ask richard makes big statements to challenge our thinking.

You may agree or disagree.

ask richard wants to engage in a debate and to challenge our thinking.

This is the way we learn and move on from the status quo to new thinking and new understanding of autism.

Autism is never the problem. It’s often the solution.

Autism is part of the normal spectrum of human existence. We all think slightly differently from each other. Whatever the cause, autism is essentially just a difference in the way a person thinks, perceives and understands themselves, others and the world around them. So seeing autism as a problem is not accepting that difference is positive and needed.

That is not denying that autistic people face huge challenges, need understanding and some are so challenged that intensive support is needed. However, these challenges will be a consequence of everything that goes along with autism, not autism in itself. 

Living with the pressures of autism in a neurotypical world causes daily levels of anxiety which for many will have an impact on mental wellbeing.

And of course, many also have a learning difficulty which must making sense of the world even more challenging.

And the best way to meet these challenges must be to use the persons’ autistic skills and thinking style.

ask richard works with a person’s autism and never against it.

Autism awareness is pointless. What is needed is autism understanding.

There is a massive difference in public knowledge of the word autism than there was even 10 years ago. It is not just “Rainman” that is the extent of public awareness anymore. The growth in diagnosis and understanding of autism across the spectrum means that most families or communities will know of an autistic person. So as a society we are aware of autism but for most that knowledge will be limited to knowing autism in one or two people.

We need to focus now on moving on from awareness to understanding. It is understanding that will lead to acceptance of autism, of difference and of the added value an autistic person brings to society.

So, when we hear of more ‘Autism Awareness’ campaigns or training, let’s challenge that and take the next step to ‘Autism Understanding’.

Supporting autistic people to reach their potential is the most important job in the world.

If ever we needed massive worldwide change it’s now. Overpopulation, Covid-19, the next pandemic, climate change and on and on.

Obviously not every autistic person is going to change the world. But some will and who are we to make the decision who will and who won’t. Our job is to make sure we do everything that the autistic person needs to make the greatest contribution they can, to be happy and successful.

Every time I spent time with an autistic person I have learnt about them, myself and the world. 

Society needs successful autistic people everywhere so contact ask richard and let’s see how we can help autistic people to change the world.

Complex needs. There’s no such thing.

If we are in a position of helping someone to meet their needs and support them to achieve their desires and ambitions, all we need is to know what they are. Irrespective of level of support needs or learning disability, as soon as you know what someone really needs and wants, you can choose, if you wish, to meet those needs. It’s as simple as that. It might be unusual or expensive or even impossible but it’s not complex.

The complexity comes when, because of the person’s communication challenges, we don’t know what their needs are. That will lead to frustration, anxiety and disappointment. So, the complexity is ours, not theirs.

‘Complex needs’ has become a shorthand by service funders, planners and providers to describe someone whose needs are either not known or difficult to meet. It has become a new label and almost a diagnosis in itself. It is putting the blame unfairly on the autistic person.

So, let’s fight back against an unnecessary label. No-one has complex needs

(But remember, what someone wants can change based on their experiences and learning. When I was small I wanted to be a ventriloquist and I am glad that I have been allowed to change my mind).

Neurodivergence is the emperor’s new clothes. Nothing new here.

I am hugely suspicious of the move to include autism in the wider categorisation of neurodivergence.

The big positive is it’s clearly describing autism as a difference, the same as many other differences in the way the brain works. Not a disability, not a condition but simply a difference. Fantastic.

But…the speed at which this new categorisation has been taken up by service planners and funders is suspicious. Think how long it’s taken to move from ‘autistic’ to ‘person with autism’ and back to ‘autistic’. Convince me that the speed of this is motivated by altruism and not by thinking that it’s the easy option, potentially cheaper and less hassle?

It has taken us over half a century to develop our understanding of ‘autism’ and there is a risk of losing that understanding if we stop talking about autism.

Do you agree? Contact me at ask richard, I want to know what you think.

Autistic people should always be developing new skills.

The need for provide access to continued learning is enshrined in law for children but the second the child leaves education this requirement stops.

Providing support to an autistic person can sometimes be very challenging and exhausting for care professionals.  It is not surprising that when a lifestyle and routine is found where the person does not challenge, status quo isn’t challenged and the access to new experiences and new learning opportunities ends.

We would all agree that we continue to learn new things informally throughout our lives. Even when our daily routines never change, we meet new people, see new places, watch something new on TV or the news covers something new. We continue to learn without noticing it.

We need to make sure that the autistic people we support always have access to opportunities for new learning. This can be challenging, ask richard can help to plan this effectively and safely.

95% of autism research is a waste of time and money.

Compare what we know about autism to what we knew 10 or 20 years ago. I think we are now at the root of understanding what autism is: a difference in how a person thinks and perceives things, part of the normal range of human neurodiversity. The causes are likely to be many and varied but we know what autism is.

Whilst clearly there is scientific research investigates strategies that can help. For example, anything that can identify autism earlier and quicker can lead to quicker intervention and understanding, improving the outcomes and experiences of the autistic child. But there is much research that seems to be less connected with making useful differences and more with the science for the sake of it.

If that research money could be spent on improving outcomes and understanding, real change could happen for more people.