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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchTell the officer arranging the interview that the person is autistic, describe the specific communication or sensory difficulties that may affect questioning, and ask for an appropriate adult to be assessed and arranged before the interview starts. Request a solicitor separately. In England and Wales, “appropriate adult” is the formal term normally used for this safeguard; it is not the same role as a solicitor or a general legal advocate.
This guide concerns a suspect interviewed under caution by police in England and Wales, whether the interview follows arrest or is voluntary. Scotland and Northern Ireland use different legal frameworks.
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What an “appropriate adult” means in an autism-related police interview
PACE Code C requires police to consider whether a suspect is vulnerable. The assessment is individual: an autism diagnosis is important information, but it does not by itself automatically settle the legal test. Officers should consider how this particular person may understand the interview, communicate, process information, or exercise their rights. Relevant information can come from the person, relatives or friends, police records, and health or social-care professionals.
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The Code’s relevant provisions include its general vulnerability guidance and the provisions dealing with legal advice, voluntary interviews and questioning safeguards. Police should use the information available to them, rather than treating a label as either conclusive proof or a reason to disregard the person’s needs. Explain what happens in practice: for example, whether the person misses implied meanings, needs longer pauses, becomes unable to speak when overloaded, or has difficulty understanding the consequences of agreeing to something.
How do I request an appropriate adult before the interview?
Make the request as soon as you learn about the interview. Contact the officer who arranged it or, if the person is at a station, ask for the custody officer. Explain practical effects of autism rather than relying only on the diagnostic label. For example, the person may interpret words literally, need extra processing time, struggle with broad or ambiguous questions, become unable to communicate under pressure, or be overwhelmed by noise and unfamiliar surroundings.
- State the request clearly. Say that the person is autistic, explain the relevant communication needs, and ask police to assess vulnerability under PACE Code C and arrange an appropriate adult before questioning.
- Ask who is arranging the adult. Request the name or role of the person responsible, whether a personal supporter or an independent local-scheme adult will attend, and when attendance is expected.
- Request a solicitor separately. Ask for legal advice before answering questions. The appropriate adult safeguards communication and rights; the solicitor gives legal advice.
- Offer a suitable supporter’s details. If the interviewee wants a relative, guardian or carer to attend, provide that person’s name and explain their knowledge of the interviewee’s communication needs.
- Describe useful adjustments. Ask for clear, direct questions, adequate time to process each question, reduced sensory distractions and breaks where appropriate. Identify any environmental change that would help the person participate.
- Ask for confirmation in writing where possible. An email or recorded note of the request, the proposed supporter and the adjustments requested can prevent misunderstandings when staff change shifts.
A practical script is:
“I am autistic and may have difficulty understanding questions, processing information or communicating under interview conditions. Please assess my need for an appropriate adult under PACE Code C and arrange for one to attend before the interview. I would like legal advice from a solicitor as well. Please confirm the arrangements and note my communication needs.”
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If you are speaking for someone else, adapt it to:
“I’m supporting this person. They are autistic and need help to understand and communicate during questioning. Please assess whether they are vulnerable under PACE Code C, arrange an appropriate adult before the interview, and confirm that a solicitor will be available.”
These are practical words, not a prescribed police form or quotation from the Code. The important elements are the vulnerability assessment, the request for an appropriate adult before questioning, and the separate request for legal advice.
When should the request be made?
Raise the issue when the appointment is made, again on arrival, and again if staff change or the interview is moved. A voluntary interview may be arranged by telephone, letter or email; keep the invitation and any reply. If the person is arrested, tell the custody officer immediately and ask for the request to be entered in the custody record. Early notice gives police time to contact a local appropriate-adult scheme or check whether the proposed personal supporter is suitable.
Do not wait until the first question to disclose a difficulty that is already known. At the same time, the person does not need to provide an unnecessary medical history. Functional information is usually more useful: “I need questions one at a time,” “I may repeat the question before answering,” or “I cannot process speech when there is background noise.”
