National Autistic Society

We’re getting closer to our target! Together, let’s make the world fairer for autistic people. Support our crowd-funding appeal. You’ll help us reach even more people, raise awareness of the issue of unfair school exclusions and ultimately build a world that works for autistic people.

Morrisons have been working us and this week launched ‘Quieter Hour’ across all of their 493 stores, taking place every Saturday from 9am -10am.
We are really pleased that Morrisons have committed to holding regular ‘Quieter Hours’ which should really benefit autistic people. Improving the shopping experience is the goal of our Autism Hour.

"It's completely unacceptable for autistic people and families to be waiting many months, even years, for a diagnosis - just because of where they live. This research highlights the scale of the crisis and the alarming variation across the country.” – Mark Lever, Chief Executive at the National Autistic Society.

Significant steps forward are being made as part of our Your Act campaign.
Follow @NASCymru on Twitter TODAY for updates as The Bill is formally introduced in the Welsh Assembly.

Lovely piece by BBC Newsline on our ambassador, Chris Packham, visiting the Ulster Wildlife Bog Meadows Reserve with members from the National Autistic Society Northern Ireland.

The National Autistic Society’s Autism Hour is back! SAVE THE DATE: 6 - 13 October.
For more details or to register, visit our website here: http://bit.ly/2uIQXc4

Our Autism Professional Awards recognise and reward services and professionals who are leading the way in making a difference to the lives of autistic people in the UK.
If you know an organisation, individual or team who have helped you or your family (or if you work within a fantastic team) give them the recognition they deserve and vote for them today!

We’re proud to be members of the Disabled Children's Partnership. For the past year, the DCP’s 'Secret Life Of Us' campaign has been bringing to life the realities of the challenges faced by many disabled children, young people and their families.
BBC Panorama will be taking a similar approach as it follows families and exposes the struggles they face getting the support they need.

Wishing our supporters in Scotland a happy #PrideGlasgow this weekend! We hope you enjoy it 😀🌈

Best of luck to everyone who entered the ballot for the London Landmarks Half Marathon! You can join #TeamAutism by completing the own place web form on our website or sign up for one of our charity places here: http://bit.ly/2uf6wJ5

Following the revelations about Hans Asperger earlier this year, we have decided our magazine Asperger United needs a new name.
Help us find a new one by taking part in our survey here: http://bit.ly/2N6JIlL

Together, let’s make the world fairer for autistic people. Find out how we’re challenging an unfair law and how you can help us reach even more people, raise awareness of unjust school exclusions and ultimately build a world that works for autistic people.

"Everything I have seen has been really positive so far. I have also connected with a lot of other black autistic people, like myself, this is a first for me and for them!"

“28% of autistic people have been asked to leave a public space because of behaviour associated with autism – this is just awful. No one should be made to feel like this.”
What better way to celebrate Pride London, Paul and Michael’s autistic twins, Levi and Lucas and all our LGBT+ supporters.

"...I immediately identified with Niall when he began to compare himself with those around him and expressed his fatigue to the cameras." Following Love Island Niall Aslam autism diagnosis reveal last week, Florence Leslie, explores what this means for autistic people...

We're marking this historic moment with a series of blogs which explore autistic people’s experiences of the NHS and what we think the future should hold for health and care services.
First up, is Emily’s who recounts a recent health scare and explains why she’s so grateful for the NHS.

It's the 4th of July and what better way to celebrate than by signing up for the New York Marathon 2018!
Tick it off the bucket list, and join team autism in the Big Apple this November: http://bit.ly/2z72xmI

We’re backing the Seni's Law campaign, a bill which will limit the use of dangerous restraint in mental health hospitals, which faces a crucial vote this Friday.
100 MPs must be there to vote the bill through in just two days. Make sure your MP is there to vote for Seni's Law now: http://bit.ly/2IDlcWJ

"...football gave me a release to be my most authentic autistic self." Take a read of Emily Swiatek, from our employment team, #WorldCup blog here: http://bit.ly/2yMmjns
P.S - Good luck to England playing Colombia tonight! ⚽

The London Landmarks Half Marathon 2019 ballot is now open - don't miss out and make sure you register today! Best of luck to everyone who enters, we would love to welcome you to our team, if you are successful in your application. Enter the ballot here: www.llhm.co.uk/ballot.

