Articles

Embedding Positive Risk-Taking in Autism Support Planning and Review

Positive risk-taking must be embedded into person-centred planning, reviews and governance rather than treated as an isolated decision. This article explains how autism services evidence balanced decision-making, record proportionate risks...

Balancing Autism, Trauma and Risk: Delivering Safe Mental Health Support Without Restriction

Autistic adults with trauma histories are often over-managed through restrictive practices. This article explains how services balance mental health risk through skilled support, positive risk-taking and strong governance rather than...

Managing Emotional Dysregulation in Autistic Adults Through Skilled Support, Not Control

Emotional dysregulation is often misinterpreted as behavioural non-compliance. This article explains how autism services respond through skilled, relational practice rather than restrictive control, using real operational examples.

Trauma-Informed Autism Support: Embedding Psychological Safety in Everyday Practice

Many autistic adults have experienced cumulative trauma through services that misunderstood or controlled their behaviour. This article explains how trauma-informed practice is embedded operationally, with real delivery examples and clear...

Responding to Self-Harm and Emotional Distress in Autistic Adults Without Restrictive Practice

Self-harm in autistic adults requires skilled, trauma-aware responses rather than control-based interventions. This article explains how services respond safely and lawfully using real operational examples and clear governance.

Managing Dual Diagnosis in Autistic Adults: Coordinating Mental Health and Social Care Support

Positive risk-taking in daily living enables autistic adults to develop independence through supported choice rather than restriction. This article explains how services enable everyday risks such as cooking, travel and...

Preventing Placement Breakdown for Autistic Adults with Mental Health Needs

Placement breakdown for autistic adults is often driven by unmanaged trauma and mental health needs rather than “complexity”. This article sets out how services prevent breakdown through structured support, escalation...

Supporting Autistic Adults with Trauma Histories: Embedding Psychological Safety in Everyday Care

Autistic adults with trauma histories often experience re-traumatisation through routine care delivery. This article explains how to embed psychological safety into daily support, using real operational examples, governance controls and...

Managing Risk and Safety in Autism Dual Diagnosis: Trauma-Informed Pathways, Escalation and Placement Stability

Dual diagnosis support fails when services rely on incidents, restrictions and reactive escalation. This article sets out a practical pathway for assessment, crisis planning, MDT working and governance, with operational...

Autism, Mental Health and Dual Diagnosis: Delivering Trauma-Informed Support That Holds Risk and Rights

Autistic adults may experience anxiety, depression, PTSD or trauma responses that are missed, mislabelled or managed through restriction. This article sets out how to deliver trauma-informed, commissioner-ready support with clear...