Autism varies greatly. Some autistic people live independently, while others are non-verbal, unsafe without supervision, self-harm, or need lifelong care. We want NHS autism diagnoses to include a clear, nationally standardised assessment of support-need levels.

Families caring for autistic children with profound or high support needs often face very different daily realities from families whose children may eventually live independently. Some autistic children are non-verbal, wear nappies beyond early childhood, self-harm, have no awareness of danger, and require 24-hour supervision for their safety. Others may communicate verbally, attend mainstream education, develop independence skills, and eventually live independently as adults.