Our story began in 1965 when groups of parents with children on the autism spectrum in Birmingham joined together to provide each other with support and encouragement.
By the 1980s, parents were campaigning to raise funds to set up Oakfield House, our first residential home, opened by Princess Anne in 1988. We now have six residential homes; two supported living establishments, and provide support in the community to hundreds of people on the autism spectrum and their families. Parental support groups remain very important: we have large numbers of support groups throughout the West Midlands.
1965
A group of parents with children on the autism spectrum in Birmingham joined together to provide each other with support.
1985
Autism West Midlands was created.
1995
Pinetrees was opened as a residential service for 4 adults with Asperger Syndrome.
1997
We opened Gorse Farm, a large residential service for 14 adults.
1998
Our Worcestershire based residential service, Upper Ford Lodge, opened, and now supports ten adults.”
Our first residential service, Oakfield House, was opened by Princess Anne. This service continues to support 19 adults with autism.
2000
We began providing autism specific training courses for carers and professionals in our local area.
2001
Our specialist employment support service ASpire was formed and continues to support adults with autism throughout all steps of employment.
Our 5th residential service, The Poplars, opened in Birmingham. It accommodates 5 individuals.
2003
Our supported living service, St Pauls, opened in Smethwick with the successful placement of 8 individuals who had previously been accommodated in long term secure hospitals.
We began Family Outreach work in Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Sandwell, including workshops, training and home visits.
2004
We began liaising with organisations within the Criminal Justice System and developed the Attention Card to help solve communication difficulties between people with autism and the emergency services.
2005
We started supporting families and children and young people with autism in Shropshire.
2006
We started delivering outreach support to adults with autism in their own homes to help them to live independently.
2009
We opened our most recent residential service, Wagstaff Way. This smaller home accommodates 4 adults with autism.
2011
We ran a Carers Roadshow project, which reached out to communities across the West Midlands and raised awareness of autism.
2012
We moved our head office to Regent Court and created a public space for people with autism that offers access to computers, a library, a sensory room, a training room and games!
2013
We began publishing our own books.
We staged a major conference for the Department of Health as part of their review of the Autism Strategy.
Together with academics from the University of Birmingham and specialist clinicians, we co-founded SPARC AUTISM – a specialist diagnostic and assessment facility for adults in the West Midlands.
2014
We launched AUTISM CONNECT, the first social media network for people with autism.
On behalf of the Autism Alliance, we secured a £200,000 grant from the Department of Health to launch a nationwide autism awareness campaign.
We opened our newest supported living service, The Hollies, in Droitwich in Worcestershire. The service supports 2 adults with autism in their own home.
2015
We launched family support and activities in Walsall, Wolverhampton, and Dudley.
2016
We completed an important project with Birmingham Airport through OCS to create an airport video and guides for people travelling through the airport.”
2017
We saw the launch of our Community Supported Living Service, which enables individuals on the spectrum to maintain independence in the community.
2020
The COVID19 pandemic made us rethink how we could continue to offer support to people during the national lockdown. Support groups, advice sessions and social sessions . We began hosting our support groups, advice sessions, training and team sessions online and this is something that we have continued to offer as an alternative since.
2022
We expanded our community service projects into Hereford & Worcestershire areas
2023
We welcomed a new CEO, Tom Harrison. Our Helpline also started delivery of the navigator function for the Coventry & Warwickshire Community Autism Support Service (CASS),
2024
We relocated to a new Head Office in Selly Oak that offers us better networking opportunities, shared working and more space to come together as an organisation.
