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Why I am not renewing my NAS subscription

Deleted user
over 5 years ago

I have thought hard about this and have decided not to renew this years subscription for the following reasons:

1) Mendip House.  The abuse at a NAS care home has been described as on a par with that at Winterbourne View. Despite the CQC giving NAS a fine, I am still deeply uneasy about it. Especially, as I may need to assisted living/care in the future.

It also raises questions whether charities should arranged care services.

2) NAS seems more tilted towards neurotypicals than those with ASC.

For example Your Autism magazine, if indeed it arrives, is aimed at a NT’s.  I have not found one useful piece of info or help for those actually on the Spectrum. For their families and carers yes, not for me though.

The helpline has never answered a call I ever made.  And I made quite a few.  The online service was poor at best.

The Spectrum magazine is meh. 

The forum is ok, but I only use it now infrequently.

I have yet to use the social group service, mainly as it is 20 miles away at best. 40 miles round trip.

3) NAS seems to want to promote itself rather than us.  Oh look it’s our birthday, let’s sign up a celeb. But what really bought this home was the All party group on autism. I believe arranged by NAS. On their birthday do they want us to give evidence to the committee? No. Just experts.  Can we watch? Well there is very little room so book early. 

So I am sorry. I won’t renew my membership.

Parents
  • over 5 years ago

    I came here to post something very similar. 

    It is not just the abuse that happened at Mendip House, though it was horrific and dehumanising, it was mainly the fact the NAS covered it up. Yes, had the information about the abuse have come out at the time, some people may have thought twice about donating for a short time. Once they saw the NAS was genuinely remorseful, I am sure things would have returned to normal. Instead, the NAS knowingly covered up such acts as it wasn't in their best interests for that information to be in the public domain. This sickens me. It makes them complicit in the whole thing, trying to pretend it didn't happen rather than being horrified & ensuring something like that never happens again. This is not the actions of a charity that wants to improve the lives of autistic people. This is a charity that wants to keep a close eye on its bank balance.

    NAS is very much aimed at the neurotypical rather than the autistic community. It was set-up by concerned parents, and continues to act in a parental way towards the autistic community rather than allowing them a voice. It is hardly surprising it is now a British version of Autism Speaks. Look at the fact they approve schools which use ABA, a therapy that can cause substantial mental health problems such as PTSD. While more & more research is coming out linking late diagnosis with mental health problems, with the reason suspected to be prolonged masking, it is astoundingly clear this is not a therapy but a form of cruelty.

    I feel sickened being connected in any way to people who not only turn a blind eye to the abuse of autistic people, but is often complicit. I therefore will not be renewing my subscription with NAS.

Reply
  • over 5 years ago

    I came here to post something very similar. 

    It is not just the abuse that happened at Mendip House, though it was horrific and dehumanising, it was mainly the fact the NAS covered it up. Yes, had the information about the abuse have come out at the time, some people may have thought twice about donating for a short time. Once they saw the NAS was genuinely remorseful, I am sure things would have returned to normal. Instead, the NAS knowingly covered up such acts as it wasn't in their best interests for that information to be in the public domain. This sickens me. It makes them complicit in the whole thing, trying to pretend it didn't happen rather than being horrified & ensuring something like that never happens again. This is not the actions of a charity that wants to improve the lives of autistic people. This is a charity that wants to keep a close eye on its bank balance.

    NAS is very much aimed at the neurotypical rather than the autistic community. It was set-up by concerned parents, and continues to act in a parental way towards the autistic community rather than allowing them a voice. It is hardly surprising it is now a British version of Autism Speaks. Look at the fact they approve schools which use ABA, a therapy that can cause substantial mental health problems such as PTSD. While more & more research is coming out linking late diagnosis with mental health problems, with the reason suspected to be prolonged masking, it is astoundingly clear this is not a therapy but a form of cruelty.

    I feel sickened being connected in any way to people who not only turn a blind eye to the abuse of autistic people, but is often complicit. I therefore will not be renewing my subscription with NAS.

Children
  • over 5 years ago in reply to ND Conservationist

    I see some things in my work life similar that Seems to be similar to ND Conversationalist.

    We capture "Lessons Learnt" in a database TICK

    Oh we don't look to those lessons learnt once captured = Same design flaw in every newly designed vehicle since at least the 90's.