Care worsens The CQC's 2020 report said people with learning disabilities or autism were receiving "undignified and inhumane care"; 18 months on it says little progress has been made. More
 
Mind and body A family hopes to start a new charity to give young people with autism or learning disabilities the chance to take up martial arts. More
 
Meeting needs Recently released data from the Centers for Disease Control show childhood autism rates are at their highest level since the CDC began tracking data in 2000. About 2.3% of U.S. children. What are the priorities for support? More
 
Help in a box “Emergencies can be stressful for anyone. Then, when you add in a sensory processing disorder, they already don’t see and experience things in the same way we do,” A US firefighter has developed a sensory tool kit to help fire crews meet the needs of youngsters on the spectrum. More
 
Sibling support Having a younger brother with autism brings challenges. How can parents help? More

Right to work  An increasing number of companies are integrating neurodiverse individuals into the workplace as they recognize their growing number and the unique skills they bring to a variety of jobs. More
 
Food for thought A mum who has previously struggled to eat out with her autistic son has praised a restaurant for "going above and beyond" to help him. More
 
Autistic and unstoppable Sam Holness is an autistic endurance athlete. He's completed triathlons, an event consisting of swimming, cycling and running. He’s run numerous full 26-mile marathons and half marathons and he’s showing no signs of slowing down. More
 
Without the  mask Social psychologist Devon Price explains that masking is any attempt or strategy "to hide your disability." Price's new book, Unmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity, explores masking, and how to "unmask" and live more freely.
 
Care for carers Carers are key members of the team around the person they support, but the role can significantly impact their life, health and wellbeing. Good quality, consistent support is vital to enable them to continue their caring role. More
 
Where are the women? Despite recent breakthroughs in research, young women with autism are still commonly overlooked by parents, educators and medical providers. More
 
Learning moment After learning she was autistic at 38, writer and podcaster Tara McMullin began reassessing what she needed to thrive at her job. More
 
Legally speaking Autism is not a mental health issue – David Crisp argues for a rethink on healthcare and mental health legislation. More

Minecraft safety Famallama is a family friendly whitelisted server for the neurodiverse, (those with Autism, ADHD, and Special Educational needs). More


















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Big bill New legislation in Northern Ireland will introduce the creation of an autism information service and a cross-departmental autism training strategy. More

Help for hair A hair salon in Sheffield has created a specialised room to help autistic children get their hair cut in a less challenging environment. More

Cut it out Neurotypical nervous systems, wired for complex social lives, allow for effective sensory gating (automatically filtering out stimuli deemed unimportant - background noise). Autistic individuals have a harder time doing this. More

Kit full of understanding The North East Autism Society (NEAS) created the easy-to-follow Teacher’s Toolkit ahead of Autism Acceptance Week, which runs from March 28th until April 3rd.
The kit is packed full of educational videos, information about autism and neurodiversity, lesson plans and activity ideas designed to teach children and young people about difference. More

Autistic and Expecting Check out this unique and practical book on managing autistic pregnancy, childbirth and the post-natal period for autistic parents and for the health and social care practitioners who may support them. More

Explaining the spectrum “It is so important for my students to see that people with Asperger’s, autism or other communication issues can be successful and live fulfilling lives. Nothing explains this better than hearing it from them directly.” More

​Pathway to better lives Some of the world’s leading experts on autism have published a redesigned care pathway for autistic children and their families based on early detection and family involvement. More

Police aware Phillip Millichap, a police community support officer (PCSO) with autism is championing neurodiversity throughout his force. More

Positive pastures Farming can change the lives of young autistic people. A group of autistic young farm workers say the job has saved them from a potential life of isolation and boredom. More

​Deep look at sleep Ashura Buckley has been working to decode the meaning of brain activity that occurs during sleep. In November, she launched a project to assess the genetics, sleep and behavior of neurotypical children and those who have been flagged for, diagnosed with or have an older sibling with a neurodevelopmental condition, such as autism. More

Late diagnosis When it came to things like school and friendships outside of her family, Dani always felt something wasn't quite right. "There are kids running around and they all seem to be interacting and playing with each other, and I wouldn't have the foggiest idea how to insert myself into that and then how to continue in whatever it is that they are doing." More
 
No place called home Hundreds of Scots with learning disabilities are being forced to live far away from their families or are stuck in hospital for months or even years, according to a report by a charity. More

Beating bullying Rosie King, autistic writer and television presenter, told Hampstead primary pupils she would not have suffered so much had she been a student at their school. More

Game on An autistic Portsmouth man has realised his life-long dream by setting up a new ‘retro’ game centre open to all. More

Journey of 1 Autistic author Erin Beal has created a children’s book to instil confidence and teach acceptance. More
 
Future of learning A new project centre in Ireland will support autistic people from pre-school age right up to adulthood. More

Spectrum of sound A DJ with autism is inspiring others "I just love the fact that I've created something that they're dancing to," he says. "It's such a great feeling." More
 
What a year What were best moments for the autism community in 2021, and what does 2022 have in store? Listen to Spectrumly Speaking, the podcast dedicated to women on the autism spectrum. More
 
Knock off the noise A retired teacher looks back on a career full of autistic learning. More
 
Mixing it up Jordan Scully is autistic and a Mixed Martial Arts fighter. “He is so dedicated. We literally have to kick him out of the gym every night. He’s here morning, noon, and night. He is brilliant.” More 

The feeling of autism Bradon Peterson’s blog examines the sensory side of autism, ‘I understood why my three year-old self grabbed a pair of teacups to use as ear defenders at the reception of my parents’ friends’ wedding’. More
 
Sensory supplies The Pocket OT has some great resources for sensory differences and difficulties. More 
 
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On board Can video games and balance boards address movement and coordination difficulties in autism? More

Back to the future Take a look back at the research headlines from 2021 More 

Searching for support "It can be extremely challenging when Jack has a meltdown and it limits what we can do as a family and the places we can go because a lot of places aren't equipped for children with autism. It has left us feeling frustrated and still lost." More

Schools out What effect have the covid school closures in 2020/21 had on autistic learners? More

World’s Strongest Man “I always wanted to be successful for the people that have additional needs. I’ve done a lot of talks on it and I want everyone to know that, just because we’ve got a label on our heads, it doesn’t mean that you are different from anyone else, we’ve just got that additional hurdle we have to get over.” More

Motor missing Clinicians and scientists have described motor skill differences since the earliest conceptualizations of autism, yet these differences are not always considered as core to the diagnosis. More

Art of autism An artist famed for creating microscopic sculptures said his autism has inspired his success. Willard Wigan MBE, 64, was diagnosed when he was 50, but believes his mother knew he struggled at school and encouraged him to create his tiny works of art. More

Autism Works People with autism are being left behind today, with only 16 per cent in full-time employment. This inspiring book addresses the lack of understanding of the wonderful contributions people across the autism spectrum can make to the workplace. More

Same difference “In the viral video of an autistic man at his brother’s wedding, I saw my sister and me.” More

Secure silence The UK government has kept an autistic man in a secure hospital for half his life, and used the courts to silence his parents. More

Sleep study At the age of eight, Chase Mazurek has rarely had a good night's sleep. He has autism and ADHD and has trouble falling asleep, wakes in the night and gets up about 4.45am. His mother, Melanie, says it's been exhausting and has taken a toll on relationships and family life. More
 
Including us Much more must be done to make workplaces more inclusive for autistic people, according to Edinburgh-based Auticon, after it found that one in ten workers with the condition does not feel able to reveal their diagnosis at work. More
 
Getting a feeling For some of our children understanding emotions is particularly hard.  They may have communication challenges or struggle to read their own internal and physical signals.  Some of our children have high anxiety and therefore have a huge challenge when it comes to regulating their emotions. More
 
It’s about me ‘People said I was weak, lazy and fussy. I’m not – but I am autistic’. The late diagnosis of Melanie Sykes and Christine McGuinness came as no surprise to those who, like Sara Gibbs, have trodden the same path. More
 
Safe online Online dating can be an avenue for autistic people to meet new friends and potential romantic partners, but it brings with it some pretty serious dangers. People who you meet via online dating sites may not always be who they seem. More
 
Zayne’s world “At the beginning, life was really stressful and confusing, mixed with long waiting lists and no answers. We just wanted to be able to help Zayne the best we possibly could, but with very little knowledge and understanding of what he needed, it proved almost impossible to know what to do for the best.” More
 
Support for signing SignTown is an interactive web game built to help people to learn about sign language and Deaf culture. It uses machine learning to detect the user's ability to perform signs learned from the game. More
 
