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Heart n Soul Allsorts, based at The Albany in south-east London, brings together adults with learning disabilities and autistic people to take part in creative sessions led by artists. The programme changes each week, and no two sessions look the same. More
Seeing you Awareness is one thing, but acceptance is another. For Mark Wright, it all started when his daughter drew an apple. More Health equality Autistic women say smear tests can leave them feeling distressed, dismissed and in pain, with some avoiding them altogether out of anxiety. Research funded by Cancer Research Wales will assess how barriers to cervical screening for autistic women can be removed. More School memories Anna Higgins felt she never really fitted in at school. She assumed the experience was confusing and overwhelming to everyone. Only when she received an autism diagnosis in her 20s did she begin to appreciate her school days had been particularly challenging - making her aware she may have struggled to fulfil her potential. More Inclusive touch Princess Anne was the guest of honour at a tag rugby competition for players with learning disabilities. Tag Fest 26 was organised by the charity Wooden Spoon, which aims to build inclusion through the sport - the Princess Royal is the charity's patron. More Safeguarding fails Since 2016 the CQC, the independent regulator of health and social care in England, has prosecuted just 11 providers relating to the care of people with learning disabilities, despite the fact that care can fall short and negligence is a reality. More Autistic strength “Last year, over spring break, I took my then 10-year-old son to Disneyland. For years, I had been reluctant to visit the park, unsure of how my son, who is autistic, would handle the large crowds, long lines, and sensory overload. I needn’t have worried.” More Health help A three-year plan focused on prevention, independence, and community care has been launched to transform support for people with learning disabilities and autism in Birmingham and Solihull. The strategy sets out 10 key areas for action, with a central ambition to reduce avoidable hospital admissions and enhance preventive services. More Soccer sacks A football association has teamed up with an autism charity to create and distribute sensory bags across the local football community. The Jersey Football Association and Autism Jersey have launched the bags containing items that could help children and adults self-regulate in over-stimulating environments. More Saving lives The Zero Suicide Alliance (a national initiative hosted by Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust has launched ‘Autism and Suicide Awareness Training’. It’s designed to coach people through spotting the signs and supporting an autistic person. More Change the system In a new report the Autism Alliance UK makes one overriding point: that to genuinely improve lives and outcomes for autistic children, young people and adults, governments across the UK must invest in systemic change, addressing the deep barriers faced by autistic people which have been present for decades. More Inclusion and Ofsted Assessing inclusion is rarely straightforward when determining whether a school’s approach is genuinely improving the experiences of vulnerable students. More Signs of success A former Royal Marine who admits he "couldn't cope" with his autistic son not talking has hailed a communication system for helping him find his voice. Three years ago, the family were introduced to Makaton, which uses signs, symbols and speech to help people of all ages who need support. More
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Isolation incidents One in 12 secondary pupils report being put into school isolation rooms at least once a week where they often spend in excess of eight hours, missing more than a full day of lessons, according to research. Children with special educational needs were more than twice as likely to be placed in isolation. More
School fight Support for children with special educational needs in England is fundamentally flawed, a major new report says. The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) says there should be more comprehensive support in mainstream schools which young people can access more easily without a lengthy assessment process. More Crisis in care The family of a disabled man who died after not being given any food for nine days whilst being treated in an NHS hospital has told ITV News “we thought he was having nutrition… but as it turns out, they were starving him”. This comes as an ITV News investigation has revealed a crisis in the care of learning disabled and autistic people. More SENDsational Season A disability advocate and campaigner from Hull wants to make sure young people with disabilities and their families do not miss out on the magic this Christmas. Adam Nielsen is organising the city’s first SENDsational Christmas market in December. More Glow for it! Thousands gathered to light up Stormont Estate over the weekend in a vibrant show of support for autism. The annual Glow Walk took place on Saturday evening, with proceeds going to support Autism NI’s services across Northern Ireland. More Accessibility rewarded A museum has been awarded the National Autistic Society's Autism Friendly Award for its work to ensure it is accessible