Animating autism PBS Kids is developing its first-ever series featuring a lead character on the autism spectrum and his neurodiverse friends. The animated show called “Carl the Collector” follows Carl, a raccoon with autism who loves to collect things, and his friends in Fuzzytown, a place where everyone is learning about themselves and those around them. More

Safe community "Being non-binary, queer, autistic, ADHD, I grew up really isolated, and didn't have a lot of community, didn't really have any tools or skills, or any good things going on in my life". Finding a safe community was a difficult task for Sonny Jane Wise, until they created one for others with a similar experience. More

No Bill Charities have accused the government of a "major breach of trust" after key reforms did not appear in the King's Speech. The Mental Health Bill, now seemingly dropped, contained provisions to reform the Mental Health Act 1983, which currently allows people with autism and other learning difficulties to be detained and placed in mental health hospitals. More
 
Hate crime A report finds that people with autism and learning disabilities are still facing hate crimes. Hate crimes against people living with disabilities between 2021 and 2022 increased by 25%. More

Turned away A new screening system for adults wanting an autism or ADHD diagnosis has rejected up to 85% of requests for a referral since it was launched, adding to concerns from campaigners who warn it could become a blueprint across the NHS. More

Hearing in colour A new analysis of thousands of sets of twins suggests that synaesthesia shares genetic roots with autism. Synaesthesia seems to be linked to what are known as non-social autism traits. More

No access An autistic man will receive £20,000 compensation after a “discriminatory” refusal to make the reasonable adjustments he requested for a job interview with the government agency responsible for NHS digital technology. More
 
Nicholas’s story ‘I’ve been locked up for 10 years because I’m autistic. Is a chance at life too much to ask?’ More

Job open (or wrapped) Gillian Jervis set up her and her husband's fish and chip shop to secure their autistic child's future after one horrible comment changed everything. More

How do autistic people experience maternity care? Dr Aimee Grant, Senior Lecturer in Public Health at Swansea University, tells us how her experience of autism and maternity care inspired her to research the topic. More

Social isolation Michelle Myers was diagnosed with autism at 41 and has spent her whole life masking who she really is. She has experienced first-hand the effects of stigmatisation, social isolation, and limited opportunities due to a lack of understanding surrounding autism. More

National crisis The National Autistic Society was formed in 1962 and opened the World’s first specialist school for autistic children in 1964. Recently, though the charity has felt the brunt of Government cuts in funding for care, with several services forced to close. More 

Hubs help The NHS has invested £200,000 for autism hubs to run in Derbyshire. In the hubs, charities and voluntary organisations will support children and young people - and their families and carers - with topics such as benefits, housing, employment, and clinical services. More

Teaching skills Breaking tasks down into their component parts and simplifying instructions will go a long way to helping autistic children master new skills. More

Augmenting lives Communication is key and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) can really help. AAC covers a range of strategies and tools which help children and adults communicate. These may be simple letter or picture boards, or very sophisticated computer-based systems. More 

Thinking differently Autism self-advocate Travis Misurell shares how the Future Is Now Coalition is working to make the US democratic process more accessible. More

‘Running is the ultimate stim' Insights from autistic ultra-runner, Ishmael Burdeau, into how the sport of ultra-running can be a place for autistic athletes to grow and prosper. More

Missing school A teenager with autism says going to school can feel "like hell" due to lack of help for additional learning needs. Leonie, 15, from Merthyr Tydfil, would beg not to attend school before she got tailored support. More

Inside autism Science journalist Sue Nelson shares her personal journey to better understand autism. Inside her autistic inner world is a cacophony of brain chatter, anxiety and sensory issues - recreated within a 360 degree soundscape - that impact her life and interactions with others. More

Autism understood “We have made this website so that everyone can gain a better understanding of what autism is, since most people we meet seem a little confused about what autism actually is”.  More

Failing children The ICARS Report (England) documents the experiences of 560 English children. It exposes an educational system which has failed children, especially those receiving SEND services, and their families with devastating consequences. More