Still finding our feet. Autism is a new chapter. ASD as brought us a PIP appeal. The C. A. B. citizens advice can help with this pre tribunal but we have no representation on tribunal day. Does anyone have any advice?

My grandson is the most wonderful, kind, artistic little 7 year old I know and I love this page. Thank you

It’s amazing what you do to help people every day of their lives even if it’s giving them some company people such as myself who is autistic too we all appreciate it greatly, thank you �

I can honestly say that I love Mondays! Coming in to work for a charity as driven and passionate as The National Autistic Society is an absolute dream.

i can not say done much in this area i go all the meetings and often nobody from autistic society at these , no body helped me my son or my organsation, Yet there no choices in area of services etc, i know now not well funded like before so guess just look out for there organsation and surviving for their own jobs.

Where is NAS's response to articles published in national papers about Mendip House? Having read about this today, I have 16yr old twins with autism, one is in a specialist asd school on a 52 week provision, fully funded by our LEA & I ran the 2012 London Marathon 4 months pregnant for NAS. To say I feel let down & afraid for our community's safety is an understatement!

Families put their trust in you, hoping that our loved ones will be safe & given the respect that they deserve. The fact that you haven't even bothered to post anything in relation to this, to apologize & explain what you have done since this came to light, but nothing!

As things stand, I could never trust you with my children's care, if you can't be open & honest about this & tbh, that's what our loved ones are; Open & Honest!! �

I totally agree with what Lisa Roberts has said. I remember your total condemnation following the Winterbourne View Scandal. And all of us who were involved with the NAS past & present have every right to feel let down & betrayed following the revelations at Mendip House. I agree with Lisa Roberts that you should post something on here and to explain what improvements you've made & what plans you have to stop this from "ever happening again". It's shocking beyond belief that no-one has been prosecuted for the abuses that took place at Mendip House - and you were all for prosecuting those who abused patients at Winterbourne View as "hate crimes".



You owe it to all the past & present NAS staff, volunteers, clients & families of those who use your services to publically admit what went on - and to learn from your mistakes so that when you say "this must not happen again" that you stick to it!!!

You would think of all the employers out there that the National autistic society would be ‘autistic friendly employers’.



Incorrect!!



Bullying , blaming culture. Victimising and mistreating the very people they are supposed to helping.



Where the system fails is supporting people on the spectrum once they’re out of the school system. The big struggle is once people are in or trying to get employment the treatment they get from employers and other staff.



So I’m am disgusted , disgusted that someone on the spectrum who works for the NAS, has raised thousands for the society has been treated so poorly by career charity ‘professionals’.



These ‘professionals’ are bullying the people they are supposed to be supporting. Is this just a business to these people? Are we forgetting the very people we’re supposed to be SUPPORTING? Are these staff abiding by the values of the charity? From our experience absolutely not.



Superb National Autistic society, superb!! I’m looking forward to continuing the conversation.!!



Btw take a look at that image below! Rubbish!



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Wont even answer phones. cut backs leading to children and adults suffering, you wont get help unless you have a full diagnosis otherwise your just branded as a bad parent & naughty child or a bad adult. Website isnt even up to date on this. Cant make self referrals anymore due to the cutbacks cant even try and get help in other places because they wont accept them anymore as there is no money. so who do we have to turn to ? were can we get help being told to come to you at a point in our lives our son cant even get the help needed and you wont even answer the helplines reply to emails. nothing. So my son will now have to not be able to go to school as you cant get help in mainstream without the diagnosis because they wont have the services to provided for his needs and i cant place him into a special school because you need the diagnosis to get him into that.. to even get a referral from the doctors, health visitors and midwifes its a battle because the base it on a form thats soo outdated and bases it on just one type of the spectrum. Every person and child with autism is different were no same. They classed my son as fine because he can speak okay. This does not define autism. So now i am being told i have no were to go to get the help.

