Autism affects how people perceive, communicate and interact with others and, with an estimated 700,000 autistic adults and children in the UK, most people probably know someone who is autistic. This amounts to around 1% of the population, but the true number is likely to be higher.
Councillor Jasbir Jaspal, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for Adults and Wellbeing, said: "Wolverhampton Autism Board is proud to support World Autism Acceptance Month. This initiative is crucial in promoting understanding, acceptance, and inclusion for autistic individuals and their families.
"We want Wolverhampton to be a place where autistic people feel safe, understood and supported, where they have the same opportunities as anyone else and live the life they choose, where they can receive personalised support when they need it, where they can enjoy meaningful activities, and, most importantly, where they can play an active part in their community.
"Throughout April, we will be raising awareness of the support and opportunities available to autistic people and their families in Wolverhampton and showcasing events, activities and services on our dedicated webpage, which is available all year round and provides a space for residents and organisations to showcase their latest events and developments."
The webpage, available at Wolverhampton Autism Board, includes information about autism, upcoming events, parent/guardian workshops, support groups for autistic individuals and professionals working with autistic people, community opportunities, information about Wolverhampton Autism Board and links to online resources and strategies.
Wolverhampton Autism Board brings together autistic people and their families, commissioners, clinicians, service providers, service managers and other stakeholders to make improvements for Autistic people and their families.
For more information about World Autism Acceptance Month, please visit the National Autistic Society's website.
