Diagnosis doubted The National Autistic Society has warned that a recent Government review risks fuelling an "increasingly polarised debate", with "too much attention placed on questioning people's motivations for seeking a diagnosis”. More

Novel voice As a child, Woody Brown was underestimated, infantilised and dismissed by specialists and teachers. Now 28, he has written an acclaimed debut novel set in an adult day care centre that gives people like him a voice. More
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Autism alert More than 5,500 autistic people now carry a Thames Valley Autism Alert Card, and Autism Berkshire, the charity behind the scheme, is keen to increase take-up during Autism Acceptance Week 2026. More

Sensory need An 11-year-old primary school student has started a petition calling on the government to ensure there is a sensory area in every classroom for students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). More

Talking Head With his eccentric style and quirky stage presence, David Byrne, the iconic frontman of the band Talking Heads, emerged as one of the most distinctive figures in ‘70s and ‘80s music. He discusses his experiences of being on the autism spectrum throughout his career, emphasising both challenges and creative advantages linked to being autistic. More

Award Hillingdon Council is celebrating after its Youth Justice Service became the first in the country to achieve national recognition by a charity for its work to improve support for autistic people. More

Open comic Hundreds of autistic people from around the UK have helped shape new guidance on how to make comic festivals and conventions welcoming. Researchers were taken aback by how many fans took part in an online survey on the issue, as part of the University of Cambridge project. More

Art works Emy is proof that misconceptions are usually very wrong. Her artwork appeals to people all over the world, without the need for words. Emy and her one-to-one support worker, India
– on how Emy’s art has built connection and communication. More
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More inclusive Specialist resource centers (a form of "Inclusion Base") within mainstream secondary schools may be linked to stronger academic progress, improved attendance, and a greater sense of belonging for autistic pupils, according to a new three-year study from the University of Surrey, published in the journal Autism. More​

Seeing me ‘They don’t see my autism; they just see Hannah’. An 18-year-old Nursing Assistant from Wythenshawe Hospital has shared how she began her dream career path, thanks to a supported internship programme. More

Skills success A programme for young adults with autism and learning disabilities is expanding amid growing demand. Autism Unlimited in Christchurch, Dorset, launched its Futures programme in 2021 for just four young people.The scheme, to help people gain confidence and improve life skills, now has 28 learners aged between 18 and 25. More

Kindness of strangers A community has rallied around an autistic 13-year-old boy who lost his much-loved model aeroplane collection. Kimmie Button said her son Lucas was devastated when he noticed the bag containing his 30 toys was missing. After a fruitless search in Doncaster earlier this month, Mrs Button took to social media to ask for help. More

Animating autism One of the most prominent and recognisable YouTube animators, Ilyssa Levy from Illymation has created and shared emotional, funny, and hard-hitting stories from her personal life that have attracted millions of viewers. More

Making sense Emily Katy was aged 13 and on a school trip when she had her first panic attack. Three years later, she was sectioned after trying to take her own life. The 22-year-old, who lives in St Albans, was diagnosed with autism aged 16 and her life suddenly started to make sense. More

Sounds amazing Autistic composer, Richard Maddock been a professional pianist/composer for 30+ years with albums being used in over 30,000 dance studios worldwide. More 

Comfort quest An 11-year-old autistic boy has said a T-shirt he designed with neurodivergent people in mind has helped others. Max, from Derbyshire, designed a T-shirt made of soft material with seams encased on the inside, no labels, and a pop-it fidget toy in the hem. More

Going underground A Nottinghamshire boy has raised more than £1,000 for an autism charity after riding on every line of the London Underground. Harry Akers, 12, embarked on the impressive challenge along with his dad on Tuesday, April 2. More

Work overload “There’s so much just going on that is so exhausting, so overstimulating" What is the workplace like for neuro-divergent employees? 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
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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​