Table of Contents
FAQ:
Connecting through story
There are many, many, many caregivers out there who support autistic kids with high support needs who feel like autistic spaces, and neurodivergent affirming spaces (people who embrace autistic identities) don’t apply to them. In the best cases, they continue to support their kids exactly as they are, often finding community online across the world, or in disability spaces more broadly. In the worst cases, they get drawn into a community of people pushing a “profound autism” narrative, exploiting their fears and frustration that their kids are so often left out.
For me, I know that the online “autism communities” often feel alienating to me. I knew I wanted to support my kid in an affirming way, yet I consistently received horrible advice or shaming, by people who had never met my kid. I needed support from people who understood that I really could presume competence, and yet also be unsure if my child was understanding anything I was saying. I needed advice from people who understood that "OT and AAC!" were not enough to keep my child from eating lead paint." And behavioral therapies and supporters of it seemed to be the only ones who got what I was saying, but offered me choices I disagreed with.
There seem to be so few raising kids with higher support needs in affirming ways - non-speaking kids, with whole-body apraxia, intellectual disabilities, kids who are always the first to be segregated and institutionalized - which means we are figuring things out on our own. But reading stories of other parents who, throughout history, have taken the same path, have helped us when we’ve felt the most unsure. Whether that was Barry Prizant’s book or a blog compilation we found called “Respectfully Connected”, we will always remember how early on, those stories gave us a sort of permission to keep going.
This publication aims to allow other parents of kids who have higher support needs to see, through example, that there are many, many families who are learning, loving, and supporting kids exactly as they are. To let them know that even if they choose a path less trodden, it is not a path they are trodding alone.
For me, I know that the online “autism communities” often feel alienating to me. I knew I wanted to support my kid in an affirming way, yet I consistently received horrible advice or shaming, by people who had never met my kid. I needed support from people who understood that I really could presume competence, and yet also be unsure if my child was understanding anything I was saying. I needed advice from people who understood that "OT and AAC!" were not enough to keep my child from eating lead paint." And behavioral therapies and supporters of it seemed to be the only ones who got what I was saying, but offered me choices I disagreed with.
There seem to be so few raising kids with higher support needs in affirming ways - non-speaking kids, with whole-body apraxia, intellectual disabilities, kids who are always the first to be segregated and institutionalized - which means we are figuring things out on our own. But reading stories of other parents who, throughout history, have taken the same path, have helped us when we’ve felt the most unsure. Whether that was Barry Prizant’s book or a blog compilation we found called “Respectfully Connected”, we will always remember how early on, those stories gave us a sort of permission to keep going.
This publication aims to allow other parents of kids who have higher support needs to see, through example, that there are many, many families who are learning, loving, and supporting kids exactly as they are. To let them know that even if they choose a path less trodden, it is not a path they are trodding alone.
Submission Guidelines
- Deadline: June 30, 2025
- Selections will be complete by the end of July
- Depending on the response, we may have a second deadline to publish another batch, or extend the first one.
- Writing must be at most 2000 words, with an ideal length of no more than 1000 words
- If you have an idea for a submission, but want feedback, email [email protected]
- Submissions can also be poetry or visual art, as long as it can be shared on a website
- If you have an accommodation need, such as editing help, or transcription from an audio recording, please reach out to [email protected]
- This will feature caregivers who are parents, grandparents, and guardians.
- Link to submission form
FAQ
Who is making this?
RaisingFreeAutisticPeople.com is a community of parents (autistic, disabled, and not), autistic advocates, and therapists who work with or support autistic people who are non-speaking, have high support needs, or in other ways get left out of most resources for autistic people. Our advisors include folks like Julia Bascom, and Shannon Des Roches, one of the creators of the Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism.
This publication is specifically being edited by Shubha Balabaer, parent to a non-speaking autistic kiddo, the creator of the North Star and the Compass, a blog profiling their parenting experiences, and creator of the literary magazine for BIPOC writers, Kalyani Magazine.
