Meet Our New Trustees: Passionate Advocates for Neurodiversity and Inclusion At APS, we’re always looking to grow in ways that reflect the needs of the community we serve. That’s why we’re so excited to introduce three new trustees who bring a wealth of experience, compassion, and commitment to our work.

CHAPS Becomes APS – Growing with Our Community This week marks a huge milestone for our organisation and we couldn’t be more excited to share it with you! We’ve officially changed our name from Cheshire Autism Practical Support (CHAPS) to Autism Practical Support (APS) 💜 Our new name reflects our growing reach and our commitment to supporting autistic individuals and families not just in Cheshire, but across the UK. While our name has changed, our heart hasn’t, we’re still offering the same trusted, practical support you know and value. What’s New? We’ve now moved into our beautiful new home at Sension House, Denton Drive, Northwich CW9 7LU – a space designed to be welcoming, inclusive, and reflective of our mission. We’ve welcomed new team members t o help extend our support into schools, counselling services, and workplace training, ensuring we can meet the needs of even more individuals and organisations. We’ve embraced a fresh new identity that better reflects our national reach and future ambitions. What’s Staying the Same? Everything you know and love about us: Our values Our team Our practical, person-centred support APS is still the same trusted organisation, just with a name that helps us grow and reach more people. A New Chapter Begins This is more than a name change – it’s a celebration of growth, connection, and the future. APS is here to support autistic individuals and their families with the same heart, same team, and same commitment, just with a name that helps us extend our support. We look forward to welcoming you into our new space next week and continuing this journey together. 💜 With love, The APS Team

To our ChAPS Community and to all Autistic Individuals You may have seen the recent headlines about President Trump’s press conference, where he claimed that taking paracetamol (Tylenol) during pregnancy could cause autism. We want to speak directly to you, our members, families, and supporters, because we know how deeply upsetting and harmful these statements are. Let us be absolutely clear: autism is not caused by painkillers, and it is not caused by vaccines. These claims are not backed by science. In fact, leading experts and organisations have confirmed that there is no proven causal link between paracetamol use during pregnancy and autism. What has been presented is misleading, fear-driven, and irresponsible. Autism is not a problem to be cured. It is a unique way of way of experiencing the world. Our community already faces enough adversity without having to battle misinformation that fuels stigma and fear. Suggesting that autistic people are the result of something that we may have done wrong is not only scientifically inaccurate, but also deeply offensive. We understand that these kinds of claims can have a profound effect on the mental health and wellbeing of our community, especially mothers of autistic individuals. If you are struggling, please know this is not your fault. You are not alone. CHAPS is here to support you. Please reach out to our team if you need us. At CHAPS, we stand proudly with autistic individuals and their families. We celebrate neurodiversity. We advocate for understanding, inclusion, and respect. We will always challenge narratives that dehumanise or marginalise our community. Let’s keep supporting each other, raising awareness, and building a society that embraces every way of being. With solidarity and strength, Cheshire Autism Practical Support