I'll never forget the time my boss (a headteacher) shouted how much of a crushing disappointment I was to her during sports day, in front of parents and children.

I'd been caring for a mentally unwell partner at the time and had forgotten to mark some year 7 homework.

Trouble is, that accusation of being a 'disappointment' at work is very common for autistic people who have jobs, as our masking writes cheques our real selves can't cash.

Employers eventually get a whiff of the 'real' us, and they don't like it at all. At this job, over a decade ago, I didn't know I was autistic but looking back the pattern is clear.

The problem is, I already feared I was going to get told off, as a kind of permanent paranoia is a feature of my life. Being proved correct did me so much damage I can't even begin to describe it.

I doubt I'm alone in this.