Autistic Civil Servant

Autistic Civil Servant Blogs about being an autistic civil servant written so other autistic civil servants don't feel alone

Some people are worried that autistic people are becoming more visible in society, but suppose it's just that we're a li...
23/02/2026

Some people are worried that autistic people are becoming more visible in society, but suppose it's just that we're a little bit more able to be ourselves?

Having a diagnosis of autism shouldn’t be a bad thing – if you have an autistic brain then having a diagnosis helps you manage that brain. Society shouldn’t need us to hide or min…

Objectivity doesn't sound very exciting but it can be an autistic strength, as well as a civil service virtue.
16/02/2026

Objectivity doesn't sound very exciting but it can be an autistic strength, as well as a civil service virtue.

Objectivity is something that scientists, academics and civil servants aspire to, but it’s quite hard to achieve. It’s taking decisions on the basis of the evidence rather than your own…

We autistics mask - we do it to protect ourselves. It's lovely if you'd like to let us reduce how much we have to mask, ...
09/02/2026

We autistics mask - we do it to protect ourselves. It's lovely if you'd like to let us reduce how much we have to mask, but please make sure you really mean it!

It’s becoming better known that autistic professionals generally “mask” a lot, meaning that we hide our autism in order to fit in with those around us, to avoid being judged, and …

Autistic honesty can be a weakness in some social situations - but it's also a strength, so let's celebrate it!
02/02/2026

Autistic honesty can be a weakness in some social situations - but it's also a strength, so let's celebrate it!

In government autistic honesty can be a really solid basis for work. It has its pitfalls because there are certainly times when autistic honesty can go too far – sometimes you need to tell a …

My wonderful colleague Iain Forbes at the Department of Transport has been working on a series of podcasts on neurodiver...
28/01/2026

My wonderful colleague Iain Forbes at the Department of Transport has been working on a series of podcasts on neurodiversity in the Civil Service. My episode came out this week so flagging it here in case you, who have subscribed to this blog, are interested. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POzbVr

https://helenjeffries.wordpress.com/2026/01/28/the-neurocrats/

The overarching project of The Neurocrats is a series of episodes starting here. Iain writes: “How do you get to be a Director General if you are dyslexic? Can being autistic help you lead te…

Tomorrow is Holocaust Memorial Day 2026. The theme this year is Bridging Generations, and that gives me an opportunity t...
26/01/2026

Tomorrow is Holocaust Memorial Day 2026. The theme this year is Bridging Generations, and that gives me an opportunity to write about the effect of the Holocaust on autistic people.

I wasn’t going to write anything specifically about Holocaust Memorial Day because I feared intruding on a grief that isn’t really mine. (So far as I know I have no Jewish or Gypsy, Rom…

Autism gives me strengths as well as weaknesses and luckily some of them - like Integrity - align with my job.
19/01/2026

Autism gives me strengths as well as weaknesses and luckily some of them - like Integrity - align with my job.

In government autistic integrity can be a huge benefit if it’s channelled well. In administrative-type jobs, autistic civil servants will take care and trouble to follow processes and to make…

What feels like work? Sitting at a computer all day churning stuff out? Or pottering about talking to people. For an aut...
12/01/2026

What feels like work? Sitting at a computer all day churning stuff out? Or pottering about talking to people. For an autistic - and all of us - it can be both.

Pottering about chatting to people doesn’t feel like proper “work” work, even if it takes some effort. My autistic brain is absolutely determined that sitting at my desk churning …

This New Year do your autistic colleagues a favour? Just do the management basics right. Just that can make a huge diffe...
05/01/2026

This New Year do your autistic colleagues a favour? Just do the management basics right. Just that can make a huge difference.

If you’re having a good day at work, a good manager can make that great – helping you to understand what your work is for, why it matters, and appreciating the good you’re doing. …

Thomas Becket, killed this day in 1170, was a turbulent priest who stood up to power on principle. Sadly, that's what be...
29/12/2025

Thomas Becket, killed this day in 1170, was a turbulent priest who stood up to power on principle. Sadly, that's what being autistic can feel like all too often.

There are important people, and less important people, right? There are people you look up to and whose authority you respect, and people you expect to do as you tell them. This is expressed by ran…

For many people Christmas is about family, but what does it mean for a family to find out that one of you is different t...
22/12/2025

For many people Christmas is about family, but what does it mean for a family to find out that one of you is different to what you'd thought?

I write a lot about the positives of autism, about the fact that autistics are everywhere, that we’re not something (all that) weird, and that we can be successful professionals and leaders. …

Christmas is coming,Jumpers getting itchy,Autistics everywhere are nowStarting to get twitchy.A curse on all uncomfortab...
15/12/2025

Christmas is coming,
Jumpers getting itchy,
Autistics everywhere are now
Starting to get twitchy.
A curse on all uncomfortable Christmas jumpers!

OK so Christmas Jumpers are probably not the worst of the world’s problems right now but bear with. This blog focusses on the particularly autistic issues of the world and right now, Christma…

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