Spectrum Sisters Access Fund.
Raising awareness, breaking barriers, and supporting our girls.
Our mission.
At Spectrum Sisters, we believe every woman and girl deserves the opportunity to understand herself, access support, and feel truly seen.
Yet across the UK, countless autistic women and girls remain overlooked, misunderstood, underdiagnosed and misdiagnosed - often for years.
Many spend their lives masking difficulties, struggling silently, or being treated for anxiety, depression, personality disorders or behavioural difficulties without anyone recognising the underlying neurodivergence.
We believe this reflects a historic and systemic, misogyny-rooted neglect of autistic women and girls.
At the same time, long NHS waiting lists and the high cost of private assessments mean many individuals and families simply cannot access the answers and support they need.
That is why we created the Spectrum Sisters Access Fund.
What is the access fund?
The Spectrum Sisters Access Fund exists to help provide free or subsidised autism and ADHD assessments for women and girls facing financial hardship or significant barriers to diagnosis.
Our aim is to widen access to specialist, trauma-informed, neurodiversity-affirming assessments designed specifically around the female presentation of autism and ADHD.
We hope to support:
Low-income families
Women experiencing financial hardship
Care-experienced young people
Girls at risk of being overlooked within education systems
Women with complex mental health histories linked to missed neurodivergence
Individuals facing long NHS waiting lists
Women and girls who may otherwise never access assessment and support
Why it matters.
For many women and girls, receiving the right diagnosis can be genuinely life-changing.
Diagnosis can provide:
Understanding and self-compassion
Access to support and accommodations
Improved mental health outcomes
Greater confidence and self-acceptance
Better educational and workplace support
A stronger understanding of strengths, needs and identity
No woman or girl should be denied this understanding because of financial barriers.
How donations help.
Every donation helps us move closer to a future where fewer women and girls grow up feeling unseen, unsupported or “different” without understanding why.
Funds raised through the Access Fund help contribute towards:
Specialist autism and ADHD assessments
Reduced-cost assessments for families in hardship
Clinical assessment time
Neurodiversity-affirming support and guidance
Access to understanding, validation and support
All funds are ringfenced exclusively for the purpose of supporting access to assessments for women and girls.
Our approach.
Spectrum Sisters was created by women, for women and girls.
Our service is trauma-informed, neuro-affirming and specifically focused on the unique presentation of autism and ADHD in females.
We do not view neurodivergence as something to be “fixed.” We believe women and girls deserve understanding, respect and the opportunity to thrive.
We are committed to creating a safe, compassionate and empowering assessment experience where clients feel heard, understood and supported.
How you can help.
You can support the Spectrum Sisters Access Fund by:
Donating to our fundraising campaign
Sharing our mission on social media
Raising awareness of the historic overlooking of autistic women and girls
Helping us advocate for change in healthcare, education and mental health systems
Together, we can help ensure fewer women and girls go through life misunderstood.
Because no girl should grow up believing she is broken when she was simply never understood.
