Police Autism UK

This might be satire, but the struggle is real for some of us 😬

The rise of rejection sensitive dysphoria: ‘My chest feels like it’s collapsing’ It makes rejection, teasing or criticism feel unbearable, often prompting a strong physical reaction. Sufferers describe life with a condition that is only just starting to be understood

Article on rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD), a condition linked to autism and ADHD
www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

A new diagnosis of ‘profound autism’ is under consideration. Here’s what parents need to know Category describes people who have little or no language, an IQ of less than 50 and require 24-hour supervision

A new diagnosis of ‘profound autism’ is under consideration. This article explains the rationale and criteria for the new category
www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

Facing meltdown? Over 75% of people suffer from burnout - here’s what you need to know Does it only affect weak people? Is work always the cause? Burnout myths, busted by the experts

Over 75% of people suffer from burnout - here’s what you need to know
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

Autistic people seem to feel joy differently – here’s what it can tell us about neurodivergence It’s a common misperception that autistic people are always unemotional.

Autistic people seem to feel joy differently – here’s what it can tell us about neurodivergence
✍️ @draimeegrant.bsky.social
theconversation.com/autistic-peo...

If you're proud of someone with learning disabilities and/or autism then let us know!

bit.ly/EnterLeaders
#DimensionsLeadersAwards

Autistic girls much less likely to be diagnosed, study says By age 20 diagnosis rates for men and women almost equal, research finds, challenging assumptions of gender discrepancy

Females may be just as likely to be autistic as males, but boys are up to four times more likely to be diagnosed in childhood, according to a large-scale study
www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

One in six autistic pupils in UK have not attended school at all since September Data comes as government prepares to publish plans to overhaul Send system in England

One in six autistic pupils have not been to school at all since the start of this academic year, according to a new survey which found that mental health issues were often behind high levels of school absence
www.theguardian.com/education/20...

A colourful poster recruiting children for a research study on visual comfort. The heading reads: “Autistic and non-autistic children needed for study of visual comfort levels,” with logos for the Sensory Processing, Inclusion and Neurodiversity Lab, University of Birmingham, and The Visual Comfort Project. Text explains that children aged 6 to 14 and their parents are invited to help researchers understand what images feel comfortable or uncomfortable to look at. The study can be done at the university or online and takes under two hours. Parents complete questionnaires. A section titled “Who can take part?” says children aged 6 to 14 with or without an autism diagnosis can join, and only ages 9 to 14 can take part online. A “Benefits” section lists a £10 voucher, travel costs, certificate, and summary of results for in-person participants, and a chance to win a £25 voucher online. Contact details are given for Dr Sam Tyler and Dr Cathy Manning. It states participants can withdraw at any time. The background shows a friendly illustrated garden scene with trees, a fence, a path, a dog playing with a ball, and a cat sitting nearby.

The University of Birmingham are finding out what Autistic and non-Autistic children aged 6 to 14 find comfortable and uncomfortable to look at. The findings will help make places and materials more comfortable.
Find out more:
Dr. Tyler: s.l.tyler@bham.ac.uk
Dr. Manning: c.manning@bham.ac.uk

Do you like cat photos? Are you constantly distracted? You’re probably actually quite good at focussing: 10 myths about attention Every second, 11m bits of information enter our brains, which then efficiently prioritise them. We need to learn to work with the process, rather than against it

Interesting article on the power of concentration (& how to improve it)
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

Guest Blog: My experience of acquired brain injury | National Police Autism Association PhD student and former police officer Alexander Wood shares his personal experience of acquired brain injury (ABI), a form of neurodiversity that is often lesser considered but has wide-reaching impac...

NEW BLOG: A former police officer shares his personal experience of acquired brain injury (ABI), an often-overlooked form of neurodiversity
www.npaa.org.uk/my-experienc...

‘People are desperate’: ADHD clinicians in England on a system in chaos Sector is overwhelmed by demand and expanding faster than administrative structures can support

People are desperate’: ADHD clinicians in England on a system in chaos
www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

Mattel launches its first autistic Barbie Company says doll is the latest expansion of its commitment to representation and inclusion

Mattel launches its first autistic Barbie 👡

The new doll has a fidget spinner to reduce stress, wears noise-cancelling headphones to reduce sensory overload & carries a tablet with symbol-based augmentative buttons on its screen to help with communication
www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

a neon sign that says ' n ' on it ALT: a neon sign that says ' n ' on it

Wishing a Happy New Year to all our members, followers & visitors 🥂

The culprit was caught but cat-egorically denied everything 😳

Cardiff couple invited man in for Christmas, he stayed for 45 years An arrangement Rob and Dianne Parsons thought would last a few days ended up changing their lives.

