Make a referral
We only accept referrals from health or social care professionals
You can complete the Kent and Medway Adult Autism Keyworker Service referral form – (Interim Service Offer).
Sections within this form marked * are mandatory for completion.
If you are unable to complete an online form, please email kentchft.adultautismkeyworkerservice@nhs.net.
Eligibility criteria
- Autistic Adults aged 18 and over who and over who are registered to a GP in Kent and Medway
- Adults who have a diagnosis of autism without a diagnosed Intellectual Disability (LD)
- Autistic adults who have low to moderate psychosocial issues related to or compounded by autism or have needs related to autism that require clinical assessment and interventions.
Out of scope
- Adults with a with a diagnosis of Intellectual Disability (LD)
- Adults with an acute mental health presentation that present high risk (for example, unstable mental health conditions, active psychosis)
- Neurological disabilities, acquired brain injury
- Crisis support
- Respite and inpatient direct care
- 24 hour residential accommodation services.
Who we are
The Adult Autism Keyworker Service is a community-based support service. It offers support to autistic adults who experience low to moderate psychosocial issues, related to or compounded by autism, or have needs related to autism that require clinical assessment and interventions. This service is part of the Kent and Medway-wide system pathway for autism. The service workforce comprises of Clinical Team Manager, a small team of up to five full-time Occupational Therapists and Speech and Language Therapists plus an additional workforce of ten full-time keyworkers and peer support workers (full-time is an individual who works 37.5 hours a week).
How we can help
Our new Adult Autism Keyworker Service will be fully operational from 1 October 2025, with new referrals accepted from 1 July 2025. We will be providing an interim offer of support accessible from 1 June 2025 for 4 months. From 1 April 2025 when the Post Diagnostic Service ceases, there will be a mobilisation period whilst we get the service offer and new team ready for referrals. During mobilisation we will recruit to posts and provide specialist induction training for the ten full time Keyworkers and Peer Support Workers, who will be delivering support to patients across a defined GP practice area. We are excited to share that our workforce of Peer Support Workers are employed as professionals with lived experience of autism.
In the new service all adults will be provided with psycho-education prior to any other offered support.
Further information will be provided on the full service offer
Until the new service is fully available, we will provide an interim support offer of virtual group workshops to learn about and understand autism, known as ‘psycho-education’. The workshops provide psycho-education about key issues arising from autism; adults referred to the service will be able to either attend the whole set of workshops in full, or select and only attend specific topics that are the most appropriate to their specific needs. Topics will include:
- Autism awareness
- Communication skills
- Transition and change
- Sensory needs
- Emotional regulation
- Getting better sleep
- Managing anxiety
- Psychological wellbeing.
As a service we are unable to provide case management / care co-ordination and/or oversee / manage risk during this process or while someone is awaiting assessment. It is expected that the GP (and/or referrer/care coordinator) would hold the overview of risk and should be contacted if there are concerns. We will of course liaise with professionals as appropriate.