• Replies 10 replies
  • Subscribers 86 subscribers
  • Views 3460 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

Govt Autism strategy…

ItsMyMind

Hey everyone Blush

I’ve been off line for a few days so I’m apologising in advance if what I’m posting here is actually old news now BUT I’ve just had this summary of the Governments new Autism Stratgey for children, young people and Adults through (for England) and thought I would post in case anyone had missed it…

Lots of good stuff promised Fingers crossed

 

National strategy for autistic children, young people and adults: 2021 to 2026 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

 

Review of the National Autism Strategy ‘Think Autism': call for evidence - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

 

Below is an outline of the most relevant points:

 

The strategy includes promises to:

   

  • invest £10.5 million into finding new ways to reduce diagnosis waiting times for children and young people.

 

  • invest £2.5 million to improve the quality of adult diagnostic and post-diagnostic pathways and diagnosis waiting times.

 

  • increase public understanding of autism with a long-term, nationwide initiative.

 

  • provide £18.5 million to prevent autistic people from falling into mental health crisis and £21 million to local authorities to help people move from inpatient units back into the community.

 

  • improve autism understanding among education professionals, job centre staff and frontline staff in the justice system.

   

On education, the strategy promises to:

 

  • improve understanding of autism among educational professionals by continuing to provide funding for autism training and professional development in schools.

 

  • carry out a new anti-bullying programme in schools.

 

  • strengthen and promote pathways to employment, including supported internships, traineeships and apprenticeships, and support all local areas to develop Supported Employment Forums.

   

   On criminal justice, the strategy promises to:

 

  • develop a toolkit to educate frontline staff about neurodiversity.

 

  • introduce the new Custody and Detention Apprenticeship, to be undertaken by all new prison officers and youth custodial specialists.

 

  • improve access to assessments and referrals for support for autistic people in contact with the criminal and youth justice systems.

   

On health, the strategy promises to:

 

  • invest £13 million to tackle diagnosis waiting times for children, young people and adults.

 

  • fund an expansion of an early identification pilot programme, which involves health and education professionals working together in schools to assess children.

 

  • move forward with NHS Long Term Plan commitments on reducing health inequalities, including trialling an autism health check and recording reasonable adjustments in patient records.

   

On social care, the strategy promises to:

 

  • improve the adult social care system and bring forward plans for reform in 2021.

 

  • enable an affordable, high-quality adult social care system that meets people’s needs, while supporting health and care to join up services around them.

   

The strategy re-affirms the Prime Minister’s commitment to fixing social care and bringing forward long-term proposals, without which we believe real change cannot happen. We will continue to campaign with our partners, Autism Alliance and NAS until the Government delivers on that promise.

   

This progress will help to establish a better future for autistic people.

  • in reply to Blue

    Indeed, I've spent ages trying to look for anything around my area for autistic adults that don't have learning disabilities. There's just nothing there, it makes one feel alone and frustrated.

  • in reply to Untoward

    You could look into getting community funding through your local authority to create an autistic adult support group. which can include group circles & activities to engage autistic individuals of a certain demographic to connect and share experiences.

    The reason the support doesn't exist for those over thirty is because no one taking the imitative to host or develop a programme or group to get you connected.     

       

  • Seems mostly aimed at children and young people. I don't expect to benefit from this, but it's good that they are focusing on supporting autistic people more. I just wish there had been more support and recognition in the 80s and 90s so that people like me didn't slip through the cracks and then lead a very difficult lonely life that's full of struggles.

  • The money being spent is not enough and will be misused by private companies, charities and NHS organisations.

    To reduce the autism and ADHD employment gap remove age limit on educational oppitinties so those older that 19 can access suitable training as most autistic people develop emotionally a lot slower and miss out further educational oppitinties.

    Allow autistic individuals, those with ADHD and mental health disorder access to stable long term benefits while attending college or university without the requirement of personal independent payments.

    The educational system encourages bullying and competitiveness. not enough funds are being use to support extra support and opptunity to children with additional needs. laws need to change so that if child is suspected of having autism get the additional help immediately instead of waiting seven years for a diagnosis and for local authorities to fund it and back date cost of support. 

    Autism awareness is double edge sword, taught poorly it denies a huge percentage of us from accessing support.         

    i can keep going with what else it wrong or lacking from the current uk government.  

  • There is limited help and you have to fight to get it , diagnoses times for children are 18 months plus .  So all i read is they aren't going to do anything but alot of empty words .  When and if you manage to get a diagnoses for a child there is it no help at all . The only help is for the school if they are disruptive .   I have rung the council and said "i can't cope i am not teaching them anymore help "  The council said "you now where admissions is " and hung up .  THEY DON'T CARE AND NEVER WILL.  

  • I found it all a bit vague with no measurable targets,  as usual 

  • in reply to aidie

    Yep it happened to me a few years back was told by the Job Centre that I had to work for free for none weeks.  Well the placement was a disaster, no safety equipment, unsafe working conditions, and having to stand all day.  This was in addition to having to still carry out a job search. 

    The company also tried to blackmail me.  Now legally during lunch break I can spend it where I want, so I'd go to a different shop than everyone else, the company didn't like that and said that they'd tell the job centre I didn't turn up to the placement if I didn't go to the same place as everyone else.

    They also tried the same thing when I'd leave dead on 5pm every day (As per the contract I signed at the start of the placement), all because I didn't say "Goodbye" to everyone at the end of the day.

    So I was in fear for my life most of the time and also in fear of having my JSA stopped. I was made to feel worthless, and like a bad guy. 

    I only later found out that I could have told the job centre I didn't want to do it without loosing my JSA, however once I agreed to go on the placement it became mandatory.  Wish I'd have known my rights at the time.

  • in reply to illage2

    yes and you can be taken advantage off by some employers

  • The bad part is the work experience bit. It'll be Workfare 2.0 as in unpaid work with threats of sanctions if you don't do it. These work experience placements aren't work experience since it misses the reason why people work and that's for the money. 

  • yea this was on the news tonight --- the summary was "nice reports, and talking,  can we please have some action please"