Together as partners Telford and Wrekin are launching a borough-wide autism strategy to support all autistic adults in the borough to lead healthy and fulfilling lives, where they feel valued and supported. More

School avoidance Why are why are so many neuro-diverse kids refusing to go to school? More

Assessment explained If you think you or your child need support at school, home or at work, you can start getting help before having an assessment. What happens during an autism assessment? More

Bad practice What is being done to reduce the use of restrictive practices, including restraint, seclusion and segregation? More

Onside with autism The Wrexham and Ireland midfielder, James McClean has spoken of his pride at his autism diagnosis during a frank interview with Patrick Kielty on The Late Late Show. He said he was initially hesitant about getting tested as a diagnosis could further make him a target for rival fans. More

Tablet tool An electronic tool could help clinicians diagnose autism in children younger than age 3, according to two new studies conducted across six major autism centres in the United States. More

Waiting times More than 143,000 people are currently waiting for an autism assessment in England, according to the latest NHS figures. More

Ageing with autism Scottish Autism has partnered with the Heriot-Watt University to use filmmaking and art to explore the hopes, concerns and needs of older autistic adults. More

Exam worry A teenager with autism may have to abandon their GCSEs if a classroom assistant is not made available for the start of the school term. Toni Humphreys' family asked for help in March but the Education Authority (EA) still has not finalised support. More

Accommodation please Finding a home for adults with complex care needs can be a challenge many families face. But one couple decided to try something new and developed a care home for their son which has gained international interest. More

Autism and employment Workplaces can be mood-draining places at the best of times, but for neurodivergent people they can be a minefield of overstimulation, frustration and fatigue. More

Guiding good practice Health professionals have responsibilities to ensure that people with a learning disability and autistic people receive good care. NHS England has updated it’s clinical guidance. More

Leading with care Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England, explains the difference between leadership and management and highlights why it’s essential that every member of the workforce has a clear vision to work to. More

Autism and health The health conditions that tend to accompany autism in adolescence grow even more prevalent by early adulthood, according to a new longitudinal study. The findings underscore the importance of continually screening for these conditions in autistic children as they age, especially as they transition from paediatric to adult care. More

​Diagnostic delay Some children in Kent are having to wait up to four years for an autism or ADHD diagnosis. More

Dehumanising policies Autistic people are struggling to access health, education and housing. More
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Author and campaigner Olivia Richards is a busy mum but still finds time to help other parents who have children with autism. More

Surviving school “It can be a challenging place to manage for most people, and when you’re autistic it can be even harder. Growing up I always felt different, like an outsider” More

Neurodiversity Nearly 30 years after Judy Singer coined the term in an undergraduate thesis, it is now almost universally used and understood: an idea that beautifully captures the plain fact that autism and a range of other conditions – ADHD, dyspraxia, dyslexia and more – are part of the endlessly different ways that human minds are wired. More

Hear us People First (Self Advocacy) is a national user-led self-advocacy organisation, for and run by people with learning difficulties, learning disabilities and autistic people. More

Life just makes sense If you're a Cat Burns fan, you'll know her lyrics are honest. It's something she wants to extend to her personal life too - which is why she's opened up about her recent ADHD and autism diagnosis. More

No break Parents of children with complex needs have said they are "devastated" over the closure of an autism school's respite centre in South Yorkshire. More

Under the surface Autistic Paralympic champion Jessica-Jane Applegate speaks about the challenges and misconceptions of her ‘hidden disability’ as an S14 swimmer. More
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Cut the wait Autism diagnosis 'takes far too long': New report lays bare experience of Northumberland families with NHS services. More

Success in the pool “My son hasn’t always had the best experiences with swimming teachers due to them not being trained in ASD and understanding his needs. The teachers for Halo’s autism swim course are incredible and have ignited my son’s excitement for swimming lessons.” More

Campaign We must keep pushing for more autism education says charity leader, amid growing anger and confusion over Government SEND plans. More

Healthy solutions How to make Healthy Eating Week inclusive for autistic children? Eating can be a stressful experience for autistic young people, explains Jo Galloway, but that doesn't have to limit their enjoyment or progress. More

