Despite the pandemic, this has been a busy period and it has been possible to undertake many of our commitments online. This has taken quite an adjustment but has added to the range of what we can offer. We have also seen an extension of our links with key autism organisations and academic institutions here and overseas. In this, we have always sought to strengthen our links with the autistic community through both individuals and organisations.
During this period, we were also delighted to welcome Dr Ruth Moyse to the board. Ruth brings such excellent academic and lived experience and we are already benefitting from her expertise and insights.
Our in-person clinical work has been significantly impacted by Covid, although this has now begun to recover, with requests for second opinion, diagnostic assessment, workplace assessment for reasonable adjustment, and assessments to support people in residential services, or involved in the justice system.
On training, we have continued to provide our training for Approved Mental Health Professionals on autism and mental health to a number of local authorities, and our new training package on neurodiversity in the workplace has been well received. On this, we have been working with Natural Resources Wales on training for their staff and board. This has also involved our friends from All Wales People First.
A major initiative for the year has involved a partnership with Scottish Autism on the Affinity programme, where we project-manage the programme on their behalf, recruiting, managing, and supporting a team of experts to offer time-limited, goal-directed advice, support, counselling, and mentoring to people across Scotland throughout the Covid Pandemic. The programme has benefitted hugely from the involvement of autistic members of the team. This is being evaluated and will be reported, but early results show that the model is highly effective, with clients reporting great benefit. To date, the programme has assisted over 200 people.
Our work with the Donaldson Trust has been extended to the evaluation of new services, Gate, and Vibe, and to the setting up of a hub offering Synergy and SPELL training across Scotland, in conjunction with our colleagues at the University of Kent. Additionally, we are supporting the university in the evaluation of SPELL in Kent schools.
Our work with Shetland Council has been significantly impacted by Covid but continues the rollout of Synergy and on advising and supporting the authority on individual autism-related matters.
Our work with Children in Scotland has extended training for their staff on autism, mental health, and young people.
Due to Covid, the pilot study on autism and radicalisation and mentoring with West Midland Police has been put on hold until the New Year. On a related note, we have been working with the Home Office on the development of official guidance for ‘at risk’ individuals and with Sandwell Council on recognition and reduction of risk of radicalisation with neurodivergent young people.
Also in Scotland, we have been working with the Scottish Government and several voluntary sector agencies providing post-diagnostic support services across Scotland for children and adults on the evaluation of those services. We have also now completed our evaluation of the Scottish Autism / Big Lottery funded programme, Get Set 4 Autism, which provides post-diagnostic support to parents and professionals. We are shortly to begin our annual evaluation of the impact and progress of Scottish Autism’s Values Into Practice (VIP) programme, on staff development and training. This will be the third review of this programme.
We have begun new initiatives with East Sussex C.C. where we are evaluating the use of the Homunculi programme with young neurodivergent people. We have also led autism and mental health training in the authority.
The AT-Autism, Dr Michael McCreadie award was shared between Mila Lytherao and Charlotte Birch from the Centre for Applied Autism Research, Dept of Psychology at the University of Bath, for their outstanding work on the evaluation of autism interventions.
We have also worked closely with our friends at the Anna Freud Centre London and University College London, on the delivery of autism and mental health and the Synergy programme for ‘behaviours of concern’.
We are pleased to announce an exciting new development with the Lego-Foundation, Denmark and Play-Included UK on the evaluation of Brick- Clubs on neurodivergent young people. This has involved international collaboration with partners across the world, including, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Denmark, Malta, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and England all participating. This builds on the Participatory Action Research (PAR) model we have used with other projects such as the Bridges programme, Singapore, and has proved so effective.
In Malta we have continued our support of the Inspire Foundation, advising on strategic matters related to autism, and participating in their conference on the island of Gozo speaking about behaviours of concern. We are also supporting the Sammat school Gozo in their autism programmes.
In Northern Ireland, we have concluded and reported the results of the evaluation of the Middletown Centre for Autism. This major all-Ireland initiative will use the results of the evaluation in determining their future strategy.
In London, our evaluation of the Neurodiverse Self-Advocacy mentoring programme was completed, adding to the evidence base for mentoring interventions, with autistic adults reporting high satisfaction, an improvement in subjective wellbeing, and other positive changes for the clients involved.
Our partnership with the Laskaridis Foundation Greece, on the development of the Synergy programme, has been affected by the pandemic but despite this, the evaluation continues by the University of the Peloponnese and a pilot project relating to Covid has been developed and trialled in participating schools in Greece. Our partnership continues to expand and offer Synergy training across UK.
SPELL training sessions were run online with our colleagues in Canada.
In Jersey, we have worked with Autism Jersey on the setting up of a life-coach/mentor programme and are currently working with the Government of Jersey and Autism Jersey on the strategy for autism for the island. This has involved reaching out to all and gathering data on what the people of Jersey have reported as important to include in the new strategy.
Our work with our colleagues in Aarhus Kommune, Denmark has continued, albeit so far online. We are hoping to resume the in-person work on programme evaluation.
Following our last successful conference, on Universal Design we are returning to the wonderful Church House Conference Centre, London on Thursday 29 September 2022 for our next event focusing on the diagnostic journey. More details to follow but this important event will be chaired by AT-Autism associate and diagnostic specialist Dr Judith Gould, and AT-Autism Associate and Director, and education specialist, Dr Ruth Moyse. Prof Mark Brosnan of the Centre for Applied Autism Research at the University of Bath will be presenting the findings of the Westminster Commission on Autism findings on their report ‘Support Surrounding Diagnosis’.