As many search for the causes of autism, an urgent possibility arises: maybe another question continues to go overlooked. Science will continue to study genetics, environment, and other important factors that may one day offer clearer answers. While science continues to explore causation, families live in the right now.
And the truth is that another impactful, compassionate, and powerful question exists: What causes belonging for people with autism?
The Research: What We Know
Research across psychology and education agrees on a few essentials to create belonging: feeling safe, being accepted, having opportunities to connect, fun, enjoyment, sharing a purpose, and knowing support will be there consistently.
That means belonging grows when people feel welcomed as they are, and when communities choose to show up for one another. These are the values that shaped ACEing Autism and continue to drive us today.
A Basic Human Need
Belonging is not unique to autism. It is a basic human need: having friends, pursuing passions, staying active, feeling healthy, and being part of something bigger than yourself. The difference often comes in accessing these essentials.
For many families, autistic children and young adults may need adaptive instruction and extra support to reach the same opportunities. That is why ACEing Autism programs exist; to help create pathways so participants can experience the same sense of belonging and fulfillment every child deserves.
The Proof: What We See
We see this come alive every day on courts across the country. Children light up with pride when they hit a ball for the first time or when a peer cheers them on. Parents share that their kids are building confidence, friendships, and resilience in ways they never expected. Volunteers report on the progress they see, whether it is a child finally mastering a serve after weeks of practice or another beginning to greet teammates by name.
These moments show what can happen when children are surrounded by encouragement, connection, and support. It’s a lesson in building belonging that, for our kids’ sake, we can’t afford to ignore.
The Importance of Support Systems
Families also tell us something just as powerful: the comfort of meeting other parents and caregivers who understand. The sidelines become a space where worries are shared, advice is traded, and friendships are built.
What starts as a tennis program often becomes a support network, a community of families who remind each other they are not alone.
This is the power of community. It is not about waiting for science to explain every cause. It is about choosing to build spaces where children feel accepted, supported, and celebrated, and where families discover strength in one another.
Our Choice: Where We Go From Here
Autism is part of every community. The choice before society now is whether to stay focused on causes alone or turn our attention toward the belonging and effective activities we can create together.
Every high-five, every cheer, every shared moment shows that when children and families are surrounded by acceptance and support, they do more than grow. They thrive.
Through ACEing Autism programs, that sense of belonging builds confidence, friendships, and resilience that can last a lifetime. Bonus: tennis is a lifelong activity, proven to be one of the healthiest.
If you came here looking for causes, we invite you to stay for something even more powerful. Because together, we can create belonging.
And a sense of belonging has the power to transform lives.
