Real Change for autistic people and their families
Despite dedicated legislation and successive Government strategies, outcomes for autistic people in the UK are not improving as they should.
The Autism Alliance is calling for Real Change.
Autistic people experience stark inequalities in health, employment and life chances
Despite successive Government strategies and dedicated legislation, autistic children, young people and adults are not seeing the improvements in outcomes they need to see.
The position now is barely different to the position 15 years ago, and in some cases we have gone backwards.
We have not seen Real Change.
Parents of autistic children are still fighting a system of education and care that seems stacked against them, just as they were 15-20 years ago.
The autism employment gap is still one of the widest for any group in society, with only 29% of autistic people in any kind of employment.
The proportion of patients in long term mental health facilities who are autistic is higher now than it was in 2015.
Shocking cases of abuse of autistic people and people with learning disabilities in mental health hospitals continue to come to light, more than a decade after the exposure of abuse at Winterbourne View hospital.
There are continuing reports of preventable deaths amongst autistic people.
This lack of progress is unacceptable
Autistic people continue to face discrimination, lack of understanding and barriers in accessing services and support, which result in poorer outcomes.
With awareness of autism at an all-time high but acceptance and understanding of autism stalling, it’s time for a different approach. Individual initiatives can be helpful, but change is needed at a system level to address the underlying barriers which hold back progress.
What needs to happen?
The Autism Alliance is calling for system-level reform that will unlock Real Change for Autistic People and their Families, across education, health, social care, employment and justice:
Stronger accountability for improving autistic people’s lives
The right funding incentives to provide the right support
Changing culture in all parts of society.
Reform at a system level could improve outcomes and reduce inequalities for autistic people, but also have wider benefits. A system that works for autistic people can work for everyone.
Members of the Autism Alliance urge all political parties to engage with the ideas and proposals we have put forward, and commit to achieving Real Change for Autistic People and their Families.