We won best disability charity at the
#CharityAwards
! Thank you to everyone involved in our work over the past year. Together we can turn disability into ability.
We hope our
#UnderstandMore
film for
#WorldAutismAwarenessDay
helps people understand autistic people's experiences. We want to show that research and understanding can build a better world.
Happy
#WorldAutismAwarenessDay
! We're excited to launch
#UnderstandMore
- our campaign to promote understanding and inspire change. Help kick things off by sharing our film created with autistic people and family members.
Exciting news! We're thrilled to announce
@jamcusack
will be our next chief executive at
@Autistica
, taking over from
@yeswejon
in early August. Congratulations James!
We're funding the first study in the world to find out why autistic people have a higher risk of suicide and to help design ways of preventing it.
#HappierLives
We've been working with the BBC for tonight's documentary 'Christine McGuinness: Unmasking My Autism'.
The show which airs on
@BBCOne
tonight at 9pm, explores the challenges autistic women & girls face including anxiety, sensory issues, stigma & masking.
Weโre thrilled to see the NHS prioritise autistic peopleโs health needs. We know autistic people face unacceptable health inequalities and have been pushing for a number of years to get a stronger focus on their greatest needs.
Happy
#AutisticPrideDay
to our brilliantly talented and insightful supporters. You regularly share with us your experieces, your hopes, your fears and your ideas. Without you our research and campaigning wouldn't happen. ๐๐ผ
We are excited to announce our first annual autism research conference which will be held on 6 September 2018 in London. Early bird tickets go on sale from Tuesday!
Today we announce funding for researchers who will work with under-represented communities. Groups such as older adults, women, people with learning disabilities, BAME and LGBTQI+ communities. Find out more and apply:
Some of you may have seen the news that the DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency) now requires autistic people to inform them of their diagnosis or face a fine of up to ยฃ1000. We strongly suggest they remove this policy.
We are delighted to have won Charity of the Year at the
@CharityTAwards
last night! The hard work continues as we campaign to build happier, healthier lives for all autistic people
#CharityTimesAwards
. To help us in our work you can
#JoinDiscover
today!
Today we launch our
#KnowMoreAboutAutism
campaign. Weโre seeking urgent funding for research into how post-lockdown changes are affecting the lives of autistic people and their families. Because now is the time to start building a better future.
We are delighted to announce that BBC Radio 2 presenter
@RealKenBruce
will be supporting our Radio 4 appeal this month. Find out more about his passion for life-changing autism research, and how you can listen to the appeal:
The move to University for autistic people can be difficult. Many don't apply or drop out because the challenges are too great. This great research-based scheme explores the value of supporting autistic people in the transition to University.
New CAAR research:
Evaluating the Bath Autism Summer School for
#autistic
students (16-19yrs), where students are introduced to
#University
life (lectures, societies, accommodation)๐
Students optimistic, & concerns about University reduced๐
Read here:
Thank you
@boba_witch
and your community for your incredible support in the Jingle Jam this year!
You have helped to support and improve the mental health of young autistic people.
We've got to shout out
@boba_witch
for her absolutely amazing fundraising campaign: this
#JingleJam2023
, she rallied her community and raised ยฃ19,122.48 for our charity partner
@Autistica
!
Brilliant stuff, Boba! We can't thank you enough!
Currently, autistic people are more likely to die by suicide. Today for
#WorldSuicidePreventionDay
weโll be sharing how weโre working with autistic people, researchers, services and policymakers to change that
@NSPA_UK
:
You told us language and communication was your top priority (after mental health). That's why we're calling for more research this
#WAAW
- because those who don't have a voice deserve to be heard.
#HearMe
Researchers! Could you support a new generation of autistic researchers?
In May we launch the Charles Sharland Grant Scheme to get autistic people into research careers. Right now we need researchers to apply as hosts:
The House of Commons has overwhelmingly passed a motion calling for the Government "to ensure NHS England works closely with the autism community to develop effective and research-based mental health pathways" for autistic people
#NotOneSize
We couldnโt let
#Halloween
pass by without sharing some โscaryโ myths about
#autism
. Research and the autistic community are helping us to understand the true facts about autism. Get the full list at
Did you see our Director of Science on
@BBCBreakfast
? We were talking about this study, warning that this research is a long way off being a new test for autism.
Weโre funding research to design a practical and useful way of diagnosing anxiety and depression in autistic people with a learning disability who speak few or no words.
#HappierLives
โWeโre really excited to be part of this yearโs Jingle Jam. Games can be a lifeline for many autistic people, but theyโre often dismissed as harmful without any meaningful evidence base... This really is a perfect, powerful partnership for us.โ
Very promising to see the Government make โreducing the life expectancy gap for autistic peopleโ the No.1 priority for their updated autism strategy. We look forward to working with autistic people, families and organisations on this major issue.
