Neurodiversity
Our understanding of autism is evolving all the time and most autistic people see being autistic as central to who they are. They may need support to succeed in a world designed for the needs of non-autistic people.
There are many signs that a child or adult may be autistic and to get an autism diagnosis , a specialist team must agree that a person shows the ‘core characteristics’ of autism. These are lifelong differences in communication, behaviours and interests compared to non-autistic people.
Autistic people may:
- find it hard to communicate and interact with other people
- find it hard to understand how other people think or feel
- find things like bright lights or loud noises overwhelming, stressful or uncomfortable
- get anxious or upset about unfamiliar situations and social events
- take longer to understand information
- do or think the same things over and over
If you think your child may be autistic, you can find out more below:
Signs of autism in children – NHS
The National Autistic Society
This national charity offers support and advice for parents and carers of autistic children, including support to develop a greater understanding of their child’s needs and accessing services that meet the family’s needs.
www.autism.org.uk/what-we-do/support-in-the-community/family-support
Bexley S.H.I.E.L.D. have compiled a list of resources for practitioners around respectful language and guidance for report writing, which you can find below: