Autism Acceptance Week (2-8 April) is an annual campaign by the National Autistic Society to raise awareness of autism, fundraise for charities that support the cause, and advocate for the acceptance of autism.
We’re encouraging our communities across the Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys area to:
- Get involved
- Listen to autistic voices
- Learn about autism
- Share information and start conversations
Kirsten White, Trust wide Autism Service manager at Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust said:
World Autism Acceptance Week is an important event for us to celebrate as an NHS trust. It helps to increase awareness of autism and the barriers that autistic people face. It’s also a great opportunity to showcase our Autism Service at Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust. We’re a multidisciplinary team who is passionate about supporting staff to deliver reasonably adjusted care for autistic adults, young people and children. We want autistic people to feel heard and accepted so we can all help to build a more inclusive world.
If you want to know more about autism, there are lots of videos and resources online including:
- Ideas and resources for Autism Acceptance Week 2024 on the National Autistic Society website
- An article on the ‘Young Minds’ website Surviving School on the Spectrum
- A documentary series on BBC iPlayer Inside Our Autistic Minds
- A recently published paper looking at the rates of underdiagnosis of Autism
- A documentary on BBC iPlayer Christine McGuiness: Unmasking My Autism
- Language of autism video that explains the language autistic people prefer
- Autism Matters – The Podcast on Apple Podcasts a recently published podcast from a North East based third sector organisation.
