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NAS does it again

electra

I am applying for help through Access to Work. They have agreed that I can have a workplace assessment from the NAS.

So far so good, but the NAS leaflet I am supposed to give my employer talks about autism spectrum disorder. In huge letters. I'm autistic, I don't have a disorder. Even the government doesn't use the term in its Autism Strategy and our council doesn't use it either.

If I give this information to my employer it will further downgrade my abilties in their eyes. I will feel demeaned and compromised. I know the assessment will be done by someone who regards me as having a disorder.

 NAS, please stop doing this to us

Parents

  • I do hate the argument that the autism label can be taken away if you "get better" - so when you get worse you've got to go back through the diagnosis process again. OK maybe the proposers of this nonsense hope you'll pay £1000 plus for their private diagnosis clinic, when the need arises!

    There seems to be a confusion between being autistic, and having certain manifestations that change over a lifetime. I think you are autistic from birth. Good periods of coping don't mean it has gone away. Also you should be able to feel you've achieved some control over your autism, not that you must have been making a fuss about nothing.

    My grumble about NAS is what they are telling employers. Of course I could buy one of their information packs or pay to go on one of their courses, to find out what they are telling employers. Strangely those of us with autism aren't allowed to know, or be consulted about, what they are telling employers.

    My suspicion is that it is entirely based on the Triad of Impairments, which is a diagnostic tool not a blueprint for living with autism.  Also I suspect that it mostly describes more marked autism - where people so affected would be going into supported places. Most of those working independently don't manifest in the same way, so it misleads employers. Thirdly I think NAS keeps bleating that we are good time keepers, and good at computing, which when employers don't find someone has these skills, undermines their confidence in NAS advice.

    So it is not just what NAS calls autism that should worry us. NAS needs to get its act together on employment.

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  • I do hate the argument that the autism label can be taken away if you "get better" - so when you get worse you've got to go back through the diagnosis process again. OK maybe the proposers of this nonsense hope you'll pay £1000 plus for their private diagnosis clinic, when the need arises!

    There seems to be a confusion between being autistic, and having certain manifestations that change over a lifetime. I think you are autistic from birth. Good periods of coping don't mean it has gone away. Also you should be able to feel you've achieved some control over your autism, not that you must have been making a fuss about nothing.

    My grumble about NAS is what they are telling employers. Of course I could buy one of their information packs or pay to go on one of their courses, to find out what they are telling employers. Strangely those of us with autism aren't allowed to know, or be consulted about, what they are telling employers.

    My suspicion is that it is entirely based on the Triad of Impairments, which is a diagnostic tool not a blueprint for living with autism.  Also I suspect that it mostly describes more marked autism - where people so affected would be going into supported places. Most of those working independently don't manifest in the same way, so it misleads employers. Thirdly I think NAS keeps bleating that we are good time keepers, and good at computing, which when employers don't find someone has these skills, undermines their confidence in NAS advice.

    So it is not just what NAS calls autism that should worry us. NAS needs to get its act together on employment.

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