In Canada, social work—both the profession and the academic discipline—has given inadequate attention to individuals living with autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities. This is true regardless of whether the social work role is in a clinical capacity, community-based programs, academic research and educational endeavours, or an advocacy role or supporting self-advocacy for basic needs and rights to services and supports.

Many people with autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities, and their supporters, value community involvement and integration, quality of life, and access to a wide range of services, so it is likely that social workers will encounter these clients in their careers. Consequently, the onus is on the social work profession to attend more fully and carefully to preparing students, practitioners, and researchers.

This peer-reviewed volume provides a range of perspectives, practices, and ideas relative to social work’s engagements with individuals living with autism, intellectual disabilities, and developmental disabilities. Contributors include social work practitioners, academic and community-based researchers, educators, activists, and self-advocates. Reflecting different ways of theorizing, speaking about, and working with people with autism, intellectual disabilities and developmental disabilities, it explores both tensions and possibilities for social work practice, research, education, advocacy, and policy development that better meet their needs and desires for their lives.