Autistic students deserve to have the opportunity to thrive in educational environments, but research suggests that adaptations may be needed to better support autistic young people. This webinar will provide an overview of autism and neurodiversity before describing the latest research on the educational attainment and experiences of autistic people. Dr Weir will also outline what we understand from international data about risks of becoming NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) among autistic young people and students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). As a note, this talk will include discussion of difficult material, including how educational experiences may relate to poor mental health and risk of suicidality among autistic people.
Dr Elizabeth Weir is a Research Associate at the University of Cambridge’s Autism Research Centre and a Bye Fellow at Queens’ College, Cambridge. Her research focuses primarily on the outcomes of autistic people in the areas of health, healthcare, educational attainment, and employment. In particular, Dr Weir is dedicated to better understanding the mental health challenges of autistic people, including their risk of suicide. She is part of several projects related to suicide prevention at the ARC and is currently leading a project that will produce the first nationally representative and UK-specific statistics on suicide among autistic people.