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Can an autistic adult have someone they trust in the interview?
Often, yes, if that person is suitable and available. Code C allows the interviewee to ask for a suitable relative, guardian or carer, or another experienced adult. Familiarity with the person’s communication style can be valuable, but suitability and independence still matter.
| Option | When it may help | Limits to check |
|---|---|---|
| Trusted relative, guardian or carer | They know the person’s communication, sensory triggers and effective calming strategies. | They must be suitable and able to support without obstructing proper questioning. They should not be suspected of involvement, be the victim or a witness, be involved in the investigation, or have received admissions beforehand. |
| Independent appropriate adult through a local scheme | Useful when no personal supporter can attend promptly or when independence is important. | Police are responsible for requesting an independent adult through the local scheme when no suitable personal supporter is available. Availability and local arrangements can vary. |
| Solicitor | Provides confidential legal advice and helps the person understand the legal consequences of decisions. | A solicitor is a separate role. A solicitor should be requested even when a trusted appropriate adult is attending. |
Tell police the interviewee’s preference, but do not assume preference overrides suitability. Someone who is a witness, victim, suspected participant or investigator cannot simply become the appropriate adult because the interviewee knows them. Someone who has already heard an admission may also be unsuitable. If the preferred supporter is unavailable or unsuitable, ask police to arrange an independent adult rather than proceeding without support.
When choosing between a personal supporter and an independent scheme adult, consider five practical questions: which option the interviewee wants; who understands their communication needs; whether the person is independent and suitable under Code C; who can attend in time; and who can support without answering for the suspect or obstructing proper questioning. A solicitor is not an alternative in this comparison because the solicitor performs a different legal role.
What does the appropriate adult do during questioning?
The appropriate adult safeguards the person’s rights, entitlements and welfare. Their functions include supporting, advising and assisting the interviewee; facilitating communication between the person and police; and observing whether the police act properly and fairly. They are therefore more than a silent observer.
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The adult should help the person understand what is happening and communicate their needs. They may draw attention to confusion, request that a question be clarified or indicate that the person needs a pause, while allowing the interview to be conducted properly. They are not there to answer factual questions for the suspect, coach an account or conduct the defence. The interviewee remains entitled to private legal advice from a solicitor.
An appropriate adult can also notice when the person is becoming overloaded and help express that clearly. The adult should not turn the interview into a conversation between themselves and the officer, supply missing facts, or pressure the person to answer. Their presence is a safeguard for fair participation, not a replacement for the suspect’s own account or for legal representation.
Why a solicitor is still necessary
An appropriate adult cannot substitute for a solicitor. Ask for both because they protect different interests. The solicitor advises on the allegation, the implications of answering or declining to answer, disclosure and the interview strategy. Code C supports access to legal advice, and an interviewee can speak privately with the solicitor.
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Voluntary attendance does not remove that right. A person invited to a voluntary interview should request legal advice before questioning, even if police describe the meeting as informal or say arrest is not expected. A private consultation allows the solicitor to discuss the allegation and the person’s options without the appropriate adult or police overhearing. Ask the solicitor to explain anything that remains unclear in plain, concrete language.
Does the police have to provide an appropriate adult for a voluntary interview?
Official guidance says an appropriate adult is needed for a child or vulnerable person attending a voluntary interview under caution, as well as for a vulnerable person in police detention, subject to the limited exceptions in Code C. The fact that the person came to the station by appointment does not make the vulnerability safeguard disappear.
A voluntary attendee may leave unless arrested. If the person is being asked to remain, is told they are no longer free to go, or is arrested, ask what their legal status is and request a solicitor. Do not treat “voluntary” as meaning that the person must answer questions without support.
