With over six years of experience working within the NHS, I’ve had the privilege of working in diverse settings, beginning with Older Adults, and later moving into Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). It was within CAMHS that I first encountered autism and became involved in both the assessment and diagnosis processes. I am now working in Primary Mental Health, where I identified a significant gap in services for individuals on the autism spectrum.
Through my experience, I have come to realize that, although there are services available for autism support, they often lack integration, making collaboration and networking difficult. Even when coordination is achieved, there remains a significant gap in understanding autism itself. This lack of awareness prompted me to create Autism and Me World CIC.
At Autism and Me World, we focus on three key areas in supporting autistic individuals: understanding autism and identifying challenges in daily living, addressing co-occurring mental health issues, and supporting education and employment prospects. We offer holistic assessments and create personalized care plans, tailored to the unique needs of each individual. Our services include a wide range of in-house support, provided by dedicated volunteers. This includes assistance with daily living tasks like paying bills, shopping, and cooking, as well as mental health support to help manage anxiety. Additionally, we work with service users to identify their strengths, build on existing skills, and create better employment opportunities.