to people with different needs. Exeter City Council's Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery (RAMM) said it had met the standards needed to ensure it offered an industry approved autism-friendly environment. More No more masking This month, 70 academics and practitioners from all over the world came together in Rome, to be the voice within the Church for differently abled people and their families. "Masking worked (sometimes) in public but it cost me everything in private. " More Write on! A grandmother has created a series of books to help her non-verbal granddaughter living with autism to express her feelings. Joann Jones, from Bristol, said she decided to publish her stories across the UK after seeing how transformative they were for five year old Zaeah. More Art like family An art studio for autistic artists in Kent, south-east England, is thriving, selling more than 70 works in its latest exhibition while offering a space for creativity and connection. More 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 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 Slope success Autistic skier, Annabelle Lamb said she was "super surprised" to win gold for Great Britain at the Special Olympics. More
Eyes have it Research from Japan has demonstrated the use of eye-tracking technology in the early diagnosis of autism. More Only natural A care farm to support the needs of autistic children has been given the green light by officials. The project aims to provide activities at Fossefield Farm, Stoney Stanton, in Leicestershire. More Art for autism's sake An autistic artist said he was honoured that his painting of a football stadium will be sold to raise money to help other people with autism. David Downes has painted Portman Road, the home of Ipswich Town Football Club, and is auctioning the art for the club's community foundation. More It’s like this Originally developed by Training2Care, a British company, ARE is a revolutionary, hands-on training programme that allows participants to experience the sensory, cognitive and emotional challenges faced by people with autism. More Shared goal Watford Football Club have been playing their part and promoting Autism Acceptance. More Mothers needs New research highlights the unique challenges and needs faced by autistic women during motherhood, including late diagnoses and a lack of professional understanding. More Our stories ‘Most neurotypicals have no idea how much effort I’m making, how well I’m doing, if you account for the fact that I have taught myself every last thing. Maybe they’ll never know how much work goes into it.’ Wired Our Own Way is a new anthology showcasing the diversity of the autistic experience. More A mine of information A university campus built in a Minecraft world is helping autistic people to settle into student life. Parts of De Montfort University (DMU), in Leicester, have been recreated by student Eden Turner to provide a place for people to meet up and make friends while playing the hit video game. More FC is back!?! Clinicians and researchers are rightly concerned about the return of Facilitated Communication in the guise of the Telepathy Tapes podcast. Many professional health organisations around the world have denounced the use of FC. Raising Children, an Australian government-funded website for parents, classifies FC as “ineffective or harmful”. More Vision for education The autistic voice has been largely missing from educational research and policymaking. A recent research study, co-produced with autistic researchers, set out to change this. More Sad loss Steve Silberman, a journalist who championed autism rights has died. Silberman was a longtime science journalist and author of the 2015 book “NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity.” His TED Talk “The Forgotten History of Autism” has been viewed nearly 2 million times. More
Meeting needs What could schools do to better support neurodiverse girls? Autistic and ADHDer girls face distinct challenges at school. There are a number of research-backed ways they could be better understood and supported in class. More No evidence Parents are spending $9000 on unproven magnetic e-resonance therapy, or MERT, a magnetic brain stimulation therapy. More Safe on the web The Techosaurus Activity Pack from the NSPCC helps to make conversations about staying safe online as easy as possible. With a colouring in activity, dot-to-dot and maze game. More Dog shoot Cameras will begin to roll this week on Rosie O’Donnell’s new documentary, “Unleashing Hope: The Power of Service Dogs for Autism.” More Getting creative A study from the Yale Child Study Center, published in Autism Research, highlights how puppets can capture and sustain the attention of autistic children, providing a powerful tool for social engagement. More Autism alert The Metropolitan Police is promoting its Autism Alert Card, to help autistic people better interact with officers across the capital.The card can be used by all autistic people and includes basic information such as the person’s name and contact details for an appropriate adult. The card also details information about autism and provides practical advice for officers. More Great fit The MoveMuse chatbot is designed to motivate autistic adults and help them plan fitness goals and work past obstacles. Researchers at the University of Limerick have developed an AI chatbot to improve physical health. More Role with it Tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs) are increasingly used in therapeutic and educational settings to improve the well-being of autistic people. A University of Plymouth study investigated the potential of TTRPGs to provide a safe space where autistic adults could develop relationships with others while also engaging in character and world-building. More 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 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 Repeated failings The crisis in mental health services for autistic young people is costing lives. This BBC film investigates. More