RaisingFreeAutisticPeople.com is a community of parents (autistic, disabled, and not), autistic advocates, and therapists who work with or support autistic people who are non-speaking, have high support needs, or in other ways get left out of most resources for autistic people. Our advisors include folks like Julia Bascom, and Shannon Des Roches, one of the creators of the Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism.
This publication is specifically being edited by Shubha Balabaer, parent to a non-speaking autistic kiddo, the creator of the North Star and the Compass, a blog profiling their parenting experiences, and creator of the literary magazine for BIPOC writers, Kalyani Magazine.
Who is this for?
This is for caregivers to show how we can take an embracing, affirmative, approach for all autistic kids, including those with high-support needs. To help shift caregivers away from the pull of “profound autism” spaces by helping them feel connected with a community of people doing things differently.
While “high supports” can mean many things, this publication will focus on kids who are always the first to be segregated and institutionalized. Especially those with unique communication profiles, whose communication differences result in caregivers having to play detective. Where there are very few models of how to proceed in an affirming way. Where even in wanting to support and expand joy and natural growth, we aren’t always sure we’re on the right path. All that being said, there is and never will be a clear line of what defines “high support needs” and that’s how it should be. Like everything else, identity labels and the intersectionality of diagnosis, autism label, race, gender, is complex, and our goal is to represent a diversity of perspectives and experiences authentically.
This is for caregivers to show how we can take an embracing, affirmative, approach for all autistic kids, including those with high-support needs. To help shift caregivers away from the pull of “profound autism” spaces by helping them feel connected with a community of people doing things differently.
While “high supports” can mean many things, this publication will focus on kids who are always the first to be segregated and institutionalized. Especially those with unique communication profiles, whose communication differences result in caregivers having to play detective. Where there are very few models of how to proceed in an affirming way. Where even in wanting to support and expand joy and natural growth, we aren’t always sure we’re on the right path. All that being said, there is and never will be a clear line of what defines “high support needs” and that’s how it should be. Like everything else, identity labels and the intersectionality of diagnosis, autism label, race, gender, is complex, and our goal is to represent a diversity of perspectives and experiences authentically.
Why the focus on caregivers?
I’ve thought about this a lot, and asked disability and autistic advocates for advice. While you and I may understand that we should be hearing from non-speaking autistic folks, not caregivers, there is value in like-speaking-to-like. As an Indian, for example, if I want to get other Indians to understand that actually our liberation is tied up in the liberation of Black folks, I’m going to talk to my fellow Indians as an Indian. First connecting across our similarities, and then helping them understand our connection to others.
Us caregivers do have a specific role - as all parents do - and so we need to talk to each other and help each other feel seen and connected.
I've spoken to various autistic adults about this - some who are parents, and some who aren't - and concluded that while there will definitely be autistic contributors, we aren't focusing on non-speaking autistic adults who are not parents. We do feel there is also a need for that combined space, and in the future will be putting together a project in collaboration between speaking caregivers, and non-speaking autistic adults.
I’ve thought about this a lot, and asked disability and autistic advocates for advice. While you and I may understand that we should be hearing from non-speaking autistic folks, not caregivers, there is value in like-speaking-to-like. As an Indian, for example, if I want to get other Indians to understand that actually our liberation is tied up in the liberation of Black folks, I’m going to talk to my fellow Indians as an Indian. First connecting across our similarities, and then helping them understand our connection to others.
Us caregivers do have a specific role - as all parents do - and so we need to talk to each other and help each other feel seen and connected.
I've spoken to various autistic adults about this - some who are parents, and some who aren't - and concluded that while there will definitely be autistic contributors, we aren't focusing on non-speaking autistic adults who are not parents. We do feel there is also a need for that combined space, and in the future will be putting together a project in collaboration between speaking caregivers, and non-speaking autistic adults.
What kind of writing are we looking for?
We are looking for stories of lives, rather than essays that tell other people how they should do things. Ideally writing gives specific stories and not generalizations, that draw people in. We want to highlight the exceptional, but also the mundane, daily joy of parenting autistic kids with high support needs. This doesn’t mean you have to pretend everything is rosy!! It doesn’t even mean you have to have answers! But we are looking for stories that show the autism-affirming path is a path worth taking, even though it may be swimming upstream.
