It’s Autism Acceptance Week this week and Hull City Council are lighting up City Hall gold in support from 1st to 3rd April.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a lifelong condition that affects how a person communicates with and relates to other people. It also affects how a person makes sense of the world around them.
Autism is known as a spectrum condition both because of the range of difficulties that affect adults with autism and the way that these present in different people. This means that while some people can lead relatively independent lives, others will require significant support.
Autism Acceptance Week is about raising awareness, but also calling for greater acceptance and understanding of autism.
Michelle Fisk, Head of Prevention, Safeguarding and Workforce in Adult Social Care at Hull City Council said: “It’s estimated that around one in 100 people have autism, which if we apply to Hull means there could be several thousand people in our city living with autism. While autism is a condition no longer living in the shadows, there is a lot more we can do to increase awareness and improve the quality of life for people with autism. That’s why Hull City Council is celebrating Autism Acceptance Week and highlighting the support that’s available.”
Rebecca Cole, Chair of the Hull Learning Disability Partnership, said: “Autism Acceptance Week is really important. Not enough people understand what it’s like to be autistic – both the strengths you can have and how hard life can be at times. It’s important that we hear the voices of autistic people and involve autistic children, adults, and their families in the work that we do. We want to make sure our communities, schools and workplaces are understanding, supportive and accepting.”
You can find information about support locally on the Hull Connect to Support website. You can also find support and some great activities on the National Autistic Society website.
