Funded by the European Disability Forum
Autistic Mothers Project
TRIGGER WARNING:
The project results contain mentions and descriptions of traumatizing experiences that some readers may find distressing.
Questions or comments?
You can contact the project team by sending an email to
amp@eucap.eu
Making autistic mothers visible: mapping barriers and driving change
The Autistic Mothers project is funded by the European Disability Forum (EDF) through the Women with Disabilities Leading the Change sub-granting programme. The project explores the experiences, needs and barriers faced by autistic mothers, and puts autistic women’s lived experiences at the center of awareness-raising and advocacy, with the aim of contributing to better services, policies and opportunities.
This project is not a scientific study. The project team members have training and experience in scientific methodology and practices, but in the context of this project they are not affiliated with any university or other institute of higher education. Ethical oversight is provided by the EUCAP Board.
General Goals
The overarching mission of Autistic Mothers is to increase understanding of the experiences of autistic mothers and support changes that improve their wellbeing, rights and participation in society. The project aims to:
- Make autistic mothers visible, highlighting experiences that remain under-represented in research, policy and service development.
- Identify barriers to support, including obstacles in autism diagnostic services, healthcare, social and disability services, employment, social protection, and family and child-related services.
- Strengthen autistic women’s voices, ensuring that lived experience informs research findings, priorities and recommendations.
- Develop accessible information, providing autistic women and their supporters with practical resources based on the project’s findings.
- Promote policy change, developing recommendations to advance autistic women’s rights to equality, employment, social protection, healthcare, reproductive freedom, family life and inclusion.
- Strengthen European cooperation, connecting autistic women, organisations, researchers and advocates across different European contexts.
Implementation of the project goals includes:
- Mapping literature, websites and resources relevant to autistic mothers navigating service systems;
- Interviews involving women from five European countries;
- Europe-wide survey focusing on themes identified through literature mapping and interviews;
- Policy recommendations to be shared with policymakers and activists working on disability and gender equality, with the aim of contributing to long-term systemic change
Survey and interview results
The results of the Autistic Mothers survey and interview results can be downloaded here as PDF files.
Literature and resources overview
Literature and resources for autistic mothers and professionals
This list of resources brings together useful information about autistic mothers from a selected number of European countries. It includes sources in different languages and covers topics that can help autistic mothers better understand their rights, needs, experiences and available support. The list is intended as a practical resource for autistic mothers, professionals and organisations.
By mapping these resources, we want to draw attention to the inequalities between different countries and regions in Europe. It is obvious from the types and amounts of literature and resources that autistic mothers are not benefiting from research and service development efforts equally across Europe. We hope that the information will also serve advocacy: to raise awareness, show where support is missing, and provide evidence when calling for better services, policies and rights.
Please note this list is not a complete overview, and is not intended to be a comprehensive source of all available information in the countries listed. We aim to expand and update it in the future to include more countries, languages and sources.
Sources are organised by region and country. To support navigation, each source is classified by source type.
Despite searching with the help of local volunteers, we could not find any literature or support resources specifically for autistic mothers or parents in Hungarian or Romanian.
What is missing? Help us to make this a truly European initiative by sending us information about relevant resources in European countries, in any language.
Belgium
In Belgium, two practical sources were found. Both of them are led by Belgian NGOs. One of them (Neurodiversity Belgium) offers series of workshops for autistic parents and another (RoSa) explores issues related to gender and autistic mothers.
Autism ·Gender ·Identiry · female ·Pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) · Pre-menstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) ·Hormone
Practical resource
Mothers on the Spectrum
Mothers with Autism · Research · Breastfeeding · Disability · Organisations · Sensory sensitivities
Practical resource
Finland
In Finland, no peer-reviewed research was found. A small number of master’s theses and educational sources address the topics. Peer support is available through online forums for autistic women. Some service providers also offer courses for autistic and neurodivergent parents.
