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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At a difficult age Researchers are just beginning to learn what happens in the brains of autistic children during adolescence to explain their unique social, cognitive and emotional challenges More

Financial fight "You're literally having to fight people to get what you know your child is actually legally entitled to," Anna Geldard spent £20,000 fighting for the Education, Health and Social Care Plan (EHCP) her child is entitled to. More

Super supporters Volunteers and medics have been praised for the way they helped a woman with learning difficulties get her first vaccination jab. Lucie Willis has autism and epilepsy and her parents Helen and Mark were apprehensive about how she would cope with going to York's vaccination centre More

More autism Autism is more common in children in England than previously thought –  a study at University of Cambridge also found that prevalence numbers varied by ethnicity and levels of deprivation More

Video sharing Bristol group Autism Independence has launched a series of multi-language short films to dispel myths about autism in the Somali community, "We hope that our films, particularly the version in the Somali language, can reach many more families and reassure parents." More

Sensory shopping "As an autistic, I always need to take my disability into account when I make consumer choices. Something a neurotypical person may not even notice—a beep, a buzz, a scratchy tag—can overwhelm my senses". More

Sounds good Many children with autism struggle to find the words to express how they feel. But when it comes to music, it’s an entirely different situation. How can teachers incorporate music in everyday lessons? More

Positive pathways What do we know about encouraging employment and thereby fostering independence among autistic young adults? A team in Cambridge, MA think they have a few answers More

Help in mind 2020 hasn’t been an easy year for teens. Covid-19, exam cancellations and school closures have made it the most disrupted school year in 75 years. The folks at myTutor have some ideas about how parents can equip their teens with tactics and tips to cope with whatever life throws at them. More

Ideas please Parenting any child is challenging, but the joys and feelings that come with parenting a child with special needs are unique. Wondermoms is a great source of advice and ideas. More


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Through An Autistic Eye Autistic photographer inspires other young people with special needs to take photos as he prepares to publish debut book  More 

Life in lockdown A mother and son have written an illustrated book during lockdown to help explain autism to others. More

Sounds different Unlike typical toddlers, those with autism may tend not to share experiences involving sound — dancing to music with their parents, for example, or directing a parent’s attention toward a cat’s meow — according to a new study More

Good read Get hold of Sarah Kurchak's ‘autiebiography’ (an autobiography written by an autistic person) which, though it may not reflect the experiences of everyone on the spectrum, is sure to resonate with many More

Getting in the door Being diagnosed with autism at the age of 33 was a watershed moment for Josh McKeiver. - "That was a huge relief. I cried. I'd never cried so much in my life, over days." Employment however is another hurdle. More

Care changes needed Too many people with learning disabilities or autism are receiving "undignified and inhumane care" in specialist hospitals, a care regulator has found. More

Autism in the family "What [autism] means for us, in my family, is that we experience external stimuli as blasts of information. When we are out in public, the smells, the sights, the sounds and the people can all merge together and become completely overwhelming." More