Conference event: Diagnosing Autism

Wednesday 7 November from 9am to 1pm
Keyworth Centre, Southwark campus - View map

The Centre for Research in Psychology at London South Bank University is proud to be hosting a free half-day event entitled 'Diagnosing Autism - Perspectives of Parents, Patients and Practitioners', as part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2012.

Programme

You can now download the full event programme (PDF 133kb).

Highlights of the event include:

a talk from Dr Elisabeth Hill (Goldsmiths, University of London) on the results of a recent large-scale survey of parents, patients and practitioners about their experiences of receiving and communicating a diagnosis of autism
presentations from service users about their personal experiences of the autism diagnostic process
Small group discussions to identify ways to improve the autism diagnostic process in the UK

Who is the event is for?

The event is aimed at a broad audience and is suitable for anyone interested in learning more about the current situation regarding autism diagnostic experiences in the UK, including:

adults with autism and their parents/carers
clinicians working with children or adults with autism
representatives from UK charities or funding bodies
academics and researchers
policy makers (e.g., those working within government departments or participating in public inquiries)
journalists

Why is this event is being held?

Receiving a diagnosis of autism has a major impact on an individual and their family. As autism spectrum disorders affect approximately 1 in 100 individuals – over 600,000 people in the UK – this represents a significant public health issue. It has been over 15 years since Professor Patricia Howlin and Dr Anna Moore published the results of a large-scale survey exploring the experiences of receiving a diagnosis of autism in the UK. By surveying approximately 1300 parents, they found that around half of families were 'not very' or 'not at all' satisfied with the diagnostic process.

Further, the amount of support offered to families after they received the diagnosis was extremely limited. In the 15 years since the publication of this survey, the situation regarding the diagnosis of autism in the UK has changed significantly. As autism is now a more widely recognised disorder, there has been a huge increase in the amount of people receiving a diagnosis.

The Diagnosing Autism event coincides with the conclusion of three large surveys that explore the current experience of receiving or communicating a diagnosis of autism in the UK. Delegates at the event will be able to hear about this latest research and discuss ways of further improving the autism diagnostic process.

Psychology research at LSBU

Our staff have growing international reputations for active research, learning and professional status.
Find out more

What are the intended outcomes of the event?

It is hoped that delegates will gain a fresh understanding of the major issues facing people with autism, their families, and clinicians when receiving or communicating a diagnosis of autism. Attendees will also be able to feedback their views on this work and discuss recommendations for improvements.

Further information about the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2012 can be found on the ESRC website: http://www.esrc.ac.uk/news-and-events/events/festival/

Booking your place

Tickets to this event are free of charge but must be pre-booked.
You can use the button on the right to access the booking page.