Scottish Autism Online Conference

Why Relationships Matter in Good Autism Practice

Positive social relationships feature as a key factor in every wellbeing index, yet they are often missing from the way support provision for autistic people is talked about. Historically, autism has been defined as a ‘deficit’ in social interaction and communication. Consequently, support models have focused on developing ‘social functioning’ or ‘social skills’ with little attention paid to social relationships. Such models reinforce non-autistic norms for social interaction, without recognising the myriad ways in which supported autistic people interact and form meaningful relationships. Support services should instead provide safe spaces for autistic sociality to flourish, taking account of supported people’s preferred styles of communication and interaction and nurturing meaningful relationships and social belonging.

This conference will shine a light on the ways in which autistic people’s relationships can be recognised and supported – relationships with one another, with family members, with partners, and between supported people and professionals. We will hear from a range of speakers drawing on lived experience, professional practice, and research about the positive ways in which autistic sociality can be supported, while acknowledging the vulnerabilities and difficulties faced by autistic people building relationships in a largely non-autistic world.

Who Should Attend?

The conference will be of interest to autistic people, parents, carers and professionals in education, social care and health or anyone who has an interest in learning more about autism.

The Speakers

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