Date published: 2 April 2023
World Autism Acceptance Week aims to raise awareness of autism and to educate those unaware of the condition, and to help make the world friendlier to those who are affected by it.
Being autistic does not mean you have an illness or disease. It means your brain works in a different way from other people. Autism is something you're born with or first appears when you're very young. Autism is a spectrum, this means everybody with autism is different and have different strengths.
There are different ways you can develop your understanding about neurodiversity, celebrate our differences and learn about experiences.
Learn more about autism by watching our short animation
There are different ways you can develop your understanding about neurodiversity, celebrate our differences and learn about experiences. Here are some recommendations:
- Watch a documentary – we recommend Chris Packham’s documentary ‘Aspergers and Me’ available on BBC iplayer
- Read a book – we recommend ‘Freaks, Geeks and Aspergers Syndrome’, by Luke Jackson, ‘Nobody Nowhere’ by Donna Williams, ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime’ by Mark Haddon or ‘Odd Girl Out’ by Laura James.
- Listen to a podcast – we recommend ‘The Autism Podcast’ which is compiled by the London Autism Group Charity
- Watch a TED talk – we recommend watching Rosie King’s TED talk
How Covid-19 has affected autistic people
You can find out more about how Covid-19 has affected autistic people by looking at the National Autistic Society’s website. This includes information around the latest guidance, updates and resources on coronavirus for autistic people, their families and professionals.
Services
Our Autism Spectrum Conditions Service provide autism assessment and diagnosis for adults who do not have a learning disability and have a registered with a GP in Halton, Knowsley, St Helens and Warrington. Our service is for adults age 18 and over who feel they may have an autism spectrum condition.
For staff working with autistic people who are accessing mental health support services, our team can offer specialist advice and short-term consultation to help you support your clients effectively.
Our team provide autism awareness and reasonable adjustments training to staff within Mersey Care.