New numbers Autism rates are increasing yet again, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention which finds for the first time that more than 2% of American children have the developmental disability. More
 
Giving voice Sean Porter made an app for non-verbal children and those with autism like his brother to help them communicate. More
 
It shouldn’t happen to a vet Mental health researchers at the University of Nottingham School of Veterinary Medicine and Science are calling for participants for a study on how workplace stressors affect staff who live with autism. More
 
Capturing the spectrum Hoping to challenge misconceptions among the neurotypical, photographer Mary Berridge has spent more than five years capturing photographs of young people with autism. More
 
Right to write Nick McAllister found his words after a tough time looking for employment as an autistic writer. More
 
From science to support Working as a speech-language pathologist back in the early 2000s, Andrew Whitehouse saw one family after another struggling to get good care for their autistic children, some of them pursuing pricey, unproven therapies. More

Try this There have been plenty of newcomers welcomed to the sport of rugby at the Palace Grounds in Armagh over the past five weeks. This comes after local autism support group, More Than Words, teamed up with Rugby Cubz NI, who provide modified rugby activities for children with autism and additional needs. More

Gut news A collaborative Australian study has challenged the increasingly popular theory that gut health drives autism and rejected the use of fad diets and so-called therapies such as faecal transplants. More

Seeking acceptance People on the autism spectrum often face discrimination and other challenges in everyday life. In Bulgaria, activists are working to raise awareness and reduce stigma. More
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Pandemic problems For adults and children on the autism spectrum, getting a COVID-19 vaccine is easier said than done. More

Autistic images When photographer Mary Berridge’s son was diagnosed with Asperger’s, she began to see his world in a new light. She set out to capture a series of everyday – and exceptional – stories, one image at a time. More

That’s our business  In this podcast Toni Boucher (author and autistic self-advocate) describes her “AUntrepreneur” programme which helps young adults launch their own businesses. More

Sensory search Since sensory differences became part of the diagnostic criteria for autism in 2013, an increasing number of autism researchers have been drawn to the thalamus. What is it and what does it have to do with autism? More

Meeting Melanie “There’s a sense of relief about it and a sense of mourning. Not because I don’t want to be who I am, it’s that I wish I’d known sooner so I could have understood exactly why things were rolling the way they were rolling". More

Access to work An autistic woman said her experience of work was traumatising and more consideration was needed for neurodiverse employees. More

Not a crime Listen to Tom Oliver’s TED Talk on why autistic people are caught up in the justice system. More
 
Recruitment fair? There’s no doubt, that for large employers, high volume recruiting is a useful tool but it’s also true that one size doesn’t fit all, and nowhere is that more painfully obvious than with job applicants with conditions such as autism, ADHD or Tourette’s Syndrome. More
 
Media mess up Articles on TV and in the print media can be damaging! Autism can’t be prevented, nor can it be cured. More
 
Yes to amazing Sesame Workshop has announced its expansion of the ‘Sesame Street and Autism: See Amazing in All Children’ initiative with new resources More
 
Sensory salad “As a child my mum thought I was deaf and blind”. Paul Isaacs explains some of sensory effects of his autism. More
 
You get me? New research suggests that children with autism struggle with the feelings of others because they might not use context to identify underlying emotions. More
 
Seeing like a child “My toddler loves her autistic sister — and has helped me challenge my own unconscious prejudices.” More
 
Silver screen spectrum Looking WITH autism Sara Wheeler discusses autism in the movies. More
 
Empathy wins A nurse who created a Covid-19 vaccine clinic for people with learning disabilities and autism has received national recognition. Rebecca Crossley devised the sensory-friendly space for patients who may find syringes, PPE and a busy, noisy clinic daunting. More
 
Think autism “When I was twelve years old, I suddenly learned to think, all at once, on a single day. Before that day almost no one would have thought that I would ever understand the world around me”. Dan Bergmann on his autism, and a breakthrough lesson. More
 
Autistic access Since the pandemic, more of us than ever are seeking out green spaces. What can National Parks do to make the beauty of nature enjoyable and safe? More

​iPhones and autism Apple are reportedly working on an algorithm that will work with the camera in an iPhone to detect autism in children. More

Sibling story "I left a dream job to be closer to my autistic twin. The pandemic has forced many of us to rethink our lives, not least of which is how we work. For me, it meant returning home". More