Autismikirjon naiset ja äitiys
Autistic women and motherhood Kraappa, 2018
Sensory sensitivities · Social interaction · Daily organisation · Childcare · Peer support · Family support · Individualised services
Student research
Neurokirjon vaikutus raskauteen ja synnytykseen
The effects of neuroatypicality on pregnancy and childbirth Huhtala & Saarinen, 2025
Pregnancy · Childbirth · Healthcare · Communication · Flexible care · Sensory needs · Mental health · Continuity of care
Student research
Vanhemmaksi neurokirjolla -verkkokurssi
Becoming a parent on the neuro-spectrum 2026
Parenting · Sensory needs · Stress · Daily routines · Emotional regulation · Family finances · Professional support · Peer support
Practical resource
Portugal
In Portugal, one source was found devoted to autistic mothers: a project led by the Portuguese autistic-led organisation Associação Portuguesa Voz do Autista. The project focuses on the experiences and support needs of neurodivergent mothers during pregnancy, childbirth and the post-partum period.
NeuroMater – Neurodivergência e Maternidade.
NeuroMater – Neurodivergence and Motherhood.
Pregnancy · Childbirth · Post-partum · Sensory needs · Emotional well-being · Healthcare · Communication · Accommodations · Peer support · Professional training
Practical resource, information resource
The United Kingdom
The UK has the largest and most diverse body of literature identified in the mapping. Sources include peer-reviewed qualitative studies, systematic reviews, doctoral research and research on social, healthcare and family-justice services. They cover autistic mothers’ lived experiences, wellbeing, sensory needs, pregnancy and childbirth, infant feeding, social services, child advocacy and family courts. However, the literature also highlights continuing gaps in appropriate support, professional understanding and service accessibility.
Numerous autistic-led and neurodiversity-oriented organisations provide peer support for autistic adults in the UK.
The Maternity Autism Research Group offers a comprehensive selection of resources. The list below is a small sample of what is available.
Online peer support groups, One-to-one peer support, webinars – Q&A sessions, resources about autistic parenthood, Facebook community for autistic parents
Practical and information resource
Public Facebook group, peer support, information
Practical and information resource
Youtube videos, pregnancy, birth, postpartum, breastfeeding
Practical, information awareness-raising resource
Pregnancy, birth, postpartum, breastfeeding
Book, practical and information resource
Research summaries, Resources for autistic people who are pregnant or parenting young children, Professional guidance for maternity services, Events and webinars, Best-practice maternity guidelin
Resources and information for parents, professionals, service providers and researchers
Beattie, S. Jul 2024. The lived experiences of autistic mothers.
Doctoral Thesis in Childhood Studies
Motherhood · Wellbeing · Autism diagnosis · Healthcare · Social services · Parenting · Support needs · Stigma · Systemic barriers
Student research
Social services · Child protection · Professional judgement · Parenting assessment · Stigma · Neurotypical expectations · Institutional barriers · Discrimination
Academic research
Social services · Child protection · Professional judgement · Parenting assessment · Stigma · Neurotypical expectations · Institutional barriers · Discrimination
Academic research
Healthcare · Statutory services · Social services · Education · Child advocacy · Professional attitudes · Stigma · Service accessibility · Support needs
Academic research
Infant feeding · Breastfeeding · Sensory sensitivities · Healthcare support · Maternity services · Information · Professional attitudes
Academic research
Childbirth · Postnatal care · Communication · Sensory environment · Healthcare professionals · Maternity services · Support
Academic research
Family courts · Child custody · Legal system · Parenting · Professional attitudes · Stigma · Communication · Family justice
Academic research
Mental health · Wellbeing · Parenting stress · Support · Social isolation · Coping · Family life
Academic research
Sensory sensitivities · Pregnancy · Childbirth · Motherhood · Diagnosis · Healthcare · Environmental adaptations · Support
Academic research
The team
Heta is the President of EUCAP and involved in advocacy since 1998. She has studied biology at the University of Helsinki and special education for autistic adults at the University of Birmingham. She is also mother of two young autistic adults.
Sara represents EUCAP in the European Disability Forum Women’s Committee and is President of the Associação Portuguesa Voz do Autista. She works in the University of Cambridge Public Health and Primary Care department.
Maya Parson is a writer, editor, and researcher based in Belgium. She has a PhD in cultural anthropology and is the mother of two autistic children. She has been volunteering as the Communications Officer of EUCAP.
Alena Adameika has experience in working as lecturer and researcher. She has completed a master’s degree in philosophy, doctoral studies in the field of the History of Philosophy and additional studies in Quality Management. Recently, she has worked as Project Manager and volunteered as a Volunteer Coordinator and Treasurer’s Assistant for EUCAP. She is also an autistic Mother of an autistic daughter.
