Date: 15/02/2022
When an autistic young person is preparing for employment, one important factor to consider is the disclosure of their diagnosis.
This will be a very personal decision, but it can bring benefits, such as environmental modifications to the workplace to reduce sensory overload, adapting to communication preferences and training for non-autistic colleagues. There can, however, be negative outcomes with the risk of stigma and discrimination.
The Centre for Research in Autism and Education (CRAE) has recently published 2 papers on this subject and these can be accessed at the links provided. Recommendations from their research highlight the importance of employers taking responsibility to support diagnostic disclosure and responding positively by making appropriate accommodations and providing autism training across the organisation.