What is the NAS campaigning for?

We want a world where all people living with autism get to lead the life they choose. 

 

This means a world where everyone living with autism:

• gets the support, education and training they need
• lives with dignity and as independently as possible
• feels part of their community and wider society
• is understood by all professionals who support them
• is respected for who they are by a knowledgeable public.

One of the main ways we can achieve this is by campaigning. There are lots of different ways to campaign, and because too many people with autism do not get the support or understanding they deserve, there is a lot that needs to change. It can take a lot of effort and resource to achieve change, and in order to give us the best chance of success it is important that we do not try and work on everything at once. So we ask people living with autism what it is most important to change, and set campaigning goals based on this.

Everyone can be a campaigner, and there are different ways that the NAS campaigns, for example, by working with MPs, civil servants and Ministers and local councillors. Everything the NAS says should be informed by the views and experiences of people with autism and their families. The role of the NAS is to support people with autism and their families to campaign for change and to make sure their voice is heard.

These are the things that the NAS is campaigning for at the moment. We are ambitious and we may not achieve all of these things but we will try. If you are interested in being involved in this work please email campaign@nas.org.uk

We are campaigning for:

• For better services for adults with autism 
• For better child mental health services for children with autism 
• For greater understanding of autism in schools 
• For the employment and benefit system to work for people with autism 
• Against cuts to local services that people with autism need

This means that we aim to achieve the following:

• Implementation of the Autism Act in every local authority in England
• Improvements to the commissioning of child mental health services for children with autism
• The needs of children and young people with autism well reflected in the Government’s SEN reforms, and greater understanding of autism in schools
• Job Centre Plus to be more accessible to people with autism
• The reform of DLA to reflect the additional costs of living with autism and Asperger syndrome
• Reform of the Work Capability Assessment to better recognise the barriers to work that people with autism may face
• To support campaigners and branches to fight cuts to local services