DESIGNING INCLUSIVE
AND WELCOMING SPACES
Welcoming Spaces, LLC helps organizations create environments and experiences that account for how individuals on the autism spectrum communicate, process information, regulate, and participate—reducing barriers and creating greater opportunities for meaningful participation.
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5 MILLION AND COUNTING
For individuals on the autism spectrum, everyday places can sometimes feel overwhelming and isolating. Restaurants, stores, schools, and community spaces often contain sensory demands that may go unnoticed by others but can create significant challenges for an autistic person. Bright lighting, loud or unexpected sounds, strong smells, crowded spaces, and unpredictability can quickly become overwhelming—making it harder to regulate, communicate, navigate what is happening, or participate.
More than 5 million individuals on the autism spectrum live in the United States, yet many everyday environments still do not account for sensory, communication, and regulation needs. The CDC reports that autism prevalence among 8-year-old children in its monitoring network increased from 1 in 36 in 2020 to 1 in 31 in 2022. These numbers underscore the importance of creating places and experiences that better reflect the needs of the people and families who use them.
For families, the impact is real. Something as ordinary as going to a restaurant, visiting a museum, attending an event, or shopping at a store may require significant planning. Families may leave early, avoid certain places altogether, or limit where they go based on what their child or family member can comfortably manage. Over time, these barriers can mean fewer opportunities for connection, participation, and shared experiences.
This is where Welcoming Spaces can help. We work with organizations to understand how individuals on the autism spectrum may experience their surroundings and identify barriers that can affect communication, regulation, navigation, and participation.
Through training, sensory and environmental assessment, thoughtful design, and practical resources, we turn that understanding into meaningful changes to spaces, practices, and experiences.
Just as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) transformed how we think about physical access, Welcoming Spaces helps organizations consider access through an autism-informed lens. Sensory demands, communication, predictability, and the physical environment all influence how a person experiences a place. Considering these factors from the start can make a meaningful difference.
Imagine a world where public places are designed with individuals on the autism spectrum in mind—where families can visit a museum, business, library, school, or community event knowing that their experience has been considered. These thoughtful choices are more than conveniences; they can open doors to greater connection, participation, and shared experiences.
At Welcoming Spaces, we believe meaningful change begins with seeing the environment differently. When we understand how an individual experiences the world around them, we can begin to remove barriers and create places where more people can feel comfortable, connected, and part of the experience.
Read the CDC's Community Report on Autism:
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/74/ss/ss7402a1.htm
Read the Autism Society's Statement on Increasing Autism Prevalence Rates: