Evaluating the online delivery of an autistic-led programme to support newly diagnosed or identified autistic adults.

From the current findings, we can make several recommendations to develop online support for autistic people. First, flexibility is key. To make support accessible and inclusive to a broad range of autistic people, the option for attendees to engage in-person, online or in hybrid formats should be considered. Second, if delivering support online, the use of breakout rooms should be carefully considered. While participants appreciated the opportunity to meet different people, some participants found the unpredictability and lack of scaffolding associated with breakout rooms challenging. To mitigate these challenges, groups could be pre-determined and shared with the attendees in advance (although consideration should be given to how the groups 'fit' together, and whether groupings should be changed at set intervals). Gentle warnings should also be given to those in breakout rooms, to alert them of the need to re-join the main group. Finally, support with technological aspects relating to engagement should be prioritised.