Read the all age autism needs assessment
Autism is a lifelong neurodivergence that affects how people experience the world, including how they sense, communicate, and interact with others. Autistic people are born autistic, though signs may be noticed in early childhood or later in life. Autism is not a learning disability, but some autistic people do have co‑occurring learning disabilities.
About 1 in 100 people are autistic which suggests there are an estimated 400 autistic children and young people and nearly 2,000 autistic adults living in Islington. These figures are likely to underestimate the true number of autistic residents, as not everyone has a diagnosis and local prevalence data is limited.
As awareness and acceptance of autism has increased, so has the demand for autism diagnostic assessments has increased, with current waiting times far longer than recommended.
Autistic people can face barriers across many areas of life, including education, mental and physical health care, employment, housing, and accessing other services. Autistic children are more likely to have challenging experiences at school, and autistic adults are more likely to experience mental health difficulties. Many autistic people need reasonable adjustments to access services in a way that works for them.
Islington has specialist and non‑specialist services that support autistic people and their families, including health, education, employment, and community support. Improving awareness and understanding of autism, making reasonable adjustments, and strengthening local data are key to ensuring autistic people can access support, thrive, and participate fully in their communities. These findings will help shape a new All‑Age Autism Strategy for Islington.