Engaging with autistic people

This page contains tips to support an effective engagement process with autistic people.

What Autism is

Autism refers to a range of conditions that affect communication, social interaction, and behaviour. Each person with Autism may experience some difficulties with the following areas:

• understanding and using verbal (language) and non-verbal (facial expression, gesture, and body language) communication
• understanding social behaviour, which affects their ability to interact with other people
• thinking and behaving flexibly, which may show in restricted, obsessional, or repetitive activities.

Some people may experience sensory issues, such as a hypersensitivity to sound.

Verbal information and communication

When you are planning to engage with autistic people, follow these guidelines.

When others support someone to communicate

• Some people may prefer whānau members or carers to express their preferences on their behalf, as they trust them to understand and communicate their individual needs.
• Ask permission from the person to gather this information.

Understanding different communication needs

• Some autistic people may have difficulty:
  
  • engaging in a face-to-face interview. Some people may prefer to sit side by side, to minimise eye contact
  • understanding and following verbal information. It might be helpful to send questions in advance or have a printed copy for the person to refer to
  • understanding body language or social norms
  • registering, showing, or managing emotions. This may result in stress for the person
  • organising and planning, and recognising what information is important
  • thinking flexibly and problem solving. For example, the person may return to 1 or a few specific topics, or may not know how to resolve a particular problem

Autistic people may also:

• operate according to a particular set of routines or rules. Being aware of these will help you to avoid inadvertently doing or saying something that triggers difficulties
• be anxious about making mistakes, which may mean they say nothing or too much. They may overanalyse information or second-guess it
• experience auditory processing disorder – difficulty deciphering sounds which are experienced as ‘garbled’ (eg, when multiple conversations are occurring at once).

Extra ways to support communication

• Be aware that autistic people may be too shy to introduce themselves in a group setting.
• Do not insist on making eye contact.

Using clear and accessible language

• Use simple, clear, and concise words.
• Be mindful of using words that have multiple meanings, sarcasm, irony, and figures of speech, as some people with Autism may take words quite literally.

Offering other communication methods

• Be prepared to communicate in ways other than verbally, such as through writing or using pictures or visual aids. 
• This could include visual timetables, photographs/pictures, social stories, objects, and symbols.

Allowing time for communication 

• Allow the conversation to take place at a slightly slower pace.
• Allow the person time to respond to questions and take time to listen and understand their response.
• Include breaks in the meeting, and if possible, a quiet room to take ‘time out’.

Checking for understanding

• Check that you have understood what the person has communicated.
• Ask questions to clarify your understanding or get people to repeat what they have said so that you are sure you understand. Do not pretend to understand.

Preparing for meetings or engagements

• Give as much advance notice as possible, and printed material ahead of time if possible.
• If food is being served, check dietary needs beforehand.

Choosing an appropriate environment

• Try to choose a venue that has minimal distractions.
• Avoid rooms with high background noise, such as traffic, and rooms with harsh lighting/bright sunlight.