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Adult Social Services (the Spectrum Star) ***Updated***

☕Tassimo ☕

Hi, everyone.

I've just received a letter of invitation by the local authority to attend a course of brief virtual one-to-one appointments to complete the autism star. Does anyone have any experience of these kind of sessions and/or know what is meant by the autism star?

***Thanks to another forum member, I've found a lot of information about the Spectrum Star program. The Spectrum Star has been designed for adults of any age, to enable them to manage autism and help them make the choices that are right for them***

the spectrum-star

It's completely voluntary, so I don't have to attend. The very idea that the local authority is providing this service makes me wonder whether it will be worthwhile. If it had been a professional charity, I might feel more inspired to attend. With specialist charities and/or private companies, there's more chance of interacting with competent and motivated professionals with the latest information on autism. I am currently working with the I Am Charity in Greater Manchester, and the people who work there are brilliant.

But, the local authority? My blood runs cold at the very thought of having to interact with an autism service run by the local authority. Will be just like all the other poorly delivered adult services with the same set of mediocre social workers without specialist knowledge? They always seem more interested in ticking boxes, taking short-cuts and finding ways to avoid spending any money on service users than helping and supporting people.  This may sound cynical, I admit, but I think everyone accepts that any support provided to adults with physical or learning disabilities, or physical or mental illnesses by the local authority is going to be, at worst, poor, and at best, mediocre.  The very fact they are calling them brief appointments suggests this. 

Recently, I supported my niece with a mental health crisis, and I got to witness first-hand the staggering incompetence and blatant dis-interest of local authority social workers; not to mention the chaos of the actual adult services department.

I'm just wondering whether it will be more harmful for me to attend these sessions than to pass them up.

I would be very grateful to hear of your experiences with adult services as autistic individuals (good and bad) and also to hear about your experiences with autism star. I have an open mind and want to hear about good experiences with social workers and adult services as well as the bad ones. 

Thank you in advance!

  • in reply to M

    I should add that I'm not saying I'd NEVER ask for a needs assessment from the LA. Just I'd think carefully about what I needed from it and the likelihood of actually receiving that support. 

  • in reply to ☕Tassimo ☕

    We are miles away from where we need to be. I personally know that despite the fact that we ALL are eligible for an assessment under the Care Act 2014, very few of us would really see any benefit of going through it. 

    I have recently started working for the NHS and their mandatory e-learning for learning disability and autism (grouped together) is equally poor and definitely not representative of people like me who are basically an invisible autistic unless you really understand autism and know what to look for. They also have an extremely patronising health passport for us to fill out and give to our managers so they know how to support us. I started filling it out and felt like it would be career suicide to give something so infanticising about myself to my manager, so no, I thought twice about that. Unfortunately this still leaves me contemplating how to explain my needs as an employee without feeling needy or a burden. The form did give an opportunity to say what my strengths are but honestly, it just made me cringe so much when I imagined my manager reading such a childish document that I shelved it.

    If the large organisations that are meant to be focused on health and social care aren't getting it right, not sure what hope there is for anyone else. Since someone mentioned the recovery star for Grinntal health I know what this sort of assessment is and in all honesty, anything that tries to stick numbers on needs really annoys me. It's all designed for large organisations to produce nice statiGrinics on how well they are improving lives, but I think most people just feel like they HAVE to say they are feeling better or else face awkward conversations about why you don't feel better when a prGrinessional is doing x, y and z for you. This is why when I was a social worker I deviated from asking these types of "how do you feel on a scale from 1 to 10" questions and ignored them completely. I'm not asking someone such a rubbish question that means nothing... probably a good job I'm not a social worker any more. Needless to say I wasn't any manager's favourite social worker but I never had a client complain Grin

    For some reason my final smiley face at the end decided to put smiley faces everywhere. Hopefully this post still makes sense! 

  • in reply to M

    Thanks. Your insights are useful

  • in reply to ☕Tassimo ☕

    Well done, I hope you get something from it and perhaps you could convey some Ideas back. Best of luck.. keep us posted!!

  • in reply to Markochef65

    I'll do my very best, Mark. I've decided to take part just to see what it's all about. 

  • in reply to aidie

    Aidie, this certainly looks like it could be it. 

  • in reply to M

    Thank you, Michelle. That's really kind of you to share your personal experience of working within the sector. You've confirmed my own observations. It's a shame, because we really could and should be innovators in this sector.

  • in reply to aidie

    I'll have a look at this, thanks, Aidie.

  • in reply to aidie

    Thanks for the link. I was wondering what it was too

  • I was a social worker for adult social care until March. I have no experience of this type of assessment but what I will say is that many LAs are now focusing on developing specialist autism services rather than people coming to our generic adult teams. They'd benefit from engagement and honest feedback to develop good services for autistic people. 

    Unfortunately social services is not a consistent service nationally or even locally. It is the luck of the draw if you get a proactive social worker or not. Some do the bare minimum and don't make time to update their skills and knowledge with proper training. Some of us care deeply and are proactive but due to underfunding and bureaucracy we can't help people in the way that we want to. The latter is the main reason I threw the towel in. I agree that sometimes 3rd sector services are better equipped. The problem is that local authority services are very generic in adult social care. We support anyone over 18 and most people are over 70 with dementia that end up on our caseloads. I couldn't confidently support autistic adults because dementia is (was) my specialism despite the generic team. I'd do my best and be proactive, but many social workers wouldn't so it wouldn't be as worthwhile. Just my opinion though. 

  • in reply to ☕Tassimo ☕

    Hi Tassimo,

    I hear what you are saying! I totally understand where you are coming from! Perhaps, you can keep me updated on your progress regarding the autism star and your journey / experience?

    A comment on your "Congratulations" thank you I think? lol lol

    But on a lighthearted note that has just popped in my head regarding acceptance and total rejection..(for me) "IF"(Im sure it is) my diagnosis is correct...

    Why should I reject it? its been my friend for all my life! you have actully given me a good thought for today Tassimo THANKS

  • in reply to Markochef65

    Thank you, Mark, for taking the time to respond. I'm on the internet trail of the autism star as we speak.  I'd love to hear some real success stories in local authority adult service provision, but it seems to be a rare experience.

    And congratulations on your recent diagnosis. Mine, too, is very recent and I am oscillating between total acceptance and total rejection of the diagnosis.

  • Hi Tassimo,

    Firstly, I would like to say, I have no experience either good or bad.I dont even know what the autism star is?

    I was diagnosed ASD in March 2021. I am trying to find my way at the moment. I can hear your frustration in your post. What I am typing is just "MY" opinion.

    Everyones experience is "individual" what is taken from that experience (good / bad) is a knowledge of some form. From that knowledge, changes can be made to improve a service offered and could perhaps, improve future experiences for the individual or others. It is a shared understanding that can provide a good base to build upon, so that a better structure can be established.

    The fact that a local athourity is providing a service, would suggest there is a growing awareness and recognition of people that need understanding. Even if this is a mediocre service and one person has been helped, then it is worthwhile for that one person.

    Perhaps, even at a brief appointment an individual can express from their experience, what is or is not benifical to them, which may improve how the appointment is structured in the future for them and others with similar experiences. This in it's self would be worthwhile.

    I wish you well.....