October 2024: Erin Beeston, our new co-production officer, shares a bit about herself and the project she is working on in her first blog for Autism@Manchester.

Hello! I’m Erin, now in the role of Autism@Manchester co-production officer combined with working as a researcher for a project about autistic health inequalities. For my first blog, I thought I’d share a little about myself and how I came to work with Autism@Manchester.

I’m a late diagnosed, indeed, a self-diagnosed AuDHD geriatric millennial (what a relief I don’t have to write a dating profile!). I have children with some diagnoses and still on pathway waiting lists for others; I’m confident though sharing their struggles (and filling out all the forms) that I am also AuDHD. Through my journey, I’ve met so many parents of neurodivergent children, and learnt a lot from my peers – I’m especially in awe of those battling the system to get their girls diagnosed. I certainly have an insight into health inequalities, both first hand and through listening to others.

The wider project I’m contributing to is called: ‘Marginalisation multiplied: improving autistic health inequalities with collaborative interdisciplinary research and knowledge transfer through Autism@Manchester’. This is funded by the University of Manchester Research Institute Pump Prime Fund. This academic year, we’re working towards a funding bid for a much larger project working with academics in various disciplines, people with first-hand experience of autism care and social work, and last but by no means least – autistic advisors.

It’s very early days on the project and we are starting to hone ideas, focussing so far on peer support. Research broadly shows the positive effects of autistic peer to peer communication on mental health. Emergent research connects the effectiveness of peer to peer connections to the concept of ‘double empathy’. Could this be a way of reducing other health inequalities? For example, through helping adults recently diagnosed identify pathways of support for co-occurring conditions (such as sensory motor differences or Fibromyalgia).

We are very aware that there is already a heavy burden placed upon autistic people to find out information and source support themselves and hope to develop ideas that do not add to their mental load. As I have a background in researching creative health, something we may explore is how creativity can be used with peer support for mutual wellbeing outcomes. One arts project on social prescribing came up with a link worker manifesto addressing their care needs and boundaries: Social Prescribing Link Worker Manifesto by Deborah – Flipsnack. However we proceed, embedding care in plans for the peer supporters is emerging as a priority.

If you would like more information about the project or would like to joint our mailing list, you can contact me on erin.beeston@manchester.ac.uk

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