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

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