Reflections on An Auternative: An Innovative Co-Production Approach to Research with Autistic People

Abstract

This paper reflects briefly on the recent An Auternative Project which investigated the barriers experienced in domains such as employment, access to health and other services and social interaction, and the strategies used by autistic people. The research highlighted the wide range of strategies used by autistic people to overcome barriers and to participate in the community, the fact that autistic people do show agency rather than just responding to others, and the importance of respect and valuing diversity. The research is original in using co-production and being autistic led, having an underlying theoretical framework of the social model of disability/neurodiversity, autonomy and empowerment and focusing on the voices of autistic people rather than professionals and family members.