Summary
Adam Murphy shares his incredible journey as a single father raising his autistic son Ryan from age 4, navigating homelessness, job loss, and the complete lack of post-education support. After receiving Ryan’s autism diagnosis at age 3 with no information or resources provided, Adam had to learn everything from scratch while facing relationship breakdown and financial hardship. The conversation reveals the stark reality of transitioning from school-based support to adult services, highlighting the dangerous gap that exists when young autistic adults finish education at 16 and suddenly lose all routine and support systems. Adam’s story demonstrates both the challenges faced by autism families and the resilience required to advocate for their children, while also touching on his recent advocacy work around COVID vaccine prioritization for people with learning disabilities.