Post-Diagnostic Support pause

We hope this message finds you well. We are writing to share an important update regarding our services.

Due to an 80% increase in demand for our one-to-one post-diagnostic support this year, we have made the difficult decision to temporarily pause this service until May 2025. At present, we simply do not have the resources to meet the overwhelming demand.

Our one-to-one post-diagnostic support service is designed to help newly diagnosed autistic individuals better understand their diagnosis. While this service is temporarily unavailable, clients can still access other support offered by AIM, including information and signposting, group peer support and our Mental Health Access Project service.

During this six-month pause, we will focus on reducing the current waiting list while continuing to deliver our webinars. These webinars cover key topics addressed in our one-to-one sessions, such as identity, mental health, and family and relationships. You can access past webinar recordings here and keep up to date with upcoming ones by signing up to our newsletter here.

Additionally, we will work closely with the Leeds Autism Diagnostic Service (LADS) Team to streamline the pathway from diagnosis to accessing support through AIM. We will also engage with our clients and steering group to explore alternative ways to meet the growing demand for our services.

If you are already on the waiting list for our post-diagnostic support service, please do not worry. We will still see you, and no one will be removed from the list.

We appreciate your understanding and patience during this time.

What is post-diagnostic support?

Our post-diagnostic support is a free service which gives newly-diagnosed autistic adults (Diagnosed in the past year) the opportunity to meet and talk one-to-one with an autistic member of staff.

You will get up to three sessions, each 45 minutes long and will discuss the following topics:

  • Your diagnosis
  • Understanding your autism
  • Strategies to manage day-to-day
  • Families and relationships
  • Help to put forward your needs
  • Disclosing your diagnosis or not
  • Sensory issues
  • Your rights / reasonable adjustments
  • Mental health signposting / counselling signposting

Please note that the waiting time for this service is approximately eight months from when someone is added to the waiting list. In the meantime, we have other services that can help you while you wait.

Can I have face-to-face appointments?

Yes! We run our face-to-face appointments on Thursday each week between 4pm and 6pm. Face-to-face sessions will be at Lovell Park Hub, which is located at Wintoun Street, Leeds LS7 1DA. You can find more detailed drive, walking and bus instructions on our website by clicking here.

Can I have remote appointments?

Of course, we can offer appointments over Zoom / Microsoft Teams, Phone and we can also do text only appointments. And don’t worry; you don’t have to keep your camera on in the Zoom or Teams appointments. We can also turn our camera off if this is easier for you.

Why we do post-diagnostic support

This service was set up because it was recognised once people get their autism diagnosis, they are given very little information about what this means for them.

We believe in empowering people with knowledge, and our goal is always to support you to become a better advocate for yourself. By supporting you to become more knowledgeable about what autism means to you, we hope you are better able to put your needs forward.

We also hope that through these sessions, you will get to know yourself better and identify your strengths and, where necessary, work with our staff to produce strategies to manage some of the things you might struggle with.

Who is this support for?

Post-diagnostic support is available to you if you are:

  • An adult (18+)
  • And have received an autism diagnosis within the last year
  • And you live in Leeds or are registered with a Leeds GP

Who funds this work?

The sessions will be funded by the NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB).

How do I request post-diagnostic support?

If you meet the eligibility criteria above you can self-refer using the online for by clicking here.