People with autism 'lack support'

Jan 30 2013

Actor Richard Wilson has called for people with autism to be given greater support to enter the world of work.

The star of Merlin and One Foot In The Grave made the demand as it was revealed that only around one in six people with the condition (15%) are in full-time employment.

Wilson is an ambassador for National Autistic Society (NAS) Scotland, which says large numbers of people on the autism spectrum have university degrees but are given only part-time or low-paid jobs.

Campaigners want to raise awareness among employers of the benefits people with autism can typically bring to a workplace, such as attention to detail and an ability to cope well with routine.

Speaking outside the Scottish Parliament, Wilson said: "A lot of people are telling me that they're not getting any support, especially in the realm of employment. Because communication is one of the problems for autistic people, very often the workplace doesn't understand autism, doesn't recognise it.

"A lot of autistic people could work very happily if they were given the right circumstances and the right job. Very often they've got special skills. It would be a real help if employers could understand it better."

The actor spoke as he launched a report compiled by the charity, containing recommendations to improve the lives of the 50,000 people in Scotland who have autism. The report covers four key areas: employment, choice, discrimination and professional support.

NAS Scotland describes its report, entitled Count Us In: It Pays To Listen, as "a call to action for the Scottish Government to progress its strong commitment to people with autism and their families by giving them a say in the decisions that affect them".

Dr Robert Moffat, director of NAS Scotland, said: "Statistics show that only 15% of people with autism are in full-time employment. As well as that, there are vast numbers of people with autism who have one, two or even three degrees but are actually existing in part-time or lowly paid jobs.

"What we want to say to employers is that people with autism make the ideal employee. They have fantastic attention to detail, they are diligent, extremely focused and respond well to routine."