions are informed by research, not opinion (van der Putten et al., 2024; Miller et al., 2021).
Mainstream schools can better support children who mask by noticing patterns (fatigue after school, “perfect” behaviour but high anxiety), building in low demand regulation options, offering predictable routines and choice, and checking in privately with pupil voice rather than relying on what adults can see. Create psychologically safe classrooms where mistakes are normal, reduce performance pressure, and put reasonable adjustments in place early, then review what changes wellbeing and access to learning. If you want practical strategies and wording you can use with staff and families, watch my session where I break down masking, what it looks like in school and the key adjustments that make the biggest difference.
Schools can help by reducing the child’s stress load during the day and making home time calmer. Track likely triggers (noise, transitions, lunch, end of day) and adjust those routines. Build in a planned decompression before dismissal (quiet space, movement, sensory tools, a predictable job) and offer a calmer exit (early pass, quieter route). Use a quick private check in with a trusted adult and an agreed exit script so the child can ask for what they need. Send parents a short handover note when it has been a high masking day so they can plan low demand time after school.