Autism, Identity and Me: A Practical Workbook and Professional Guide to Empower Autistic Children and Young People Aged 10+

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Consider the environment: would they prefer to be somewhere familiar? Think about the sensory input such as lighting and sounds. Autism, Identity and Me not only reflects Rebecca’s ethos, it is a structured, easy to follow, informative and invaluable text which covers all areas of autism from what it actually is through to every element of the day to day life of an autistic child. I will be using this book in my own practice." – Andrew Whitehouse, SEND Consultant, Andrew Whitehouse Ltd If you are a professional leading these conversations (in advance of the session), you should start planning and information gathering alongside parents. The resources section of the Guidebook has tools which can be used in an informal meeting with parents/carers and key adults.

However, so often I will meet a young person who is at crisis point, and ask the team around them if they have an understanding of their autistic identity, to be told ‘No’. They may have been told about their diagnosis but been given little support to understand what this means, nor had the opportunity to meet other autistic young people, therefore being left feeling isolated, which can also impact their mental health. What can we do to increase understanding of autistic identity in young people? Having a positive understanding of your autistic identity is an indicator of higher self-esteem and wellbeing as an adult. This guidebook supports the development of this and will be valuable for all adults working with autistic children and young people aged 10+.When a young person gets a diagnosis, the parents may be offered parent programmes, and the school may be offered training, but what does the actual autistic person get? In many cases, young people are not given the opportunity to explore their autistic identity. In an ideal world, a young person would be aware of autism at the start of their autism assessment process and then be able to build their understanding on this topic gradually and over time, with the support of understanding adults. It is important that the supporting adult is able to keep calm, give enough processing time and speak about autism very positively. Research shows that having a positive understanding of your autistic identity is an indicator of higher self-esteem and wellbeing as an adult. (Corden, Brewer & Cage, 2021 and Cooper, Smith, & Russell, 2017). Yet, when do we teach this? The guidebook is designed to accompany the Autism, Identity and Me workbook, building the adult’s understanding of autism and autistic identity, expanding upon the themes introduced, and offering a clear and structured programme of sessions to guide the young person through the workbook. Content has been shaped by autistic advisors and contributors, with first-hand experiences woven throughout, alongside examples of ‘possible prompts’, what to focus on as a lead adult, and a variety of concrete, neurodiversity-affirming strategies.

Rebecca’s book is a great resource for guiding strength-based conversations about a young person’s autistic identity. The book focuses on individual similarities and differences, whilst encouraging a sense of shared identity and connection to others. This is a great resource for supporting young people to explore their individual strengths and skills, whilst developing a sense of pride. A recommended read!" – Dr Claire Prosser BEM, Educational Psychologist, Spectropolis - Pay it Forward Adapt your plan for your young person: consider concentration and processing times. Some young people may prefer to sit down for an hour, others may want short 10-minute bursts of information. Be flexible! This informative and engaging guidebook provides key adults – parents, school staff and therapists – with the tools needed to support children and young people as they develop a positive understanding of their autistic identity. This empowering workbook and guide will help children and young people to develop a positive understanding of their autistic identity, whilst providing key adults with the tools needed to support their journey and initiate important conversations. If you are the young person’s parent or carer, it is likely that you will have your own thoughts and feelings about this whole process. You may have battled for years to try and get an autism assessment or are carrying the weight of comments from ‘well-meaning’ family members or professionals. There may be layers of guilt or worry over whether you are doing the best for your child. I have worked with many, many families over the years and I can tell you this is all ‘normal’, whatever that means!

What is autistic identity?

Highly structured and visual, the workbook is broken down into key sections such as 'Interests and focus', 'Masking', 'Emotions and energy levels' and 'My autistic identity statement' to create a personal passport and to develop a deeper understanding of what autism means to the young person as an individual. Content has been shaped by autistic advisors and contributors, with first-hand experiences of young people woven throughout. The workbook aims to encourage and build: Remember our emotions are often contagious: if we are feeling highly anxious, those around us may well mirror these feelings or behaviours. Always consider whose needs you are meeting - if you are doing this because you feel you ought to, but really don’t feel prepared - it might be best to let someone else take the lead (perhaps someone from school), while you access support and develop your own understanding of autism. The Autism, Identity and Me Guidebook explores this in detail and could be a good starting point. Hearing voices of autistic children throughout the book gives a unique insight that can only be gained from listening to those with lived experience. Rebecca's passion for supporting autistic young people is clear throughout, which has resulted in a book which allows autistic young people a chance to positively own their identity." – Dr Jenna Kenyani , Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing Adviser, University of Liverpool