How we make autistic people feel at home at Norwood

The number of people receiving a diagnosis of autism is steadily increasing, with recent research indicating that as many as one in 67 people in the UK is autistic. We know that autistic people are more likely to face inequality and reduced opportunities in the areas of education, health, advocacy and employment. At Norwood, we are doing what we can to empower not only the people we support, but all our staff to achieve their goals because we know that when people of all abilities and talents contribute to our communities, we are all richer as a result.

We’re well versed in supporting the individual needs of the people we support, many of whom are autistic, and some of whom also have a variety of learning disabilities and complex health conditions. For the people we support, across the whole range of our services, whether residential or otherwise, our environments are specially adapted to meet the individual’s needs and preferences.

Consistency is key for many autistic people, so many of whom rely on routine to conquer anxiety and sensory processing challenges. But with more than 800 employees across a broad spectrum of roles, environments and locations, we’ve also focused on supporting our staff to better accommodate the needs and preferences of autistic colleagues, who may struggle to adapt when travelling between Norwood services.

Walking into unfamiliar environments can be a source of anxiety for many of us and more so for autistic people, and we’ve sought to tackle it by having floor plans readily available, mapping out interior or office spaces. Similarly, we’ve found that providing an explanation of “unwritten rules” can help better integrate an autistic person into the office environment. For example, being clear about going to the toilet without asking, taking lunch breaks on your own schedule and using our quiet rooms when needed. Circulating an agenda before a meeting may be standard practice, but creating a one-page profile introducing key participants or interviewers can help prepare an autistic person for unpredictable eventualities.