Autism information and support services

If you feel you might be autistic and would like help or advice, please visit your GP or ask a professional involved in your care to refer you. We cannot accept referrals from individuals with an existing diagnosis of learning disability. Please refer to our Community Learning Disability Team (kentcht.nhs.uk).

If you are under 18 please visit Kent Children & Young People's Mental Health Service CYPMHS | NELFT NHS Foundation Trust

Online screening questionnaires

You can fill in online screening questionnaires which measure autistic traits in adults. They don't guarantee accuracy or provide a formal diagnosis but can be used to help show how likely it is that you are autistic.

• Download an autism screening questionnaire

You will be asked to fill in a questionnaire about yourself and the issues you are experiencing. Try not to overthink your answers, go with your first thought as this is likely to be the most accurate response. There are no wrong answers, this isn’t a test, please just answer honestly.

You will be given a form or forms for someone else to fill in, ideally, someone who has known you all your life, such as your parents. If you don’t have someone who has known you all your life, choose someone who knows you very well.

You may have already completed some of these forms with your GP.

They will speak to the person who has known you all your life to find out a bit more about you and read any reports from your GP about any other health problems you may have.

If you have had palpitations due to anxiety make sure you include this when asked about heart health.

You can answer with as much or as little information as you want to.

We have made a short video to show you what to expect when you have an autism assessment.

If you are diagnosed as autistic, you may have a lot of questions. You might be wondering how you can find out more about your condition, meet other autistic people or access services and support.

Having a diagnosis can help you:

• Gain an understanding of yourself, learn about your condition and how to cope.
• Access services that suit your needs.
• Access certain benefits: such as Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Personal Independence Payment (PIP); for students, you could claim Disabled Students Allowance.
• Get help at work: employers have a responsibility to make reasonable adjustments to your work environment.
• Understand why you might find some things harder than other people
• Explain to others why you see and feel the world in a different way.

You could be eligible for a community care assessment under The Care Act 2014 in order to access care and support.

Autism information and support services

It is important to know that you do not need a diagnosis to get help and support.

Autistic people experience the world differently to people who are not autistic. Autistic people also experience the world differently to each other, but they do share some similarities that connect them as a minority community. These differences include experience of the sensory world, communication and thinking, socialising and movement.

Autistic people process sensory information differently and perceive and interact with the world differently. An autistic person can be more or less sensitive to taste, sound, light, touch, and smells as well as experience difficulties with other senses like knowing where we are in a space (proprioception) and recognising feelings like hunger (interoception).

• Sensory overload
• Communication

Our team also recommend the book 'Been There, Done That, Try this'! By Debby Denenberg.

It is an Anthology of ‘real people’ giving a short insight into how they manage particular aspects of life e.g. their anxiety/relationships/ work etc.

National support

The National Autistic Society has advice and guidance about autism and the challenges autistic people and their families face. Topics include what is autism, advice for people who have been newly diagnosed, communication, mental health, education, and more.

Website: www.autism.org.uk

Local support

• Kent Autistic Trust
• gov.uk Social Care
• Advocacy for all offers support online and in person. You can refer yourself or get a GP to refer you, before or after diagnosis.  Referral: Referrals@advocacyforall.org.uk. Website: www.advocacyforall.org.uk Phone: 03453 101 812

If you are told you are not autistic

If you do not meet the criteria for an autism diagnosis, you can still be referred to other support services if you have other needs such as communication, social, emotional understanding and behaviour.

The services you may be directed to include Livewellkent services, therapy and counselling, information services or Kent County Council Adult Social Care and those mentioned under support services.