Guidance

Cross-Government Autism Network

Updated 1 February 2024

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-staff-networks/cross-government-autism-network

About us

The Cross-Government Autism Network (CGAN) is a Civil Service staff network.

CGAN is a sub-network of the Civil Service Disability Network, and is a sister network to the Civil Service Neurodiversity Network and the Civil Service Dyslexia and Dyspraxia Network.

Since April 2022, our Senior Sponsor has been Helen Jeffries, Deputy Director at the Department of Health and Social Care.

What we do

Our mission is to improve the experiences of autistic Civil Servants and to support non-autistic allies in the Civil Service. We also work towards the government’s National strategy for autistic children, young people and adults: 2021 to 2026.

To do this, we are working to:

  1. Increase understanding and acceptance of autism across the Civil Service.
  2. Advance the inclusion and empowerment of autistic Civil Servants.
  3. Become a trusted source of gold-standard autism resources, known across the Civil Service.
  4. Exemplify the leadership value of autistic people.
  5. Create inclusive, supportive, autism-friendly spaces in the workplace.
  6. Build a collaborative community across government.

We carry out projects and initiatives on our own, or in partnership with teams, senior sponsors, and other stakeholders across government. We also facilitate collaboration between departmental autism networks and other autism groups across government. In 2023 CGAN was delighted to become the winners of the Governments Project Delivery Awards for Diversity and Inclusion.

Get involved

Membership

To become a member, email crossgovautismnet@gmail.com from your Civil Service email address, and ask to join our mailing list.

All Civil Servants can become CGAN members. Being a member means you support the aims of the network, get our monthly newsletters, and can get involved in a range of CGAN projects and opportunities.

Volunteering

CGAN is a volunteer network, led by a committee. Our active workstreams are:

  • Communications
  • Community
  • Consultancy
  • Data
  • Events
  • Wellbeing

Each workstream has a Workstream Lead and its own objectives. The Workstream Lead oversees various projects and initiatives, some of which involve teams of volunteers.

If you’re interested in getting involved in any of our workstreams, email Katie Ralph, Network Chair, at crossgovautismnet@gmail.com to find out more.

Further information

We cannot provide advice or support to people on their individual circumstances. Find out more about Support for individuals on the Civil Service Disability Network’s GOV.UK page.

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