Hosted chat with the National Autistic Society
2 April 2008
Sarah Tooke joined us in the chat room to answer your questions about autism.
Sarah works at The National Autistic Society (NAS) as an advisor on the Autism Helpline. The Helpline receives around 40,000 phone and email enquiries a year and provides impartial and confidential information, advice and support to people with autism (including Asperger syndrome), their families, professionals, and researchers.
Sarah trained as a nursery nurse before working in a school for teenagers with severe and complex learning difficulties. After taking her Primary PGCE in 1997, she worked as a teacher in mainstream schools across London. In 2004, she joined Radlett Lodge School in Hertfordshire, an NAS day and residential school for children with autistic spectrum disorders aged four to 16 years. Sarah has worked on the NAS helpline since 2006.
I Exist
In 2007, the National Autistic Society (NAS) launched ‘think differently about autism’, a major campaign aiming to increase understanding of autism among the public, professionals and Government, so that people with autism get the services and support they need.
The recent ‘I Exist’ report signals a new phase in the campaign and aims to improve the lives of the many thousands of adults with autism who are isolated and ignored, unable to access the support they need and often completely dependent on their families for care and support.
‘I Exist’ revealed that nearly two thirds of adults with autism do not have enough support to meet their needs and that at least 1 in 3 are experiencing severe mental health difficulties as a result
With 40% of adults with autism living with their parents and 61% relying on their family financially, it is little wonder that 92% of parents are worried about their son or daughter’s future when they are no longer able to care for them.
Along with anxiety over the future, the job of everyday caring gets harder as parents age, yet they are rarely given any support to help them in their role as carers – 76% do not receive any support from their local authority and 68% have not even received a carer’s assessment.
To download the 
I Exist report (221 KB) and support the think differently about autism campaign, visit: www.think-differently.org.uk
Read the full chat here (84 KB)
Sarah gave out some useful link's during the chat. You can find the information below:
The National Autistic Society
Email: autismhelpline@nas.org.uk
Autism Helpline - 0845 070 4004 (Monday – Friday, 10am – 4pm)
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