Promoting social inclusion for children and adults on the autism spectrum - reflections on policy and practice

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to discuss the issue of social inclusion for people with autism spectrum conditions. Design/methodology/approach - Drawing on current policy and good practice guidelines as well as the experience of people with autism and those who support them, this paper considers how well legislation, policy, and good practice are currently implemented with regard to improving the social inclusion of children and adults with autism spectrum conditions. Findings - International and UK policy sets out the rights of children and adults with disabilities to live a good life in the community, with reasonable adjustment to be made by society to ensure this is possible. However, the practical and strategic implementations of policies to ensure these rights for people with autism are still not fully in place. Originality/value - This discussion takes into consideration the views of carers and support professionals and the direct experiences of those with autism as well as policy and published guidance.