First identified over 70 years ago, autism is a lifelong developmental disability affecting how a person communicates with and relates to others, and how they make sense of the world. It is a spectrum condition; all people on the spectrum share certain difficulties, but their condition affects them in different ways.

Around 700,000 people in the UK are on the spectrum, 1 in every 100 people. There are no blood tests or brain scans that will detect autism - so what exactly are we talking about? Does autism actually exist?

Image: Connor Sparrowhawk #JusticeforLB

You don’t need any prior experience or qualifications to do this course but it might be of interest to practitioners in the field of autism, healthcare workers, people on the autism spectrum, and parents or carers.

It is ideal for anyone considering postgraduate study in the field, such as the PCert in Autism Studies at the University of Kent.