Radio result TV writer Jack Thorne reveals how a Desert Island Discs interview led to his autism diagnosis. More

Animated experience Walk In My Shoes’ is the first educational training tool from the Donaldson Trust. Created in partnership with Erin Davidson. The animation aims to increase understanding of neurodiversity and reflects Erin’s experiences at the age of 14. More

Hidden difficulties New estimates suggest most autistic adults in England lack a formal diagnosis. More

System failure A survey of teachers at schools in England found that the majority have had less than a day of training in autism. The National Autistic Society, which is the charity behind the survey, says it highlights how "autistic children and young people are being failed”. More

Stages for autism ‘Improv comedy has been life-changing for my ADHD and autism – now I run a club to help others’. When Suzi Payton, 47, discovered she was autistic, has ADHD, Tourette’s and OCD, improvised comedy had entered her life at just the right time. More

Help at the dentist Sensory adapted dental rooms significantly reduce autistic children's physiological stress during a dental hygiene visit. More

Help app An autistic boy and his mother are appealing for help with developing an app to support his needs. Young innovator James Malthouse, ten, from Tavistock, is asking for help with raising money through his Crowdfunder campaign. More

ABA Ban Parents of children with autism in the Netherlands are calling on the government to ban a controversial treatment known as ABA, which some have compared to gay conversion therapy. More

Stop! Think… autism? “My autistic behaviour is constantly met by accusation and inconsiderate responses. I believe this is frequently for two reasons:
1. They don’t stop and think, could there be another explanation for this ‘odd’ behaviour?
2. Even if they realise I am autistic, they don’t know how to support me”. More

Autism freed me Getting diagnosed with autism and ADHD was “the best thing that ever happened” to Ellie Middleton. More

Hear me The “voice” of a 3-year-old teaches us about the importance of early detection, parenting support and the crucial role played by professionals and an open-minded society.  More

Getting there The train operator behind the country's busiest rail franchise has launched a guide to help people with autism travel with ease. More

Left in limbo The NHS autism service ‘crisis’ will leave tens of thousands of patients without diagnosis with 190,000 patients waiting for autism diagnosis by 2024 with ‘devastating’ consequences. More

Life partner A digital innovation that provides autistic adults with 24/7 support and practical tools to manage the challenges of everyday life has been shown to significantly reduce anxiety levels. More

Wrong kind of autism? Fewer children will be eligible to get an autism diagnosis from the NHS. Only those who meet certain criteria are able to be referred for an autism diagnosis at the NHS in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. More

Not difficult 'We thought our son was just being difficult but finding out why has changed our lives’. Thomas was diagnosed six days before his fifth birthday. More

Sounds right As part of Neurodiversity Celebration Week 13-19 March 2023, musician Anna Neale discusses her personal experience of the brilliance and burnout of ADHD and Autism. More

Unbelievable ‘My GP told me I can’t be autistic, as I can drive a car and I work! I was then sent to the mental health team for depression and anxiety’. More

Consult us An Irish hospital consultant who was diagnosed with autism as an adult nearly a decade ago has said the benefit of discovering she had the condition has been “life changing.”Dr Mary Doherty, an anaesthetist in Navan Hospital, went on to found Autistic Doctors International, which has more than 700 autistic doctors worldwide. More

Autistic and marginalised Research has often fallen short when it comes to capturing the experiences of marginalised groups, such as those who: belong to a minority ethnic community, or whose first language is not English. A new report sheds some light on the issues. Download

Stuck in Hospital A new exhibition illustrates the invisibility of people with learning disabilities and / or autistic people in long-stay hospitals. More

Book an adventure A North Yorkshire author has written her debut children's book encouraging autistic youngsters to enjoy outdoor activities based on her own experiences. Allie Mason has written her debut publication - The Autistic Guide To Adventure - after her experience of being diagnosed as an adult two years ago, at the age of 23. More

Staying true A young mother recently diagnosed with autism admits she was never able to present her true self to her mother. Flo Bennett was diagnosed with autism five years ago, when she was 24 years old. She shared her experience on a BBC documentary Inside Our Autistic Minds and said it had helped her to open up to her family. More