This crappy organisation has left me without any care, water, clothing, electricity, access to food I can eat and and other basic human right, you might care to mention.



They represent the lowest form of skum, which crawls upon the earth.



They should be closed down and the executives should be imprisoned.

The autism services in Somerset are mostly for diagnosis so I turned to the NAS regarding their one-on-one-support. Only to be told as an organisation the NAS will only support people if they need over 25 hours a week!



The lady I talked to was very understanding and took the time to send me possible alternatives, but tbh they don’t really exist.



The NAS is meant to be a charity that supports people, but it seems a lot more like a money-grabbing business that only accepts support packages of a certain size.

The National Autistic Society does not represent or stand for autistic people.



They fail to condemn or campaign against the use of horrific and abusive "cures" for autism, such as parents forcing their children to drink bleach.



They allowed their staff to abuse residents in Mendip House. They persistently deny that they attempted to cover up the abuse, and yet, from the Somerset Safeguarding Adults Board's review:



"...evidence uncovered by the enquiry team in their reviews of previous safeguarding enquiries revealed that the NAS had routinely conducted internal investigations into the poor / abusive conduct of their own staff members in isolation and without reporting outcomes to either SCC or CQC. In these instances, and in those where they had reported them, there was recorded evidence that often a whistle-blower would themselves resign, while the alleged perpetrators were given warnings following disciplinaries and retained or recycled within the service. The former is an astonishing practice which arguably played a key part in the duration of abuses at Somerset Court, not least since the CQC and the Enquiry Team found that it was ineffective. The latter may constitute wilful neglect."



The NAS have consistently failed to protect the most vulnerable autistic people.



They have shown no willingness to listen to and meaningfully engage with autistic adults.



They seem to care more about fundraising and "raising awareness" than they do about autistic people.

Several phone calls to them today to try and get help and advice which I can't get off your website as what I want help with don't cover it. Makes me think all you are out for is money, as all I did is kept ringing. I want help and thought I may get it from you. I wonder how much the phone calls are going going to cost me as after nobody answering after 12mins you get cut off.

Over several years this has been going on - whats the point of a helpline if no one ever answers it .There is NO helpline.Totally useless

My friend raised over £1600 for this shambles of a charity. She was told it was in an account for her to use in her local area. She wanted money for a sensory garden at the local school for kids with autism. She was told no. When she expressed she wasn’t happy about not being able to use the money she raised she was told she’d get it all back. She promised it to the school for this shambles of a charity to send her an email the next day saying she was getting none back as it was being used for training outside her area!! Absolute joke of a charity!! Should be shut down!!!

If it was an option it would be no stars. Mendip House. No need for more words.

I am appalled that you were enabling abuse to take place within your care homes. Absolutely vile. The majority of your team do incredible work but the fact that the cover up happened with many involved is unforgivable. Very sad about this

Disgusted by the cover up. Like so many charities you are a business, paying wages at the top of your list of priorities not the client group. Not only that when I asked for help you were shit.

Autistic Nottingham and East Midlands support group for adults with Asperger's Syndrome and Autism is part of The National Autistic Society.



When I have tried to attend social meetings with organizers and members couple times, one of the members made a complaint about me, then organizers blocked my FB profile to post any messages in FB group, and, finally, I have issued a harassment warning.



When I was trying to invite other members to be friends at FB, and then asked them if they would like to chat or meet outside the official meetings, they did not like it, and did not say it to me. Someone just decided to made a complaint instead of trying to sort the problem with me.



After that I was feeling pressured, because they did not allow me to write to group members. They wanted me to go to meetings once a month, and in this way to make relationships and get to know people better. I was asking questions to organizers about, how can I know if I make members feel pressured or harassed. Also, I was asking, how to make friendship, when meeting people just once a month. It is almost impossible. Unfortunately, they did not give me an adequate answer.



Once, I was feeling low and upset. I have asked organisers for support, eg. talk, meet, have a walk. But they just said to call 111. Finally, they have issued a harassment warning and threatened me with a police.



I do not feel welcome and safe with such people. They put me off and made me pressured. They do not give any support!