There are some associations and entities that you can visit and that you can turn to:

Autism-Europe (AE) is an international association representing 7 million autistic people and their families, with 90 member organizations in 40 countries advocating for the rights of autistic people and the improvement of their quality of life. AE also strives for greater awareness and understanding of autism in society. More information here.

The European Council for Autistics (EUCAP) is a umbrella organisation for national and regional autistic-led organisations in Europe, which aims to improve the well-being of people with autism in Europe through participation in public discourse, networking and engagement with decision-making bodies and support for cross-border cooperation between autistic-led groups. More information here.

Inclusion-Europe (IE) is the European voice of 20 million people with intellectual disabilities and their families. IE has 82 member organisations in 39 countries in Europe that want people with intellectual disabilities to enjoy equal rights and participate fully in all aspects of life. IE also wants the interests and concerns of people with intellectual disabilities and their families to be considered in all policies that affect them. More information here.

The National Autistic Society (NAS, UK) is the UK’s leading charity for autistic people and their families. The NAS arises to transform lives, change attitudes, and create a society that works for autistic people. More information here.

Autismo España (Spain) represents 163 member organizations in Spain that provide support and specialized services to autistic people and their families, promoting the full enjoyment and effective exercise of their rights, with a focus on improving their quality of life and achieving equal opportunities. More information here (in Spanish).

Inovar Autismo (Portugal) was founded by 34 partners, including autistic and non-autistic people and their families. The involvement of autistic people in the organization from the beginning aligns with one of the fundamental pillars of its work, which is defined by the motto: “A society for all”. More information here.

Voz do Autista (Portugal) is an association whose mission is to provide a platform for the diverse voices of autistic people in Portugal, as well as to promote the acceptance and inclusion of autistic people in their communities, through the development of training projects, mentoring, support, research, inclusion, in the area of health, education, employment, among others. They also intend to develop partnerships with other organizations, companies, health or education professionals, to create an inclusive society for autistic people and their families. More information here.

Diversamente ODV (Sardinia, Italy), founded by parents of autistic people, has as its main objective to improve the quality of life of people on the autism spectrum and their families, through the promotion in public institutions and in society in general of the dissemination and concrete application of the “Charter of the Rights of Autistic Persons”. More information here (in Italian).

Autismo Sevilla (Seville, Spain) is a non-profit association of parents of autistic people whose mission is to accompany autistic people and their families in their life project, providing specialized support and generating social change for coexistence. More information here. (in Spanish).