AUTISM NEWSLETTER OCTOBER 2025 COMMENT

It’s a sign! Today, over 100,000 children and adults use Makaton symbols and signs, either as their main method of communication or as a way to support speech. Try the sign of the week. More

Aftercare A Labour MP will urge the Government to set out specifics of how it will provide support to people with autism and learning disabilities when they leave mental health hospitals, sometimes after being there for several years. More

School and you A new research project aims to explore the experiences of autistic young people who have struggled to attend school. Participants aged 13-17 years can take the survey that lasts five minutes. More

Shop provides purpose A man who sometimes "would not leave" his room says working inside a shop staffed by those with disabilities is helping him back into a stable routine. Wear, a vintage clothes shop and cafe, has taken over an empty unit in Sunderland to help overcome a "lack of opportunities" in the workplace. More

Go game Two free computer games designed for autistic children as part of a collaboration between MotionInput Games and the National Autistic Society are now available to download and play. More

Autistic and proud King Charles' cousin who became first royal to reveal she has autism announces she is starting a PhD at a prestigious London university. More

Securing support After being diagnosed with autism at 56, Peter Baimbridge has been on a journey to support others with the condition through the charity he founded, Salford Autism. He explained how the charity works to support people across Salford and Greater Manchester, but raised concerns that the level of help available to people with the neurodevelopmental condition has declined in recent years. More

Blame again There are echoes of mother-blaming in how President Donald Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are now talking about autism, pregnancy and vaccines. “This isn’t the first time moms have been blamed for their kids’ autism”, writes Sara Luterman. More
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Social connection A woman has admitted she "had no friends" and "didn't really go out of the house" before discovering a charity for people with high functioning autism. Tea Griffiths has been a member of Aspie, based in Worcester, for three years and claimed it gave her a social life. More

Assessment in crisis A “system-wide” crisis in support for autistic people and those with ADHD and autism requires a nationwide response from across health and social care services, Scotland’s psychiatrists have warned. The Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) in Scotland says continuing with the current approach to assessment and support for ADHD and autism is ‘not sustainable’ and ‘a fundamentally different, society-wide response’ is now needed. More

Age problem Older autistic people need more help after years of misdiagnosis. Research estimates 90% of Britons over 50 with autism aren’t getting the right support and face added difficulties. More