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

It might be better to abandon this forum unless you clearly use NAS services. Many users are at the mercy of an organisation that doesn't really represent their needs and their interests.

Considering that officers of the NAS rarely participate in this forum then it begs the question what advantages does a forum on the NAS website have over an independent forum?

this website isnt closing  just some of the helplines by phone

We ve already got high suicide rates. I have no doubt this will not help that, but everyone seems to be stopping their phone lines now, to save time and money

Peter said:

The reality is NAS seems to have comparatively few resources aimed at helping autistic adults, especially those with out intellectual disability.

The NAS is uninterested in helping this section of society.

Peter said:

We really ought to start helping ourselves (each other), because no one else is going to. Maybe we could start a link thread for resources specifically aimed at high functioning autistic adults and ask the mods to pin it?

I think it would be better to start a new organisation from scratch.

There is an independent British ASD forum.

https://www.asd-forum.org.uk/forum/index.php

Could they pick up the slack?

My experience of things is that parents of children find resources using Google or they ask on parenting forums like Mumsnet now that (knowledge of) ASD is mainstream unlike the situation 25 years ago.

Oh that sucks, I'm going to be lost without this. 

go ahead

“We have contracts with local councils to fund our social care and education services. But we are facing a £1 million gap in our finances for our wider work largely due to cancelled fundraising and training events during the pandemic.”

“This has affected every part of our charity, except our education and social care services.”

Explanation:

The NAS is first and foremost a government service provider. Nearly 90% of its income comes from local authorities and 99.999% of this money is ringfenced to provide specific services for specific individuals – mostly children who fit the criteria of NAS schools and people who require residential care services.

Everything else is provided by the charity side of the NAS, using money obtained from fundraising and donations. This is a secondary function of the NAS, and where the services are being axed.

Therefore, the honourable thing the NAS should do is realise that they may be very good at being a government service provider but also accept they are ineffective at being a charity, so they should deregister as a charity and become a business instead.

It would be dishonest for the NAS to continue as a charity, in the traditional sense of the word, if it clearly is not their main function (from a financial perspective at least) or if they are unable to operate as an effective charity. Open up the market for the creation of a new charity or support group for people with ASD.

Peter is right when he says “We really ought to start helping ourselves (each other), because no one else is going to”. My local AS support group will be holding a meeting to discuss matters relating to this in the near future.

Jeez. Thanks for the warning!

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Unfortunately my experience with the phone line is while they were very sympathetic they weren't able to signpost me to useful resources. I suspect the helpline mostly acts as a tea and sympathy service and a referral point for the other helplines. The reality is NAS seems to have comparatively few resources aimed at helping autistic adults, especially those with out intellectual disability.

To be honest it's surprising they don't have an autism related employment problem helpline. Even amongst those who seem to think autistic adults problems are small potatoes there is generally recognition that there is a real need in the area of employment. I suspect there are a lot of autistic people with out a union or with out a sympathetic union who would benefit from an advise line for employment related issues.

That's before you look at wider issues like social contact, family and relationships, dating, parenting, care in old age, engagement in public life, etc.

We really ought to start helping ourselves (each other), because no one else is going to. Maybe we could start a link thread for resources specifically aimed at high functioning autistic adults and ask the mods to pin it? It this group that's going to miss out most from the shutting of this phone line I think.

we will know for sure on May 19/20th I will check then because I will have to.  

yes a lot of people arrive here from all sorts of places and I help redirect many to the Helplines where the staff are well trained and skilled to advise people on their options especially via the NAS offices.  You can tell a lot from a persons voice. 

This is not good. 

Where I Live,,,, it has been on the news how golf clubs are getting money to help them survive being closed due to COVID  but they didnt need the money and didnt give it back. I 'm talking about Millions.

Thanks for the link, Mrs Snooks.

Awful, awful news! Which of the helplines are still going to be operating? I don't know the different types that are run and it says that some are going to remain functioning.

EDITED: Just found what I was looking for: www.autism.org.uk/.../help-and-support

so what this means in practice is a lot of people who previously rang the helpline (or emailed them) are likely to start posting here asking for help instead?