Creating Safe Spaces for Autistic People
On Sale to Celebrate One Year of Publication
Your Guide for for Building your Affirming Organisation or Group
It’s the one-year publication anniversary of Creating Safe Spaces for Autistic People and we would like to celebrate by having a sale on the amazon paperback version. Through the month of May, our book is on sale for £8. This includes both the Full Colour and Reduced Colour versions.
You can purchase your copy here.
Haven’t Heard of ‘Safe Spaces’?
Scott Neilson and I created this book to help services be truly more inclusive of our community members and for identifying people and families to bring to services to get the support they need.
We are Autistic educators and have personal experience in guiding organisations with creating affirming groups and we also know the benefits of when we are able to come together with our community members. We know that in these safe spaces that we are able to thrive.
We wanted to create this book in order to outline some of the key principles, values and approaches that can cultivate a safe space for Autistic people and better ensure that your event or group is accessible.
This guide is both for identifying and non-identifying people to help support developing their group across a range of settings and activities such as lunch clubs, interest-based groups, community events, play groups, library activities and online gatherings. It is also relevant for schools, universities, healthcare services and therapists who are looking to make a safe space for Autistics.
What Are Some of the Topics are Covered
Developing your group vision
Participant goals
Supporting the diversity of participant needs
Accessibility topics
Supporting participant differences in communication, learning and sensory needs
Ensuring that you have the right staff to be guiding your participants
We have also included insight and quotes from various educators, professionals and advocates. Their contributions help describe what a safe space means to them, what it means to find community, ideas to consider for online groups and support of PDA Autistics.
With over 100 pages of ideas, we hope that each of you are able to take away meaningful ways forward so that Autistic participants are truly welcomed, validated and comfortable taking part.
Series Description
We are offering two versions of our ‘Creating Safe Spaces for Autistic People’ booklet. One is ‘full colour’ which has different coloured backgrounds throughout the booklet and some differing font colours. The ‘reduced colour’ version has all beige backgrounds, only black text and some geometric template shapes removed. Please note that the content is the same in both and therefore both do not need to be purchased. Please choose the version that is best for you.
Reviews
“Sish I’d had this book years ago when, as mum to a young autistic person, we were serial ‘once only’ visitors to countless groups purporting to be inclusive and welcoming, groups which turned out to be woefully lacking in understanding about what autistic people need to feel safe. I would have given each group leader a copy of this book before we ever visited.
While it's intended for group organisers and facilitators, and rightly so, I feel it’s also an empowering resource for parents who can use it work out how suitable a group is likely to be for their young autistic person. Armed with this book you can easily point out where changes need to be made and why, so your young person has the best chance of accessing the group and feeling safe there. And if you're an autistic self-advocate you can use the book in the same way.
This practical, accessible and value packed guide should be well within any group's budget and isn't a huge ask when it comes to the time and effort needed to read it. The format is clear and simple with plenty of icons and illustrations. For busy people who need to absorb information quickly that's a gift! I can imagine it becoming an indispensable companion for organisers and facilitators who will want to refer to again and again.
Scott and Laura seem to have thought of everything. There are lots of examples of good practice in all the areas covered – these are informative and encouraging. Although the book is full of helpful checklists, these are accompanied with excellent clear explanations as to why the items on the list are important and reminders that safety is about ongoing engagement with group members’ safety needs. As a psychologist I am delighted the authors have covered issues like rejection sensitivity and supporting distressed participants, and that they encourage group organisers/facilitators to be continually reflective about their own responses and learning needs.”
-S.P., parent
“Wow it’s so comprehensive – you two have thought of everything. It’s an amazing resource.”
-Evaleen Whelton, AUsome Training
“This is such a valuable resource for educators, for anybody working within the autistic & neurodivergent community, to hear the autistic voice, to ensure that spaces do feel safe and secure because if they don’t, we are unable to engage, to facilitate and to use whatever is being offered.”
-Nicola Reekie, The PDA Space
“Woah…. super impressed at the phenomenal work and love Laura and Scott have poured into this vitally important guide! Listening to, and understanding Autistic lived experience – and working in a trauma informed approach – are all key to creating authentically safe, supporting spaces for Autistic people, and their families.”
Referenced In
Article by Sarah Pagdin on September 18th, 2024, ‘Navigating New Group Experiences’
Article by Miranda Newbery FCIEHF on October 24th, 2024, Overcoming the Double Empathy Problem to Make User Research Neuroinclusive
As Heard On
Podcast episode for Neurodiversity Natter: The Umbrella Project, Episode #6
Live Chat for SENDwise HUB,