ABSTRACT
The field of Critical Autism Studies holds important insights for organisations that provide supported living services for autistic people. Critiques of clinical and deficit-based understandings of autism are increasingly informing social care practice. Such practice is instead predicated on supporting autistic people’s well-being on their own terms. Situated practice research – undertaken within services and focused on day-to-day support practice – can also provide a means to foster critical thinking and reflective practice among practitioners. Moreover this ‘ground up’ approach can capture unique insights into the dynamics of social care services and has much to offer the wider field of autism research. This chapter reflects on such a programme of practice research undertaken at Scottish Autism. The programme has included participatory research on the meaningful involvement of autistic people in service provision and is currently exploring the relational elements of support practice.
Keywords: supported living services, autism practice, Scottish Autism, autistic well-being