For a vulnerable person, the ordinary Code C position is that police should not interview about suspected involvement in an offence, or ask the person to provide or sign a statement under caution, without an appropriate adult. Code C contains limited exceptions, including urgent interview provisions. Because those exceptions are fact-specific, ask police to identify the basis for proceeding and obtain legal advice rather than assuming the rule is absolute or that it can be ignored.
Autism-related adjustments to request
Describe adjustments in concrete terms and explain why each one matters. The National Autistic Society gives examples that can be raised with police:
- A familiar environment where practicable: an interview room the person has already seen may reduce uncertainty.
- Remove a ticking clock: repetitive sound can be a distracting or distressing sensory input.
- Allow stimming: self-regulatory movement should not automatically be treated as evasive behaviour.
- Permit a calming object: an agreed object may help the person regulate sensory stress.
- Use clear, direct language: avoid unnecessary idioms, vague references and compound questions.
- Allow processing time: a pause after each question can help the person understand and formulate an accurate answer.
- Plan breaks: agree how the person can indicate overload or the need for a short pause.
- Reduce distractions: where practicable, limit noise, interruptions and unnecessary people in the room.
These are requests, not guarantees that every adjustment will be accepted. Ask the appropriate adult and solicitor to help communicate which changes are essential for this individual. If an adjustment cannot be provided, ask what alternative will reduce the same barrier. A person who looks away, rocks, fidgets or uses a calming object may still be listening and answering accurately; describe that expectation before questioning starts so the behaviour is not misunderstood.
What to do if questioning is about to start without an appropriate adult
Restate the request before answering substantive questions. Say that the person is autistic, that an appropriate-adult assessment has been requested, and that they want a solicitor. Ask to speak to the custody officer or investigating officer responsible for the interview. The appropriate adult should ordinarily be present for a vulnerable suspect’s interview, but Code C has limited exceptions; a solicitor can address the legal position in the particular case.
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- Tell the interviewer clearly that support has been requested and ask that questioning pause.
- Ask for the custody officer or senior investigating officer and repeat the communication needs and the request for an appropriate adult.
- Request legal advice and a private consultation with the solicitor.
- Ask police to record the request, the response and any reason given for proceeding.
- Do not rely on answering first and challenging the process later. Let the solicitor advise on whether and how to continue.
If the person is overwhelmed, state the specific problem: for example, “I cannot process this question yet; I need it rephrased and time to answer.” The appropriate adult can help communicate that need, but should not invent an answer or make admissions on the person’s behalf.
Prepare before arriving at the station
A short written support plan can make the request easier for police and the appropriate adult to follow. Include:
- How the person prefers questions to be phrased and how much processing time is usually needed.
- Signs of overload and the words or gesture the person uses to request a break.
- Important sensory factors, such as noise, lighting, movement or a calming object.
- The name and contact details of the preferred supporter, plus an alternative if available.
- Any communication aid the person normally uses.
- A reminder that a solicitor is requested before questioning.
Share only information the person is comfortable disclosing. The goal is to explain functional needs so the interview can be conducted fairly, not to provide police with an unnecessary medical history. If another person is communicating on the interviewee’s behalf, obtain the interviewee’s agreement where possible and make clear which information is being shared for support.
Bring the interview invitation, contact details for the arranging officer, identification for a proposed supporter if requested, and the written support plan. These preparations do not replace the Code C assessment; they make the individual circumstances easier for police, the solicitor and the appropriate adult to understand.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Common mistakes to avoid
- Calling the request only an “advocate” request: use the formal term “appropriate adult” and ask for a Code C vulnerability assessment.
- Relying on diagnosis alone: explain the actual effects on understanding, communication and decision-making.
- Assuming a family member must be accepted: suitability rules still apply.
- Assuming the appropriate adult is the lawyer: request a solicitor separately.
- Assuming voluntary means informal: a voluntary interview under caution can still require an appropriate adult for a vulnerable person.
- Answering first to avoid delay: repeat the request and obtain legal advice before substantive questioning.
- Promising every adjustment will be granted: frame adjustments as practical requests and ask for alternatives where necessary.
