What do we want?
Our vision
A world in which autistic people can thrive and live their lives as part of their communities.
Our mission
To work together to improve services, policy and practice by sharing our knowledge, skills and experience.
The building blocks of real change are:
Despite specific legislation and Government strategies, autistic people’s outcomes are not improving in the ways they should.
Substantial, sustained improvement in outcomes across education, health, care, employment and justice.
Policy and public services which recognise and reflect autistic people’s individual strengths, support needs and experiences.
Services and support for autistic people and their families which are acceptable, effective, cost-effective and evidence-based.
A strong autism specialist not-for-profit sector whose contribution is understood and valued by policymakers, regulators and commissioners.
A society which understands and accepts autistic people, ending the unnecessary stigma that continues to blight their lives.
Our latest report, A New Path Ahead, was developed with autistic people, parents/carers, autism researchers, clinicians, and autism charities. It shows that the key to real change for autistic people and their families is long-term investment in systemic change across autism assessment and public services.
What do autistic people and their families say they want?
The voices of autistic children, young people, adults, and their families are the most important guide for better policy and public services.
Consistently, autistic people of all ages say:
They want their voices to be heard and their needs reflected in the design and implementation of policy.
They want to be able to show their authentic selves.
They want early support that promotes their wellbeing and the wellbeing of their families.
They want the choice of timely autism assessment, and consistent provision of pre- and post-diagnostic support for themselves and their families.
They want to see adjustments that reflect their support needs, across the delivery of all public services, in employment, and across society.
They need timely support in the community that prevents the escalation of needs towards crisis.
They want to go to school, to achieve and to thrive in employment where this is possible, and need support and adjustments to help them pursue these goals.
They want to live independently wherever possible, as part of their own communities and close to their friends and families.
Families of autistic children, young people and adults want these things too – and want to stop battling with a system that is stacked against them and all too frequently reduces them to exhaustion.
Source: To support our Real Change report, a range of charities and public organisations gathered insight from autistic people and their families.
Our Work
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A New Path Ahead
Why systemic change is the key to better lives for autistic people
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The Economic Case
Commissioned from the London School of Economics
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Doing the Right Thing
A plan for the government
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Breaking Point
Closing the gap in care for autistic adults
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Real Change
For autistic people and their families