Autism in Childhood

I have been working in the field of autism for decades, in capacities ranging from practitioner to researcher to trainer to lecturer.

My work has involved helping local authorities to develop services and good practice, coordinating and developing services and training for the National Autistic Society (NAS) and being part of a research team at Nottingham University. I have also spoken at a number of national and international conferences on a variety of autism-related topics.

Presently I am a senior lecturer on autism at Sheffield Hallam University. I am the course leader for the postgraduate certificate in autism and Asperger syndrome, run in collaboration with the NAS, and supervise several students at doctoral level, many of whom are autistic. I am very proud that several of my autistic (ex) students have completed their doctorates successfully. I also continue to be involved in research in a wide range of autism-related areas.

In 2011, I was awarded the Inspirational Teacher Award, in 2012 the Inspirational Research Supervisor Award and, in 2018, my third Inspirational Award. In recognition, my university presented me with the Sheffield Hallam Vice-Chancellor Award. In 2015, I was a finalist for the prestigious NAS’s Lifetime Achievement Award for a Professional. In 2016, I was the winner of the NAS’s Autism Professionals Award for Achievement by an Individual Educational Professional. In 2016, I was nominated and reached the finals for the Autism Hero Awards in two categories – Lifetime Achievement and Individual Professional – and won both categories.

Occasionally, I have made media appearances, including on the BBC and Radio 4, and featured in articles that have been published in the Guardian, the Independent and The Times. In the award-winning Aukids magazine, in its list of the top ten all-time favourite autism blogs, mine reached the number two spot.

In other writing, I co-wrote the ASPECT consultancy report – the largest consultation that had ever been undertaken with adults with Asperger syndrome up until that time – I have co-edited five books on autism and Asperger syndrome, I wrote Autism in Adulthood (2016), Avoiding Anxiety in Autistic Children (2020) and Avoiding Anxiety in Autistic Adults (2021), and have written various other pieces published in journals and books.

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First published as Autism and Asperger Syndrome in Childhood by Sheldon Press in 2019

This edition published by Sheldon Press in 2022

An imprint of John Murray Press

An Hachette UK company

Copyright © Dr Luke Beardon 2022

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To my beautiful and patient wife, Kate: you first helped me become a happy person; you then made me an even happier person; and now you keep me happy. Don’t ever stop, you lovely, lovely human. I owe you so much.

To Guy: sometimes being shoddy ain’t so bad! You know I’ve got a bad back. You’re a part of my life I could never imagine being without; thank you for being you.

To Fionn: my absolute (snow) man. A pair of ‘D’s you might be, but you mean the absolute world to me.

To all three: without you, I am nothing. I love you. xxx xxx xxx

Acknowledgements

To all those amazing autistic folk and families who have shared, and continue to share, their lives with me. You have taught me all I know.