- Applying England and Wales rules elsewhere: Scotland and Northern Ireland have different frameworks.
Who this guidance covers—and who it does not
This process concerns suspects questioned under caution by police in England and Wales. The Code C appropriate-adult framework is not a universal rule for every contact with police. Witnesses and victims may have different support routes, and the National Autistic Society distinguishes appropriate adults from intermediaries. If the person is being treated as a witness or victim, ask police what support scheme applies rather than assuming the suspect procedure governs.
Scotland and Northern Ireland have different legislation and custody procedures. Do not rely on a PACE Code C request without jurisdiction-specific advice in those nations.
Sources and currency
The core rules come from the Home Office’s accessible PACE Code C 2019 and its operational guidance on being an appropriate adult, including voluntary interviews and local schemes. Specialist practical examples of autism-related adjustments come from the National Autistic Society’s guidance on police interviewing autistic people. A UK Parliament written answer dated 20 October 2025 discusses vulnerability, appropriate adults and police neurodiversity guidance. Police procedures, Code wording and local scheme arrangements can change, so confirm the current Code C text and the relevant local scheme before an interview.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I request an appropriate adult for an autistic person at a police interview?
Tell the arranging officer or custody officer that the person is autistic, describe the specific communication or sensory difficulties, and ask for an individual vulnerability assessment under PACE Code C and an appropriate adult before questioning. Ask for a solicitor separately and request confirmation of who will arrange the adult.
Can an autistic adult have someone with them in a police interview?
A suitable relative, guardian, carer or experienced adult may attend as the appropriate adult. Suitability matters: a suspected participant, victim, witness, investigator or person who has received admissions should not take that role. If no suitable personal supporter is available, ask police to arrange an independent adult through the local scheme.
Does the police have to provide an appropriate adult for a voluntary interview?
Official guidance says a vulnerable person attending a voluntary interview under caution needs an appropriate adult, subject to limited Code C exceptions. Voluntary attendance does not remove the right to legal advice, and the person may leave unless arrested.
What should I say to the police if I need an advocate?
Use the formal term: “I am autistic and may have difficulty understanding, processing or communicating during questioning. Please assess my vulnerability under PACE Code C and arrange an appropriate adult before the interview. I also want legal advice from a solicitor.”
Is an autism diagnosis automatically enough to get an appropriate adult?
No. Autism is relevant information, but Code C requires an individual assessment of vulnerability. Explain how the person’s communication, processing, sensory or rights-understanding needs may affect this interview.
What is the difference between an appropriate adult and a solicitor?
The appropriate adult supports welfare, rights and communication and observes whether police act fairly. The solicitor gives confidential legal advice about the allegation, the consequences of answering and interview strategy. One role does not replace the other.
Can the appropriate adult answer questions for the autistic person?
No. The adult may help clarify communication, request a pause or point out confusion, but should not provide the suspect’s factual answers, coach an account or make admissions on the person’s behalf.
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What adjustments can be requested for an autistic police interview?
Ask for clear and direct questions, extra processing time, breaks, reduced distractions, a familiar environment where practicable, removal of a ticking clock, permission to stim and permission to use a calming object. These are requests, not guarantees; ask for an alternative if a particular change cannot be provided.
What if police start questioning before the appropriate adult arrives?
Ask the interviewer to pause, request the custody or investigating officer, restate the appropriate-adult and solicitor requests, and ask that the request and response be recorded. Obtain private legal advice before deciding whether questioning can proceed under any Code C exception.
The Bottom Line
Use the formal request: tell police the person is autistic, explain their concrete communication and sensory needs, ask for a PACE Code C vulnerability assessment and an appropriate adult before questioning, and request a solicitor separately. A trusted supporter may be suitable, but police must consider suitability; if none is available, ask for an independent local-scheme adult. Voluntary attendance does not remove these safeguards, and limited exceptions should be checked with a solicitor.
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