“Misunderstood. Excluded. Deliberated.” EDA was born from lived experience. ZeZe, our founder was one of 32% of the total Children and Young People (CYP) population admitted into psychiatric units. (RCPSCH, 2020).

The average length of stay for autistics in psychiatric inpatient is a whopping 5.5 years. 90% of autistic people in psychiatric inpatient are sectioned. There was a 30% increase in mental health referrals following the pandemic. The coronavirus pandemic induced a mental health pandemic.This is a problem.

The new reform from the Mental Health act which stated that autistics should not be sectioned purely for their autism, as it is not a mental illness. Whilst this helps the situation, by no means does this mean that the work is done. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there is rising tide of mental health morbidity, with rates of referrals overwhelming NHS mental health services. Inequities in our society have also been further exposed by the pandemic, particularly around neurodiversity, triggering a mental health pandemic.

Recent documentaries such as the ‘Locked Away: Autism Scandal’ and Panorama mental health inpatient documentaries have highlighted consistent failures in the mental health inpatient system for autistic young people. Our Charity Ambassador, Lindsey claims her daughter Lauren Bridges, died of suicide out of neglect, after being ‘failed by the system’.

There is a £300 million investment in transformation of mental health services, with view to reduce reliance on specialist services such as psychiatric inpatient.

The coronavirus pandemic induced a mental health pandemic. Despite 57% of all psychiatric wards having autistic CYP, there are no interventions for them. We need to help them. We need empowerment. We need change.

EDA is the charity that young people need to live a life worth living.