#WAAD
The Government has launched an employment review today โ on
#WorldAutismAcceptanceDay
.
We are pleased to support The Buckland Review of
#Autism
Employment, led by
@RobertBuckland
. The review aims to boost the employment prospects of autistic people.
We are reporting from
#INSAR2018
this week, and want autistic people to be at the heart of the conversation. We've just launched our Discover Podcast &
#DiscoverCast
hashtag. Listen to the first episode and join the discussion:
Some autistic people can struggle to access support in a crisis. Weโre working with
@Samaritans
who want to offer alternative support for those who struggle to talk on the phone. We connected them to autistic people to explore a new service.
#WorldSuicidePreventionDay
A huge thank you to
@boba_witch
for raising an astonishing ยฃ11,000 and counting for Autistica in the
#JingleJam2023
! We're so lucky to have you represent us!
See Boba's progress:
Too many autistic people are abandoned after diagnosis with no effective support. Today we published the Autistica Support Plan, which sets out how to ensure all autistic people can access proven supports from day one.
Fewer than 3 in 10 autistic adults are in employment. Itโs time to understand the many ways the traditional interview isnโt working.
Visit and discover how we can research and rethink how we hire.
#WorldAutismAcceptanceWeek
#HireDifferent
Too many autistic people die young from preventable causes. But with the right support & adjustments in healthcare settings, this can change.
Read the Autistica Health Checks Plan & learn how a yearly health check can improve autistic people's lives.
The NHS should develop autism-specific pathways for mental health. This will ensure that autistic people can access support that works for them. This work should..
#NotOneSize
(1/3)
Anxiety can cause autistic people to react negatively to new situations or events because they canโt predict whatโs going to happen. Research we're funding will help autistic people and their families tackle this.
#HappierLives
We're still looking for autistic graduates to apply for paid work placements at
@DeutscheBank
. We've helped to make the interview process, training and support both personalised and autism friendly.
We are proud to be partnering with the
@jinglejam
this year!
The funds raised will help us create a Mental Health and Wellbeing Tips Hub for young autistic people.
#JingleJam2023
Read more:
Most autistic people are adults, but most adults are undiagnosed. Our latest
#AutisticaBriefs
, published today, focus on adult diagnosis, particularly on access, post-diagnostic support and diagnosing women and girls. They are available here:
The government has published a new autism strategy today. While we do welcome it, it must be backed up by action. The last two strategies have promised much and delivered little.
The hard work starts now.
๐งต1/4
We're very excited to be launching our new
#MolehillMountain
anxiety app tomorrow, to help autistic people track worries & the situations that trigger anxiety. Sign up below to receive the app when it's live along with a 7-day email guide to anxiety:
Many of you have expressed concern about the use of the word 'disease' by researchers discussing this study. We agree that autism should not be described in this way. Although this is not work supported by
@AutisticaUK
we have asked the research team to adjust their language.
With just a couple of weeks to go before Christmas, here's some great tips for a 'Calmer Christmas' for autistic people, which we gathered last year from some of our Facebook followers. We hope they help! What other great tips do you have?
Weโre committed to creating new resources based on the concerns of our community around
#Covid19
.
Weโre developing webinars, articles and tips focusing on evidence-based opinion across a range of topics. As we develop them, theyโll be added to this hub:
Autistic people have been disproportionately impacted by lockdown and are now facing very real struggles as lockdown eases. Find out how you can help:
#KnowMoreAboutAutism
#Autismresearch
With less than a month until the
@JingleJam
, James our CEO is trying hard to learn how to stream. He's got a long way to go and could use your help.
Show him how it's done. Sign up to the
#JingleJam
! ๐ฎ
"Who better knows [than autistic people] what autistic people really need to improve the quality of their lives?"
Agreed! Thanks for the mention
@stevesilberman
.
Yet another research study published today states vaccines do not cause autism. We need to stop the spread of
#FakeNews
and focus on improving lives with research.
Having a baby is a major event in any woman's life. If you are autistic, you may need different support to a neurotypical mother.
Sara King aims to understand autistic mothers' experiences of maternity services & find ways that they could be improved:
New figures from
@ONS
suggest that autistic people still face the highest rates of unemployment of any disabled group. This systematic exclusion is unacceptable and something we are determined to change:
Despite common myths, autism is part of adulthood not just childhood. Our project with Newcastle University is working with autistic people to improve diagnosis, support and services later in life.
#HappierLives
Don't forget to tune in to
@BBCRadio4
tomorrow to hear our Radio 4 Appeal led by
@RealKenBruce
.
Early birds can catch it at 7:54am or again at 9:25pm.
Find out more:
Being trans and autistic is more common than you might think.
@LaurakBuzz
wants to increase understanding and support for those navigating both - read her latest
@HuffPost
article:
How do autistic parents play?
We're supporting Kabie's research into exploring whether autistic parents play differently with their children compared to non-autistic parents, and how these differences can inform where support is needed.
