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New guidelines for supporting autistic people in inclusion health work

New guidelines for supporting autistic people in inclusion health work

New guidelines for supporting autistic people in inclusion health work

Friday, August 20, 2021

This is a guest blog from The London Network of Nurses and Midwives Homelessness Group.

The London Network of Nurses and Midwives Homelessness Group have released a guidance document on supporting autistic people in inclusion health populations including homelessness.

There is increasing evidence that autistic people are proportionally more likely to be homeless than the general population, and that they face a lack of understanding from staff and significant additional barriers to accessing appropriate care alongside a relatively high level of physical and mental health need.

There is evidence that children with different developmental trajectories are more likely to be exposed to social conditions which are detrimental to their security and wellbeing.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) explains:

“A significant proportion of adults with autism across the whole autistic spectrum experience social and economic exclusion. Their condition is often overlooked by healthcare, education, and social care professionals, which creates barriers to accessing the support and services they need to live independently. In addition, people with autism are more likely to have coexisting mental and physical disorders, and other developmental disorders. Some may have contact with the criminal justice system, as either victims of crime or offenders, and it is important that their needs are recognised.”

This guidance seeks to support workers to understand autism in the context of inclusion health populations and how to best support and work with autistic people, whether diagnosed or not, in inclusion health settings.

The guidance was developed by the London Network of Nurses and Midwives Homelessness Group with input from authors with expertise and experience relating to healthcare, autism and homelessness, including autistic clinicians. Its chapter on autism and homelessness is based on the Autism and Homelessness Toolkit which was co-developed with a multi-disciplinary steering group with expertise in autism and homelessness including autistic people with lived experience of homelessness.

The guidance is available to view here.

It includes the following chapters:

  • Language and labels
  • Why is this guidance needed?
  • What is autism?
  • Supporting a client with diagnosis
  • Barriers to access to healthcare for autistic people
  • Autism and migrant communities
  • Autism and homelessness
  • Autism and substance misuse
  • Autism and Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities
  • Adjustments for working with autistic people in inclusion health
    • Sensory processing differences
    • Communication
    • Information processing differences
    • Advocating for priority need in housing law
    • Supporting someone to maintain accommodation

You can also watch the videos of the talks from the launch event here.

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