** ANNOUNCEMENT ** : the NAS helpline is closing from 19th may

Hi everyone,

Thank you all for your feedback about the closure of one of our helplines, the Autism Helpline. We are very sorry that we have had to make the decision to close this helpline, and understand that this will be difficult for many autistic people and families. However, the impact of the coronavirus has meant we had to make significant savings.

Our Chief Executive, Caroline Stevens, explains why we are having to adapt some of our activities, including closing this helpline in her blog (which Aidie has also very kindly linked in the post above): www.autism.org.uk/.../adapting-our-work-due-to-coronavirus

If you would like to give your feedback on this, we encourage you to email us at Helpline.Comments@nas.org.uk

Unfortunately, as the team is very small they will not be able to reply to emails personally, but please be assured that all feedback about the closure of the helpline is being monitored and reported to our Senior Management Group and Trustees.

Once again, we are sorry we will be closing the Helpline. You can find information about other sources of advice and guidance here: www.autism.org.uk/.../help-and-support

Kind regards,

Dani Mod

why not ask for volunteers from this forum ?

Hi Aidie,

We know just how important the Autism Helpline has been for thousands of people over the years, and we appreciate the tremendous skills of the staff and volunteers who provide that service. Our trained helpline volunteers have done an amazing job and, until the pandemic, we had been increasing the number of volunteers we used, allowing us to increase the number of enquiries the helpline was able to deal with.

We knew the our committed supporters and our volunteers would have wanted to help, rather than have the helpline close. We did look at a range of options, including the potential of a specific fundraising campaign around the helpline. However, there are limits to how far one can use volunteers in a service like the helpline and therefore to the savings possible. We would still need staff to oversee the service, provide training and support, and ensure it met consistent quality standards. And there are also other costs, like telephone and other systems. The helpline would still have required long term funding, and indeed the capacity to continue to raise those funds - all of which, unfortunately, we don't have.

The other vital factor we have to consider is looking out for our volunteers and making sure we don't ask too much of them. We have to use our available resources where we can reach the most people, so are focusing on our digital guidance and support, including our online community, and on support from our volunteer-led branches.

If you have any feedback or comments that you would like to pass on about the closure of the helpline, we do encourage you to email us at helpline.comments@nas.org.uk.

Many thanks,

Dani Mod

So there is some sanity out there...

I Sperg said:

IF I want to get my child's gender reassigned there are people falling over themselves to throw money and time at that "problem"

I believe the waiting list for under 18s GID referral first appointment on the NHS is over 2 years now. It's getting to the point that when they get seen they may not be under 18 anymore. This would be unthinkable in any other area of the NHS. Money is hardly being thrown at them.

do u think this forum is free it and maintains itself by magic and the help of the fairies ?

do u think this forum is free it and maintains itself by magic and the help of the fairies ?