AUTISM NEWSLETTER MARCH 2024 COMMENT

Attendance and autism Children who are persistently absent from school are often autistic, a survey by a Hackney parents' group suggests. A report by Hackney Independent Parents (Hip) has been investigating the growing problem of "emotionally based school avoidance (ESBA)", a local authority meeting heard. More

Big challenge  Celebrity Big Brother’s Bradley Riches reflects on challenges of autism. While discussing his 2023 children’s book, “A” Different Kind Of Superpower, with fellow housemate and West End star Marisha Wallace, Riches explained that some aspects of being in the Celebrity Big Brother house can be challenging. More

Autism assessments A quarter of families wait at least four years for an assessment, a Channel4 survey shows. More

Reasonable adjustments The recently published Buckland report recommended a range of ways in which employers can better support autistic employees. This starts with the recruitment process, argues Euan Cameron. More
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Press praise A journalist has thanked colleagues for their support after recently being diagnosed with autism. Aaron Greenaway has praised fellow staff at Tindle Newspapers in Cornwall after his diagnosis. More

Silence and stigma Having autistic kids can leave South Asian mums isolated. Habiba says women like her feel isolated and alone because autism is not discussed in the south Asian community. More

Autistic Joy Angela Lauria is the creator of The Autistic Culture Podcast which advocates for viewing autism as a cultural difference to be embraced and not a disorder to be fixed. More

Sounds sensitive The Auerbach Lab at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology is soon to examine how different genes associated with autism may impact the brain’s neurons, resulting in heightened sensitivity to sounds. More

Forced to fail Some pupils with autism in Scotland are forced to “fail” in mainstream education before receiving the necessary support, MSPs have heard. Suzi Martin, the external affairs manager for the National Autistic Society Scotland said the pace of progress on support for children needing more support has been too slow. More

Eating disorder support A service supporting young individuals with autism who suffer from eating disorders suggests identifying early signs of autism could help understand eating habits which could lead to a disorder. The Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire Pathway for Eating disorders and Autism developed from Clinical Experience (BOB PEACE), has been treating adolescents and young people for years, providing targeted mental health support. More

Rock on The music industry has rallied around a rock band predominately made up of musicians with a learning disability after the group were stripped of vital charity funding. The six members of Ultimate Thunder from Leeds have been playing together for over a decade and relied on financial support to pay for equipment and support staff. More​