Scottish Autism has secured £51,531K funding from the Scottish Government’s Direct Funding for the Voluntary Sector, Adult Community Care Grant Scheme, to develop better support for women and girls on the autism spectrum. 

We will draw upon research by Dr Catriona Stewart, Co-Facilitator of the Scottish Women's Autism Network (SWAN), whose PhD research focused on girls with Asperger’s Syndrome. Dr Stewart’s research has highlighted many of the challenges that women and girls on the autism spectrum experience in areas such as obtaining a diagnosis, the impact that this has on their daily lives and the implications on their long-term health and wellbeing.

According to Dr Stewart’s research, adolescent girls on the autism spectrum may be extremely capable but, without appropriate support, can be vulnerable to bullying, may develop health problems and self-harming behaviours, and underachieve at school. While some women may be in employment, married and have children, without proper diagnosis and support, they can struggle keeping a job or maintaining successful relationships and as a result, may incur mental health problems.

This funding will enable a new Women and Girls online support programme to be developed. The project will be developed similarly to Right Click, our comprehensive online support resource which currently runs three programmes aimed at the parents and carers of young children, teenagers and adults. The Women and Girls programme will provide valuable information that will address key health and wellbeing challenges, as well as providing practical advice on a range of issues. We will engage with, and involve, women and girls from the autism community and draw upon the expertise of a network of professionals to develop a range of videos and other support materials.

At Scottish Autism we seek to help those diagnosed with autism to lead full and enriched lives and become valued and valuable members of their community. The development of the Women and Girls online support resource is another example of our focus on enabling people living with the condition in Scotland throughout their whole life journey.   

Charlene Tait, Director of Development at Scottish Autism, said: “The development of a Women and Girls online support programme was kicked off in October 2014, when we were delighted to receive £5000 from Talk Talk’s Digital Heroes Award. The substantial funding provided from the Scottish Government will allow us the opportunity to fully develop the online support programme for Women and Girls.”

“While we are here to enable anyone living with autism in Scotland through the whole life journey, this specific project will focus on women and girls as research shows the consequences of under-diagnosis and poor levels of understanding or awareness of the needs of this group make them especially vulnerable.”

“Over the next year we will work closely with women and girls from the autism community to develop a practical, reliable, online resource that will provide much needed information, support and practical advice to enable such women to lead full and enriched lives. 

“We also aim to organise a launch event for the programme later in the year, which will be supported by the funding from Talk Talk’s Digital Heroes Award.”

Dr Catriona Stewart said: “So many parents of girls and women on the autism spectrum are seeking help, advice and resources and up until now, these have been lacking. This project aims to make a start in changing that; building on the real lives of females in the autism community to share experiences and knowledge, to offer support to the girls and women involved and their families.”