Autism acceptance and awareness 2025
April 2025 is World Autism Acceptance month.
Wednesday 2 April 2025 is World Autism Awareness Day.
In support of this, we want to raise awareness across Bexley. We want to hear from everyone in our community—whether you are autistic, know someone who is, or just want to help make Bexley a more inclusive place.
Your answers will be given to our Autism Partnership Board. The Autism Partnership includes the Council, NHS, Job Centre Plus, Care Providers, Voluntary Groups and autistic people and their carers.
Phases
Results
Thanks to those that responded to our Autism awareness survey.
We had 36 responses to the main and easy read surveys.
Please see results below.
Autism acceptance and awareness 2025
Thank you to those that contributed. These results have been shared with the Autism Partnership Board.
Have you heard of the Autism Partnership Board in Bexley?
Have you heard of the Autism Strategy in Bexley?
How can the Autism Partnership better listen to autistic people in Bexley?
What is working well in Bexley for autistic people?
Most respondents highlighted increased awareness and understanding of autism in Bexley, with several mentioning that staff across services are now required to undertake training. The presence of supportive and caring individuals in agencies and services was also noted as a positive. Specific resources such as the medical booklet for communicating support needs to healthcare professionals and the ASD Advisory service were mentioned as working well. Some respondents praised the attention given by the Council and agencies to autism issues.
However, there were concerns about gaps in provision, particularly for autistic adults seeking employment support and difficulties in accessing services tailored to individual needs. One respondent noted a lack of awareness about the existence of the autism board or strategy, despite being recently diagnosed.
Overall, while awareness and some services are seen as strengths, there are notable gaps in communication, adult employment support, and personalised service access.
What could be better?
Long waiting times for mental health support and diagnosis were frequently highlighted as major issues. Many respondents called for increased resources, more staff, and expanded support services to reach more families and individuals. There was a strong emphasis on the need for more support groups, particularly for adults, late-diagnosed individuals, and those without learning disabilities.
Improving awareness and understanding in the wider community—including local businesses, GP receptionists, and NHS staff—was a recurring theme. Respondents noted that reasonable adjustments are often not made and that public spaces like NHS waiting rooms are not autism-friendly.
Several responses stressed the importance of transparency about available services and ensuring accessibility for those with communication difficulties. Training for professionals and the wider community across all life stages was also suggested.
Listening to and applying the ideas of autistic people themselves was mentioned as a key area for improvement. Other points included the need for more specialist schools better support for autistic adults seeking employment and making school transitions less harmful by keeping pupils together and addressing sensory issues.