We know that autistic people with learning disabilities & complex support needs are underrepresented in research. We want all autistic people to be able to share their experiences. We're funding research to develop practical steps to include everyone.
2017 has been incredible. We launched Discover, where 4000(!) people joined us, announced exciting new mental health projects that will start in 2018, and made mental health support for autistic people a Government priority. We couldnโt have done any of it without YOU. Thank you.
Over 70% of autistic people have reported issues with mental health - it's the top research priority for autistic people.
Our research projects are finding treatments that work.
#MentalHealthAwarenessWeek
Here's what we're doing:
Many autistic people find their health problems overlooked, downplayed or misinterpreted by healthcare professionals, which has led some autistic people to avoid asking for help when unwell.
We're working with NHS England to change this. Find out more:
And that's a wrap on the
#AutisticaFestival
for this year. Thank you to everyone who joined us to share your experiences, your work and your thoughts.
Now we start planning for next year..!
๐10,000!๐
We've reached 10,000 followers today! A big thanks for engaging, sharing & enriching what we do. We work relentlessly to understand more about how autistic people experience the world & to build
#happierlives
every day through research.ย
Here's to the next 10,000 ๐๐ฝ
On
@guardian
today, our CEO looks beyond the study published this week at the importance of sensitivity and nuance when communicating complex research: "Those commenting on science [must] understand that any inaccuracies actively harm autistic people."
Getting autism diagnosis right is important, but it isn't the only thing mental health services need to do. Almost 8 in 10 autistic people have mental health problems.
#NotOneSize
It's
#AutismAcceptanceWeek
! The change from 'awareness week' is important because while more people know about autism, there is a huge lack of understanding.
For example, our YouGov poll shows that 39% of adults in Britain think autistic people lack empathy. (1/4)
9 in 10 autistic people have sensory differences, but the public spaces we use every day are not built with neurodivergent people's needs in mind.
Released today, the Autistica
#InclusiveSpaces
Plan sets out how we'll make public spaces more inclusive.
We're proud to partner with
@MaudsleyCharity
&
@KingsIoPPN
on the redesign & relaunch of Molehill Mountain - an anxiety app for autistic people by autistic people.
Itโs now a full 3 month-long anxiety course with interactive exercises & activities.
Come to our talk at
@CRAE_IOE
to learn about the work being done around the world to improve employment opportunities for autistic people.
#neurodiversity
For
#InternationalWomensDay
we've been asking women about their experiences of being autistic. Thanks to everyone who took part!
[Thread]
To kick things off, here's a
#wordcloud
of one-word responses to the question:
'How do you feel to be an autistic woman?'
#IWD2019
Research suggests that many people with Down syndrome are also autistic โ around 15-20%. More research is needed to understand these dual diagnoses and develop effective support for healthy, happy lives.
#WorldDownSyndromeDay
We tweeted asking for your videos to celebrate autistic pride, but some of you felt this was wrong. As an organisation we support the day but agree it should be driven by the autistic community. Weโve deleted the tweet and we encourage you to mark autistic pride your own way. ๐
"Knowing how or why they are autistic doesn't help. You need to know what you can do to help them." - our Incredible Years project is working with families to help parents support autistic children after diagnosis.
Mental health services must reflect the latest evidence. Today, weโve released three
#AutisticaBriefs
on adult and child mental health services and suicide prevention. Download our recommendations for policy and services:
๐ขWe've got a couple of fantastic job opportunities here at
@AutisticaUK
!
Help us grow our Discover research network, develop world-class science programmes, & build a better life for autistic people and their families.
Pls RT to spread the word!
There has been a lot of discussion about our upcoming conference. It is our first year, so we are starting small and learning from you to get it right. We welcome your feedback but let's make this about issues not people. If you have suggestions email us: info
@autistica
.org.uk
Weโre working with
@turinginst
to create an online platform where
#autistic
people, family members and carers can share how
#sensory
issues affect daily life.
This
#citizenscience
project will help us to design services and spaces for autistic people:
Our new projects on uncertainty and anxiety are looking to help autistic people deal with stressful situations. They can help find a
#CalmerChristmas
:
In case you missed it, this morning we launched our
#KnowMoreAboutAutism
campaign. The video (with captions) features some of the wonderful members of our
#AutisticaInsight
Group. Our campaign calls for urgent funding for research to support autistic people post-lockdown.
Research for autistic adults has been consistently neglected. The Charity Research Support Fund has enabled us to start changing that.
@AMRC
's new report shows why it needs more funding:
#CRSF
"Research informed by actual autistic people is the only way to achieve progress" - this is why our involvement promise explains how we make sure we put autistic voices at the heart of our work.
We want doctors to get better at diagnosing and treating mental health problems in those who speak few or no words. Our research is developing a tool -
#HappierLives
#HearMe