A lovely story for Christmas (and a reminder that autism has always been part of human difference)
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

a cat climbs up a christmas tree with a hmagif.com logo in the corner ALT: a cat climbs up a christmas tree with a hmagif.com logo in the corner

Wishing our members, followers & visitors a happy Christmas and New Year 😊
To our colleagues at work - hope you get some time off with family & friends - stay safe out there 👍

It's a cue for a song!
youtu.be/9HEdLmbZoJQ

Why are diagnoses of ADHD soaring? There are no easy answers – but empathy is the place to start | Gabor Maté Some say it’s overdiagnosis, others say it’s greater recognition. But it’s clear we must think about how our society is impacting human development, says author and retired physician Gabor Maté

Why are diagnoses of ADHD soaring? There are no easy answers – but empathy is the place to start | Gabor Maté

'Adapted' in this case meaning raiding a liquor store, passing out and waiting for the cops 🤨

Does ‘laziness’ start in the brain? Understanding the surprising mechanism behind apathy can help unlock scientific ways to boost your motivation

An interesting article for our ADHD members and followers, and anyone who finds it difficult to get started on tasks and projects

www.theguardian.com/books/2025/n...

New autism strategy must deliver change for autistic people - Committees - UK Parliament This is the key conclusion reached by the House of Lords special inquiry committee on the Autism Act 2009 in its report ‘Time to deliver: The Autism Act 2009 and the new autism strategy’.&...

💡 "New autism strategy must deliver change for autistic people"

This is the key conclusion reached by the House of Lords special inquiry committee on the Autism Act 2009 in its report ‘Time to deliver: The Autism Act 2009 and the new autism strategy’
committees.parliament.uk/committee/77...

Police custody suites screen detainees for ADHD | National Police Autism Association Innovative schemes aim to provide support and prevent reoffending Cumbria Constabulary has joined City of London Police in offering ADHD screening to detainees brought into custody. The project was de...

Article on our website with links to further reading
www.npaa.org.uk/police-custo...

No link between paracetamol in pregnancy and autism or ADHD in children, review finds Wide-ranging review finds no convincing connection after Trump said women should ‘fight like hell’ to avoid painkiller

A new wide-ranging review into paracetamol (acetaminophen) use by pregnant women, published today in the British Medical Journal, has found no convincing link between the common painkiller and the chances of children being diagnosed with autism or ADHD
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

Cumbria Police ADHD scheme 'lightbulb moment' for offenders A scheme to detect ADHD to prevent offenders from returning to custody is rolled out across Cumbria.

A scheme by Cumbria Police to screen people in custody for signs of ADHD has provided a "lightbulb moment" for offenders, the officer leading it has said
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Couple share life with ADHD to help others understand Rox was diagnosed with ADHD at 36 and says it led to a

A woman who found out she had ADHD when she was 36 has said it is "like there is life before and life after" diagnosis
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

We are looking for Autistic & Neurodivergent creatives from Cumbria to participate in an Art Project which will be known as ‘Penrith Castle’.

Former detective exposes culture of disability discrimination within ‘institutionally disablist’ Met A culture of institutional disability discrimination within the Metropolitan police is exposed today by the former head of its disabled staff association. Dave Campbell, who retired this year after…

A culture of institutional disability discrimination within the Metropolitan police is exposed today by the former head of its disabled staff association.
www.disabilitynewsservice.com/former-detec...

Asda hires autistic man who was let go by Waitrose after years of volunteering Waitrose asked Tom Boyd not to return when he asked for a few hours of paid work after years as unpaid shelf stacker

Asda hires autistic man who was let go by Waitrose after years of volunteering
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Disability hate crime prosecutions tumble again, three years after CPS admitted figures were ‘woeful’ Prosecutions of disability hate crime plummeted again last year, with less than 300 cases taken forward by prosecutors, despite police forces in England and Wales recording more than 10,000 offence…

Disability hate crime prosecutions tumble again, three years after CPS admitted figures were ‘woeful’
www.disabilitynewsservice.com/disability-h...