AsIAm are proud members of the Children's Rights Alliance, who are running a consultation with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) on the experiences of the parents of children who are neurodiverse (including, but not limited to, autism; ADHD; dyslexia; dyspraxia, etc.), including children who have a diagnosis or are in the prosses of seeking a diagnosis, in accessing childcare (including pre-school).
Your experiences can shape future policy, which you can find through an online survey, below:
AsIAm is collaborating with ‘We-Consent’, a project of Dublin Rape Crisis Centre. The aim of this project is to carry out qualitative and quantitative research to increase the understanding of what Autistic people and their families think and feel about consent and to understand what education, information, and communication they need to navigate consent and protect against sexual harm.
Autistic Adult Loneliness Survey (10-15 mins)
Closing Date - January 26th
We are conducting a survey of Autistic adults that will explore the topic of loneliness. This survey will form the basis of a policy position paper on the topic that we will use to campaign for change in this area. The aim of this survey is to gain insights from Autistic adults in Ireland as to their experiences of loneliness and social isolation. We know that from recent research that Ireland is the most chronically lonely country in the European Union, with 1 in 5 people reporting feeling lonely all or most of the time. By taking the time to fill out our survey, you will inform a policy paper that we will use to campaign for change in this area.
NOTE: This survey deals with challenging topics for Autistic people and we are conscious the questions may be triggering for some community members.
The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe is currently completing a national assessment of assistive technology provision in Ireland, as requested by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration, and Youth. As part of this assessment, it is very important to us that we hear directly from assistive technology users and their families, carers, and supporters.
WHO considers assistive technology to include any product, whether produced for persons with disabilities or available to the public, which helps to support and maintain independence and participation in the community for persons with disabilities, those who are ageing, or those with other health conditions. In Ireland, some of these fall under the description of aids and appliances, however the WHO definition encompasses a wider range of products and technologies.
We are hosting a series of online consultation meetings to hear from you directly. These will be conducted on the Zoom meeting platform on four different occasions. You are invited to choose one of the four sessions to participate. The dates/times are as follows:
Tuesday, 19th November,10am
Thursday, 21st November, 4pm
Thursday, 5 December 7pm
Monday, 9 December 12pm (noon)
To register, please complete the form at the following link:
Re-turn is seeking your views on the Deposit Return Scheme.
The Deposit Return Scheme is a national project which enables consumers to return used plastic bottles and aluminium cans to retailers or other return points in order to redeem the deposit paid on these containers. The Scheme went live on 1st February 2024 with the aim of reducing litter in our environment and increasing Ireland’s recycling rates in compliance with European Union Law.
Your views can help shape the future of the Scheme, so you can find a link to access the survey here:
Experiences of Young Adults with Autism who visit prisons in Ireland: the perspectives of young people and the professionals who support them.
AsIAm is supporting a study from Trinity College Dublin and the Irish Prison Service, which explores the experiences of Autistic young adults who visit prisons in Ireland. The research aims to find out more about the barriers to visiting prison for our community, what you/they have found supportive when visiting prison and changes you would like to see with how prison visits are conducted.
This research is being conducted by Katie Gilmartin, Psychologist in Clinical Training in Trinity College Dublin (TCD) as part of her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. This research is looking to speak to:
● Autistic young adults aged 12 to 25 years old who visit/have visited prisons in Ireland.
● Professionals who support autistic young adults aged 12 to 25 years old who visit/have visited a prison in Ireland.
If you would like any further information or would like to take part in this study, please contact Katie by phone (087 1819204) or by email - gilmarka@tcd.ie.