Mental health New research highlights the quality of life and mental health issues of adults with autism More

Strength of the spectrum Daniel Sobel asks what would happen if we shifted our mindset and attitude – from thinking of the barriers of SEN to considering the strengths and skills that SEN can give students. More

Universities meet challenge Universities are becoming more autism-friendly with staff receiving training in autism, specific calm spaces created on campuses and advice and videos for autistic students. More

High fives for autism A mum has written an emotional letter to an Asda in Wigan, thanking a member of staff for his act of kindness towards her five-year-old son  with autism. More

Play help A mum from Croydon is speaking out as she seeks better support for autistic kids outside of school. Neve Knight said that while there are options to keep children entertained and active in Croydon during the day, precious few offer adequate support for SEN kids with specific conditions such as her five-year-old son Brody's autism and ADHD. More

Finding me “Dinosaurs didn’t only make our boy happy, they gave us a window into Ted’s world." ​How dinosaurs have transformed the life of Ted, a little boy with autism. More

Accessible art An art exhibit in Edmonton looked a little different this month, the lights were dimmed and the music lowered to provide a sensory-friendly experience. The small changes made a big difference for families with autistic children. More



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 of injusti
Rebel on the spectrum ‘People like me have a very aggravated sense of injustice’ More

Strategic intent England has a new autism strategy. Five things you need to know about the Government’s new autism strategy for England​. More

Tackling tough Covid, fostering, autism and football – midfielder Shaun Byrne opens up on difficult 10 days with the virus. More

​Ways to work A foundation is helping people on the autistic spectrum gain qualifications and jobs in the IT sector as software testers. More

Finding each other Writer Joanne Limburg diagnosed with autism at 42 reflects on motherhood. More

Hidden histories Over the past two decades, our cultural understanding of autism and what it means to be autistic has grown - though we have a long way to go. But there are entire generations of people who grew up when the popular conception of autism was a far cry from how it’s now understood. More

Thinking of others Cameron McIntosh has worked for weeks by himself to improve Dundonald — cleaning up litter, broken glass and dog poo. More

Holiday reading: The Passionate Mind In entirely accessible terms, Wendy Lawson lays out her groundbreaking theory of Single Attention and Associated Cognition in Autism (SAACA), an approach that explains autism in terms of the unique learning style of individuals on the autism spectrum. More

Reel life A Cumbrian filmmaker is preparing to show off a new film inspired by her experiences with neurodivergency. Sophie Broadgate asked women and non-binary people with autism to contribute to the film where their experiences will be shared and explored. More


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Story time Try this easy to use interface for creating and saving your own social stories or visual schedules More

College lifeline  This university programme helps autistic students navigate the social and academic world of higher education More

Autistic strength Nathias Frederick opens up on dealing with Asperger's and speech problems as he tackles latest MMA challenge More

Not weird "I was born in what I like to call a time before there was such a thing as autism." After a late diagnosis J.R. Reed shares his journey to becoming an autism self-advocate. More

Searching for sleep Beyond the well-established importance of high-quality sleep to general health, providing support and therapy to improve sleep quality in autistic children also may help them develop better behavioral regulation as they grow older. More

Autism fine focus "If I wasn’t autistic, would my encyclopedic knowledge of dinosaurs be a problem?". Some models of autism frame special interest as something unsettling and obsessive. This is an unfair double standard. More

Get over us "It’s difficult being autistic in a neurotypical world. Some of us live in secret, others loud and proud, but we are united by a self-evident truth that we should be treated equally". More

Autistic on the inside "Autism runs in my family. My personal and professional partner David is autistic, as are his three grown children. Between my work, advocacy, and family life, I’m pretty much immersed in autism!" An autism advocate shares the importance of parents immersing themselves in autistic culture. More

Finding our futures “Your child will never speak or live independently,” the doctor told Kimberlee McCafferty flat out. His words dropped like an anvil, leaving McCafferty shaken. “I remember thinking, ‘That’s a pretty damning statement to make when the child is not yet potty trained.’” More

You need to know Timothy Rohrer, a young man with autism, has authored a book about inclusion, and he aims to stock school libraries and educate all. More

Making 'unbreakable' Parents of kids with autism benefit from a programme of scientifically backed strategies to build acceptance, mindfulness, optimism and resilience - and to improve family relationships. More