Less expectation of phone calls, fewer face-to-face conversations. Use online options as much as possible - helps reduce anxiety

To have the ability to plan for my future - where I live, who my friends are, my social and work life. To have what other people have really.

I accessed overnight respite when I was a child and I really enjoyed having respite and it was good for my parents too. I have not been able to have respite for over 2 years because all the adult respite places are full up.

I get Direct Payments to pay a PA to go out in the community with me because I have Downs Syndrome and I cannot talk. I do not enjoy day services I have been to because I have felt ignored. I like to go to the gym and leisure centre with my PA and play tennis and basketball and go swimming. I have been told that my Direct Payments will not pay for a gym membership, only my PA's wages for when they are with me.

Not having an allocated caseworker or social worker after I turned 26 and transitioned in to adult community team, has left me feeling like a dropped hot potato! No one knows me or what I need. No one knows me when I call and a different person comes to every meeting, which makes me feel like nobody cares about me.

The person should always be at the centre but it is also vital to include their family, carers and the learning disability teams!

I mean *really* listen. We are the experts in how autism affects people so when we say something is an issue, pay attention. There's many reasons we have poorer health outcomes, lower employment rates etc, so design things in a way that works for us, not what suits those supposed to support us.