About autism
Autism is a type of neurodivergence, meaning that autistic people’s brains work in ways which differ from what is considered ‘typical’. It is estimated that between 1%-2% of the population is autistic. Autism is understood to have a strong genetic component, and is lifelong. Autistic people can be of any age.
Autistic people experience and interact with the world differently. This can include sensitivity to both external senses - sight, sound, touch, taste and smell - and internal senses, including body position, movement and balance; communicating in different ways to non-autistic people, such as being direct and honest; challenges with executive function, such as the ability to plan; and differences in interpreting language and regulating emotion. However, every autistic person is different.
Autistic people may also be neurodivergent in other ways – for example, they may also have ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia or other types of neurodivergence. Autistic people often have co-occurring conditions, such as anxiety and depression. And some autistic people have a learning disability, which could be mild, moderate, severe or profound/multiple. Autistic people’s experiences often reflect the co-occurrence of all these factors.
Autistic people have strengths and needs, like all people, but often experience unacceptable inequalities across health, education, employment and other aspects of life because society and services don’t recognise or reflect their needs. Under the law (Equality Act 2010) a clinical autism diagnosis is not required for autistic people to access support and adaptations, yet frequently these are not provided.
Further information about autism and autistic people’s experiences can be found at the following sources:
Autistica, the UK’s autism research charity and a member of the Autism Alliance UK.
Ambitious about Autism, the national charity for autistic children and young people and a member of the Autism Alliance UK.
The National Autistic Society, who provide services and support across the country for autistic people.
Autism Understood, a resource created by Spectrum Gaming, a community for autistic young people.