Our My Unique Self: Beyond Behaviour conference attended by 200 delegates....

Yesterday more than 200 people came together to explore the links between autism, learning disabilities and mental health at our My Unique Self: Beyond Behaviour conference.

Jointly hosted by the Kent Autistic Trust and Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust, the conference bought together national experts, health and care professionals, and autistic people sharing their lived experiences.

From recognising mental health conditions to challenging assumptions about behaviour, discussions highlighted the importance of looking beyond a diagnosis to understanding the individual and their needs.

Hearing directly from autistic people is a vital part of these conversations. Their experiences help us reflect on how services respond to people, where improvements are needed and how we can provide more appropriate, person-centred care.

Thank you to all our speakers; Dr. Lance Vincent Watkins, Tom Crellin, Professor Ashok Roy, Ellie Bishop and Lauren Clifton, Amelia Marsden, Ben Usher-Barrass, Sarah Clark, Laura Hellfeld, Dr. Amitta Shah and Alexis Quinn. Our thanks also to KCC, Medway Council, The Kent Autistic Trust, Kent Integrated Care Alliance, Autism Alliance, Autistica, Studio III, CCCU, George Matuska, Jackie Brown, Helen Gullivan and our delegates for sharing their knowledge, experiences and perspectives.

There is so much to learn from one another, and these conversations are an important part of improving support for autistic people.