“Revealed: covert deal to cut help for pupils in England with special needs. Government contract aims to reduce the number of specialist care plans by a fifth”

This is the same as what the #Tories do to the benefits system: pay private contractors to supposedly reduce need by victimising, gaslighting and ultimately denying vulnerable people the assistance to which they are entitled.

It is cruel, arbitrary, illegal and frankly, downright evil.

#SEND #ADHD #Autism

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/sep/10/revealed-covert-deal-to-cut-help-for-pupils-in-england-with-special-needs

And, as has been pointed out, relative to some regions, that wait time isn’t even that bad:

“Children waiting up to five years for an NHS appointment following #autism referral”

https://www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/children-waiting-up-to-five-years-for-an-nhs-appointment-following-autism-referral

One of the problems highlighted by these coroners is “late diagnosis of autism”.

Where I live, for children, the time from referral to clinical assessment/diagnosis is currently TWO YEARS. For adults it is THREE YEARS. And then they sneer at private diagnoses.

They also identify “a lack of trained staff with an understanding of autism”, so good luck getting on the referral pathway at all.

Again, this government and this country do not care if you suffer and die.

#autism #asd #autistic

@100mountains No, we are everywhere. 😊

#ActuallyAutistic #autism You can also follow (but it’s a LOT of notifications) or tag the group
@ actuallyautistic@a.gup.pe to reach more people.

@sentient_water Librarians are the best! I have suggested to my local library the book by Tiffany Hammond "A Day with no Words" and it has been bought! And each time I check, the 7 copies are always in use. For those who don't know about the book:

https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/A-Day-With-No-Words/Tiffany-Hammond/9781736949795

#ActuallyAutistic #autism #NonVerbal

One of the things I hate about having a happy morning is the overwhelming fatigue that hits later in the day.

Why does socialising, even on social media have to be so exhausting? Maybe it's the crash from having so many random, fun, impulsive ideas over the past 24 hours.

I have no idea. All I know is that it's going to take a lot of coffee to get me to bedtime.

#RandomThoughts #Fatigue #MentalHealth #ADHD #Autism #Coffee #MoreCoffee #IsItBedtimeYet

Whenever I have a day out, I normally have the important things planned, especially where to eat.

So tomorrow is solo #Theatre trip number 2 to see Ocean At The End of the Lane in #Glasgow.

Only thing I have planned is the theatre and trains. No other plans, and in a way, its kinda relaxing.

#Autism and #Anxiety is screaming at me to make a plan. #ADHD is saying just wing it.

What will be, will be, its gonna be a good day and yes, I am a bit excited!

Not everyone knows this so for anyone who needs to know...

The reason we don't use Asperger's syndrome when talking about an autistic person with lower than average support needs is because it was named for a German doctor, who worked with the Nazis and the syndrome was basically who he felt were the autistic people who could be trained and contribute in society.

Those with higher support needs were sent to be euthanized.

It's not a frivolous rebrand to want distance from that. #Autism

@neversosimple @KaCi What I have read from others autistic that sometimes parents can’t accept their children autistic diagnosis. It could be because they don’t want the stigmas related to autism be associated to them or that they can’t accept that they could be autistic too. I have no idea if they are any studies done about this but it’s often mentioned.

#ActuallyAutistic #autism

Why do gyms have to smell so unholy. All this sweaty body odor from other people makes me cringe from the inside. I just came there to get my heart pumping not have my soul gagging. I should probably just make a gym in my house, or just move my body. #gym #Autism #ActuallyAutistic

@SiobhanVohn You are welcome. The #autism is used also more and more as for the #autistic used in my previous answer as a reappropriation. But it can be confusing as non autistic used it too.

@anomaluridae

- On Using NonSpeaking, Minimally Speaking, Or Unreliably Speaking Over “Non-Verbal”: NonSpeakers Weigh In
https://neuroclastic.com/on-using-nonspeaking-minimally-speaking-or-unreliably-speaking-over-non-verbal-nonspeakers-weigh-in/

- I Have Nonverbal Autism. Here’s What I Want You to Know.
https://researchautism.org/blog/i-have-nonverbal-autism-heres-what-i-want-you-to-know/

- What do non-speaking autistic people have to say? (panel discussion on non-verbal communication
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axDvfjWb6yk

- Nonspeaking
https://stimpunks.org/glossary/nonspeaking/

#ActuallyAutistic #autism

Why can’t doctors refer me to therapists instead of having me look for one myself? I can’t do anything by myself to begin with. I kept being put on dumb waitlists that will take a fucking eternity to accept me. Why does the #healthcare system not give a damn about #mentalhealth ? #audhd #adhd #autism #neurodivergent

@blogdiva I was told “you are too independent” But we’re getting older and who is going to help us? No one due to our life expectancy! (sarcasm)

“sample of 1,367 cause-of-death data files of autistic adults who had died between 1999 and 2014 in the United States, […] mean age at death was 36.2 years (median of 34 years) compared with 72.0 years (median of 77 years) in the general population”

#ActuallyAutistic #autism

(CW mention of suicide in the 4. ⬇️ )

https://aidecanada.ca/resources/learn/asd-id-core-knowledge/how-do-we-ensure-the-health-needs-of-older-autistic-adults-are-met

As I predicted, the noise of the wind is really getting too me.
Going out this morning has exhausting me.
Probably too much socialising over the past 24 hours.

So now its time to retreat into my shell and try to calm my mind.

Maybe play a game, maybe stitch, but definitely something that involves having my headset on and silencing the world.

#Autism #SensoryOverload #Introvert #Stitching #SelfCare

My son does school online since mainstream education doesn't suit him.

Its his first day back today, just started his first class.

I adore this teacher, she shares so much and they are talking about exams and #NoWrongPath this is a campaign in #Scotland that started to show young people that there are so many other options if the exam results aren't what was needed. The teacher also always shares support resources for young people.

Its a joy to listen to the lesson!

#Education #Autism

Have you seen this?!

https://www.purdueexponent.org/campus/article_2d1826e2-2bfa-11ee-84c9-6f34496edb29.html

“ Purdue professor Rua Mae Williams received an email they never expected to see: They were accused of being an artificial intelligence bot.

“It’s not an AI. I’m just autistic," the professor of user experience and design said in response.”

#ActuallyAutistic #autism #neurodivergent

@theautisticcoach @actuallyautistic

The classic “you don’t look autistic”

me “How I’m supposed to look?”

#ActuallyAutistic #autism

@sentient_water @neversosimple The #autism is also more and more used by us as a way to reappropriate it. So now I follow both. And welcome neversosimple in the autistic community! 😊

So what's the idea behind using the #ActuallyAutistic hashtag?

It feels unwelcoming to me. Like I shouldn't engage here if I'm not autistic enough. I'm second guessing my own experiences less by the day, but from what I've heard almost everyone with late diagnosis have felt gaslit and left out throughout their lives. With all the self doubt that entails, seeing people proclaiming they're *actually* autistic feels like yet another "you don't belong here".

#autism