Parent questions How can a parent tell if their child may be autistic? And what help can they get? The NHS has published a guide detailing the most common signs of autism in children. More

Our experiences What was it like for people with learning disabilities and autism during the pandemic? Watch this video from the Social Care Institute for Excellence. More

Early support It was not until Caroline Andrew was 11 years old, after experiencing almost all of her primary school education without adequate supports, that she officially learnt she was autistic. More

Feeling different Autistic people may experience pain at a higher intensity than those not on the autism spectrum and are less adaptable to the sensation. More

Employer education Nath Trevett, a translator, says many employers do not know anything about autism and it creates barriers for autistic people. More

Support works Brain in Hand, which helps autistic people to build independence and manage/maintain their wellbeing has passed a number of efficacy and safety tests. “It’s essential, if you have a product claiming to make a difference to people’s lives, that you can evidence that.” Dr Louise Morpeth. More

Talent on tour A touring art exhibition is giving young people who are autistic an opportunity to express themselves.The Creative Voices: What Autism Means to Me exhibition showcases more than 140 pieces of art created by autistic post-primary pupils from schools right across Northern Ireland. More

Autism explains “When I got diagnosed it didn’t feel good,” Brady admits, “but it definitely helped me fix certain elements of my life.” Taskmaster star and comedian Fern Brady on her meltdowns and her autism diagnosis. More

Attention feelings In this episode of ADHD Power Tools, Ali, Brooke, and special guest Jeff Copper discuss how ADHD and Emotional Self-Regulation are related. More

Space for the spectrum What is a ‘sensory space’ and why are they so important? More

Stopping safely The Metropolitan Police Service has released a guide for police officers exercising stop and search powers on autistic people, and for autistic members of public who may be subject to a stop and search. More

More drugs The proportion of children in England on antipsychotics has doubled in the last two decades. The broader use of antipsychotics in autistic young people begs questions about the safety over time and more research on this topic is needed. More

Autistic? You're fired Being sacked suddenly and for seemingly no reason is an all-too-common autistic experience, and one of the most unfortunate and unfair aspects of this is the reason for termination often boils down to inaccurate assumptions about the person’s character and intentions, not poor job performance. More

Art of autism At two years of age, David Downes began to draw. It would be another few years before he learned to talk, and another 30 until his autism diagnosis. "I could draw before I could communicate. Looking back it was obvious but there wasn't as much awareness back then”. More 

Future scoping Fast forward to 2032, what should mental health, autism and learning disability services look like for service users and staff? In this podcast, Matthew Taylor talks to Andy Bell, interim chief executive of the Centre for Mental Health, to unpack the answer. More

Two languages When parents learn their child has a developmental disability, they often have questions about what their child may or may not be able to do. For some families, one of these questions may be: “Will speaking two languages be detrimental to their development?” More

Speaking up In order to be an active participant in the transition planning process, your autistic teen needs to develop self-determination skills – the skills that enable individuals to speak up for what they want, what they’re interested in, and how they would like to accomplish it. More

Sport for all Youngsters with autism and learning difficulties are thriving in an inclusive club created just for them. Sean Baker used his own experience of autism to create Spectrum Sensory Sports. More

We want a tsar A report by National Autistic Society Scotland and Scottish Autism found that 96% of people surveyed support a commissioner to promote and protect the rights of autistic people. More 

Joined up thinking Gastro-intestinal conditions and autism seem to occur together. Accumulating research shows that there is more of an interplay between these conditions than previously understood, with ASD affecting GI conditions and GI conditions affecting ASD. More

Doctors on the spectrum “Autistic psychiatrists are an asset to medicine — but we need to better support them”. Conor Davidson, Royal College of Psychiatrists’ ‘Autism Champion’. More

Helping animals Teachers at a school for autistic students have turned to animals to work with their pupils. Springfields Academy, in Calne, has brought the farm to the pupils to avoid any anxiety which might come with leaving the familiar classroom setting. More