A new six-part video series produced by Lancashire Autism Peer and Self Advocacy Service (LAPSS) and People First highlights what good support looks like – and where it too often falls short.

Lancashire Autism Peer and Self Advocacy Service (LAPSS), in partnership with People First, have co-produced a series of six videos sharing real-life experiences from people who rely on support workers. These video clips give an insight into both positive and negative experiences of support, placing the voices of autistic people and people with a learning disability at the centre.

LAPSS, which is run by Cloverleaf Advocacy, provides peer and self-advocacy support for autistic people across Lancashire, including people who are waiting for a diagnosis. People First supports individuals across the North of England to make sure their rights are respected and their voices are heard.

The videos were created in response to the Ask Listen Do campaign led by NHS England, which encourages services to listen to feedback, learn from lived experience and improve the support offered to autistic people and people with a learning disability, as well as their families and carers.

While the series celebrates examples of respectful, person-centred support, it also exposes recurring concerns raised by people who use services. These include support workers missing appointments, arriving late, spending excessive time on their phones and failing to respect people’s privacy and dignity.

One person shared how a lack of attention had a direct impact on their day: “My support worker was distracted by a phone call, and we ended up on the wrong train.”

Another described a deeply personal breach of privacy: “My support worker burst through my door while I was getting dressed. It was a dignity issue.”

Several contributors spoke about feeling undervalued when support workers openly expressed dissatisfaction with their jobs:

“A bad example would be when you have people who come in to do an important job to support you, but they’re clearly treating the job as just another paycheck.”

This was echoed by another person, who said: “The support worker would turn up late and tell me they don’t like their job and say they would much rather be at home.”

The impact of isolation and inconsistent support during the COVID-19 pandemic was also highlighted: “They didn’t contact me or check in – I could have been lying dead at home.”

LAPSS Service Manager, Dan Hall, said: “We hope the video series will be used by support providers, commissioners and frontline staff as a learning tool, helping services reflect on everyday practice and ensure that people are treated with respect, dignity and genuine care.

The campaign reinforces a clear message from people with lived experience: good support is not just about completing tasks – it is about listening, showing empathy, respecting boundaries and valuing the people being supported.”

Note to editors

Cloverleaf Advocacy is an independent charity that has been helping people ‘be heard’ since 1995. We provide free and confidential person-centered advocacy services for people with mental ill-health, people with learning disabilities, people with physical or sensory impairments, people with acquired brain injury, older people, and carers. This includes self-advocacy and community involvement.

Lancashire Autism Peer and Self Advocacy Service (LAPSS) sit underneath the Cloverleaf umbrella and delivers peer and self-advocacy services for autistic people (including those waiting for a diagnosis) living in Lancashire.

People First Independent Advocacy People First is an independent customer-led organisation that has worked in Cumbria for over 35 years. We have a deep understanding of the area, our communities and the unique challenges. We are the largest provider of Advocacy in Cumbria, supporting thousands of people every year to have their voices heard and helping them to live their best lives. Our independence is very important to us as we are not run or controlled by any other service. We are a passionate organisation which dedicates itself to representing people’s views. We are dynamic and courageous and not afraid to stand up and be counted.

Video links:

https://canva.link/ma0wugzguuui9qy What do you want people to do

https://canva.link/p3tdejcndl7jm90 – Timekeeping

https://canva.link/68jz4ra0naydt6r – Respectful

https://canva.link/jdq6vxytts5v0cz – Committed to the role

https://canva.link/4a1x8oh2te77y2q – Person centred

https://canva.link/q2r0yunv8o6rn0r – good communication