Speaking for autism Oracy is a hot topic but what does it mean for learners with complex additional needs who may have idiosyncratic ‘speech’, are reluctant to utter sounds, or rely on technology to do so? This article examines the current drive towards teaching ‘fluent’ speech as a means of enabling equality and opportunity. More Safe date For 24-year-old Sira Rehn, a dating app for people with mild intellectual disabilities and autism has opened up the world of online dating and a chance to find love in a safe space. More Research right Studies investigating autistic community research priorities indicate a mismatch between what autism research focuses on and what autistic people want to see researched. Time to listen. More Great trains GWR has been recognised by The National Autistic Society for making train travel more accessible for people with autism.The society applauded the train operator for introducing several autism-friendly changes, particularly at stations in the western region of its network. More Escaping the wait A mother who fled to the UK from Ukraine with her seven-year-old son said she had no choice but to return to the war-torn country to avoid a three-year NHS wait for an autism assessment. More Anxiety advice Over the past 10-15 years, research has confirmed what many parents and teachers have long suspected – that many autistic children often experience very significant levels of anxiety. Download this guide from City University, London. More Stim supply When an individual experiences too much distressing sensory input (becoming overstimulated) or not enough positive sensory input (becoming understimulated), it can trigger sensory meltdowns or shutdowns. Fortunately, sensory items and stim toys have become more mainstream in recent years. Many autistic people use these items to self-regulate, cope with sensory issues, and attend to their sensory needs. More Financial needs The first study into raising an autistic child using the Minimum Income Standard (MIS) approach, has found that families and carers face costs of more than £2,650 each year – to cover everyday essentials that meet their children’s needs. More Time to learn Mandatory autism training should be introduced for teachers, the House Commons has heard today. Duncan Baker, Conservative MP for North Norfolk, has introduced a bill to Parliament in the hope of bringing in the change. The backbench MP said mandatory training would be aimed at identifying signs of autism and helping autistic children to achieve positive outcomes in school. More Immersed in the task Going with the flow Is there overlap between Autistic hyperfocus and flow? Take a look at this investigation of autistic people's flow-like or hyperfocus experiences. More
Dog decision Mike and Erin Doan wanted to adopt a dog from Kismutt Small Dog Rescue but were told by the owner that they would not adopt out a dog to a family with an autistic child. More Accessible worship Parents sometimes find it difficult to attend the mosque themselves at prayer times, due to the fear that their child might not cope well in the mosque environment and disturb the prayers. Here are 7 simple, cost-effective ways that mosques can cater to the needs of the autistic community. More Mothers speak out Children out of education, careers cut short and crumbling mental health. These are some of the ways parents of children with special educational needs (SEND) say they are being impacted by a system struggling with demand. More On pitch empathy A football player wore ear defenders to show support for a team mascot with autism. Slough Town FC's Josh Jackman, wore the ear guards while walking out for a match against Farnborough. Roseanne is a young fan with autism, who wears ear defenders during games to limit noise and help to keep her calm. More Advocating for advocacy Gail Petty writes about the findings from a major new research report which reviews advocacy for people with learning disabilities and autistic people who are inpatients in mental health settings. More In control Animation on how to improve quality of life at home by finding ways to enable your child to make free, healthy autonomous choices. This can also help ease some parenting stress levels. More STOMP it out Medics need to “fully engage” with NHS England’s campaign to stop the overmedication of people with a learning disability, autism or both. That’s the view of campaigner Paula McGowan. She says medics should always seek a “non-pharmaceutical approach and work closely with their neurodivergent patients”. 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 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 |
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