If you have an idea for a submission, but want feedback, email [email protected]
Here are some possible prompts:
We are looking for stories of lives, rather than essays that tell other people how they should do things. Ideally writing gives specific stories and not generalizations, that draw people in. We want to highlight the exceptional, but also the mundane, daily joy of parenting autistic kids with high support needs. This doesn’t mean you have to pretend everything is rosy!! It doesn’t even mean you have to have answers! But we are looking for stories that show the autism-affirming path is a path worth taking, even though it may be swimming upstream.
If you have an idea for a submission, but want feedback, email [email protected]
Here are some possible prompts:
- What’s a time you saw that the severe/profound/levels system was either detrimental to your kid, or just didn’t work for you?
- What’s a time you realized that a therapy or intervention was not needed or as beneficial as you had first thought?
- What’s a time when you were in a caregiving crisis and how did you get out of it?
- As parents we all want to see our kids thriving. What’s a time when you saw that your kid was thriving exactly as they are?
- Every single parent out there has challenges. What are some barriers / challenges you face with your kid? How do you face or resolve them, or what do you wish would be true?
- What are some ways you’ve found to support your child’s joy, self-expression, self-direction, or autonomy?
- What does a good life look like for your child? How are you helping them live that life?
- How does your kid connect with you and others? What’s a time when you saw how your kid can fully be themself in community? What’s a time you felt community - even if it was fleeting?
- How do you help other people see your kid’s wholeness and richness? What are some times you’ve seen others really ‘get’ your kid?
- What’s a pivotal moment for you that changed how you parented or saw your kid?
- For many of us parenting the way we do is simply that: “parenting”. Describe a typical day in your life. What’s a mundane, all-parents-get-it experience you’ve had with your kid?
Where will this be published?
For now, on raisingfreeautisticpeople.com. In the future, if we publish elsewhere, we will contact all contributors first.
For now, on raisingfreeautisticpeople.com. In the future, if we publish elsewhere, we will contact all contributors first.
What is the submission process?
We aren't sure how many submissions will be included in the final piece, but there will be a selection process. It will likely be a panel of readers, assessing pieces anonymously. As this is a collection - decisions will be made based on how pieces fit into the larger body of work. Your writing may be amazing! But may not fit the overall group of essays.
We also may reach out to people who's writing could use some additional editing, to see if the writer is open to working with us in that way.
We aren't sure how many submissions will be included in the final piece, but there will be a selection process. It will likely be a panel of readers, assessing pieces anonymously. As this is a collection - decisions will be made based on how pieces fit into the larger body of work. Your writing may be amazing! But may not fit the overall group of essays.
We also may reach out to people who's writing could use some additional editing, to see if the writer is open to working with us in that way.
What about privacy?
We will not include any photos of people in the essays. We ask contributors to specify if you are ok being named, using a pseudonym, or being named but not having your name attached to your specific piece.
We will make a decision after we’ve selected contributions on how to maintain privacy based on the number of submissions, the content in the selected submissions, and how many people wanted to be anonymous. We will follow-up with all accepted contributors before we finalize our privacy approach.
We will not include any photos of people in the essays. We ask contributors to specify if you are ok being named, using a pseudonym, or being named but not having your name attached to your specific piece.
We will make a decision after we’ve selected contributions on how to maintain privacy based on the number of submissions, the content in the selected submissions, and how many people wanted to be anonymous. We will follow-up with all accepted contributors before we finalize our privacy approach.
Are writers compensated?
This is a no-budget project, so at this point no. We do hope to try to crowd-source some money to offer a monetary token-of-appreciation. We would especially like to offer a monetary token-of-appreciation to Black and Indigenous and low-income contributors, but can’t guarantee it right now.
This is a no-budget project, so at this point no. We do hope to try to crowd-source some money to offer a monetary token-of-appreciation. We would especially like to offer a monetary token-of-appreciation to Black and Indigenous and low-income contributors, but can’t guarantee it right now.
Can I get a reminder?
Sign up for our newsletter here and we will send periodic reminders.
Sign up for our newsletter here and we will send periodic reminders.