Certain characteristics of autism, such as difficulty understanding social cues, may make women vulnerable to potentially dangerous situations. Robyn Steward has written this supportive guide to help all women on the autistic spectrum live independently, make their own choices in life, and be safe whilst doing so. This book will provide you with the knowledge to recognise potential risks to your personal safety and the skills and strategies required to avoid and overcome them. Informed by a survey of, and interviews with, women on and off the autistic spectrum, it explores common safety issues encountered by women and offers practical advice to help you stay safe and supported in your independence. Topics covered include friendships, relationships and sex, alcohol and drugs, money and employment and staying safe outside the home and online. This handbook is your guide to super safe living as an independent woman and will help you to stay safe whilst living life to the full. It may also be of interest to your family, friends and carers, giving them insight into life on the spectrum and confidence that you will enjoy your independence in an informed and safe manner.

Written by autistic author Robyn Steward, this is a detailed guide for young people aged 9 to 16 on the basics of menstruation. Created in consultation with young people, an online survey and a group of medical professionals, this is a book that teaches all people about periods, which can be a scary and overwhelming issue. Promoting the fact that everyone either has periods or knows someone who does, the book reduces the anxiety girls face in asking for help. It offers direct advice on what periods look and feel like and how to manage hygiene and pain. It also breaks up information using flaps and step-by-step photos of how to change pads and tampons, it discusses alternatives to tampons and pads, and gives information about possible sensory issues for people with autism.

This book guides people on the autism spectrum through each step of their transition into adulthood and will give them the confidence, support, and guidance they need to experience life on their own.--

This practical guide helps autistic people and those who support them explore self-employment so they can do what they are passionate about. It provides advice on being self-employed, including how to work out how much to charge, how to get paid, tips on networking, managing tax and other legal requirements. It also explains how to navigate welfare systems for support. This is the essential guide to discovering self-employment and being part of a local community.

Rudy Simone covers 22 common areas of confusion for someone dating a female with AS, including advice from her own experience and that of other couples. She talks with humour and honesty about the little things that might be different from a relationship with a neurotypical woman and discusses first dates, sex, and even having children.

A highly readable, insightful and sometimes humorous account of autism assessment, diagnosis and life with a 'label'. Eva was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome (ASD) at age 11 and is now a fun-loving, sociable 16-year-old. This book, co-written with her mother, a speech and language therapist, discusses their reasons for seeking a diagnosis, the process of being assessed, their reactions to the news and the impact it has had on Eva's life. It also considers how diagnosis has helped them find strategies to lessen the challenges of living with an ASD. Concluding that it doesn't really matter whether the name for the set of traits that characterise autism changes or what it changes to, this life-affirming book shows diagnosis to be a positive and empowering experience. It will be helpful to any family embarking on the assessment process as well as professionals looking for insight into a family's diagnosis journey.

Often thought of as a predominantly ‘male’ disorder, autism has long gone unidentified, unnoticed and unsupported in girls – sometimes with devastating consequences for their social and mental well-being. As current research reveals a much more balanced male-to-female ratio in autism, this book provides crucial insight into autistic girls’ experiences, helping professionals to recognize, understand, support and teach them effectively. Drawing on the latest research findings, chapters consider why girls have historically been overlooked by traditional diagnostic approaches, identifying behaviours that may be particular to girls, and exploring the ‘camouflaging’ that can make the diagnosis of autistic girls more difficult. Chapters emphasize both the challenges and advantages of autism and take a multidisciplinary approach to encompass contributions from autistic girls and women, their family members, teachers, psychologists and other professionals. The result is an invaluable source of first-hand insights, knowledge and strategies, which will enable those living or working with girls on the autism spectrum to provide more informed and effective support. Giving voice to the experiences, concerns, needs and hopes of girls on the autism spectrum, this much-needed text will provide parents, teachers and other professionals with essential information to help them support and teach autistic girls more effectively.