Autism

The findings are contained in a poll of more than 1,600 autistic people and their families as part of the Same Chance report, compiled by the autism charity ...

“I wish they knew how difficult simple tasks are, like going to the shops, finding a school place, participating in community activities like sports,” said one respondent. “In school they are in an autism class but want to spend more time in a mainstream class but their school won’t allow this. We are trying to get him into his mainstream class more by highlighting the environmental changes that are needed but this is ongoing. He said autistic people would enjoy equality in Irish life only if we lived in communities which were “informed, accepting and affirming of our community. “This report provides a very depressing landscape of autistic people [who] want the same chance to live long, healthy and happy lives – no more, no less,” he said. “It is important that inclusion is not defined merely as access to services such as education or healthcare.

The finding is included in this year's annual 'Same Chance' report from national charity AsIAm, published this morning. Two separate surveys which took place in ...

We look forward to hear the Government’s response in the upcoming Oireachtas Committee on Autism and the Minister’s Strategy for autism.” The vast majority of those on waiting lists expect to have to wait in excess of a year for support, with over a quarter (26%) expecting to have waited over four years to access the services they need. Of those who are not receiving such support, a large majority are on a waiting list (68%) whereas others are simply outside of the system.

A report launched by Ireland's national autism charity, AsIaM also showed that 90% do not think the Irish public understands autism. The 'Same Chance Report' ...

"Autistic people will only enjoy equality in Irish life if we live in communities which are informed, accepting and affirming of our community. "It is important that inclusion is not defined merely as access to services such as education or healthcare. AsIAm CEO Adam Harris said that depriving autistic people of the same chance represented a loss of diversity, talent and perspective for Irish society.

Almost six in 10 autistic people believe that revealing their diagnosis could impair their employment opportunities, according to new research from.

“It requires a planned outreach by employers and an openness to different approaches to recruitment than the traditional interview process. “Foremost of these is the fear felt by autistic people around disclosing their diagnosis to a potential employer. Consequently, just 20% received any support or reasonable accommodations during the recruitment process for their current role.

We take a look at practical things you can do at work and within the union to support autistic people.

Aitch estimates they have been delivered to 100s if not 1000s of colleagues across HMRC, increasing awareness throughout the organisation. Aitch, who is Neurodiversity Officer for the PCS HMRC Merseyside branch, told us how their strong attention to detail was what prompted them to get a diagnosis of autism in their 40s. This has been adapted to be delivered virtually, and they now have a network of over 20 facilitators who deliver workshops. They also started talking to the employer about how they could better support colleagues in the workplace. They told us “I’d been working in processing for nearly 10 years and was good at the job, one of the quickest and most accurate on the team, and then they introduced telephony…. When you’ve got a queue of hundreds of people to get through, thoroughness is the enemy.”

It is estimated there are over 200000 autistic Australians. Autism is a complex, lifelong condition that begins in early childhood, with wide-ranging.

For people like Will, this can mean a better understanding of their capabilities and how to set employment goals that are right for them. “This job is another step in the right direction for me and hopefully will get me one step closer to my goal of starting my own business, it’s a really supportive workplace, and I work with some really great people.” continued Will. Having worked in a number of roles, Will sought advice and practical support to help him find more sustainable, long-term employment.

A social worker reflects on her 30-year-old career with undiagnosed autism, in a piece for World Autism Acceptance Week 2023.

I was always on top of things and could be relied on to get on with the job. Whilst I loved the role and could perform it well, my autistic self struggled with the politics of such a position. I managed to return to work after a period of sick leave and undertook a senior role for a year before leaving. I was exhausted, tired of masking and also menopausal. I learned that the service I had built from scratch was being disbanded while in a large conference hall surrounded by a couple of hundred people. One of the things I have learned since my diagnosis is that autistic people should be prepared for change in advance. I was lucky that I was a social worker in the days before hot desking – the neurodiverse nightmare! I don’t look at people’s eyes at all but always at their mouths, I’m not very expressive – even when I try – and I find it easier when people tell me what they are thinking because I have to work hard to guess. Out of necessity and watching others, I learned how to be honest in a socially acceptable way and became reasonably good at it. I do have logical empathy, so I understand on a cognitive level why people might feel the way they do. Occasionally, I would get overwhelmed and need to find somewhere quiet to self-regulate. I wasn’t quite sure what to do with the information, but it did prompt a period of reflection.

Nicola Pallas, 34, set up the community interest company (CIC) Creative Minds North Star Counselling in 2019 where, along with seven other trained ...

Nicola said: “Having been diagnosed with autism and experienced my own mental health difficulties, I feel I can really empathise with many of the people I work with. Nicola said: “Since the pandemic, and now with the cost of living crisis we have seen a lot more people get in touch needing help. Nicola said: “I love being creative and experienced how art could be used to help in my own counselling therapy. She said: “I had a lot of anxiety about going to school as I was bullied and didn’t fit in. Most people have to wait at least six months, which is too long, as many of these children were at crisis point. "There was one family whose child had been attending the workshops who decided to organise a fundraiser.