Skip to main content
Close Button
Donate
  • Replies 33 replies
  • Subscribers 28 subscribers
  • Views 7672 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

What information do professionals have?

longman
over 11 years ago

This might be one for the Moderators to look into, but I wonder if others have insight on this.

I've had several conversations recently with professionals dealing with adults on the spectrum who've just spouted the triad of impairments, or who've said its all in the triad of impairments.

With all the literature on theories about autism and various interpretations, and approaches to treatment, I could quite understand professionals looking for the easiest synthesis to hand.  But what is to hand? Is it just too easy to read up on the triad and related summaries? Or is there nothing else to hand for professionals to use.

The Triad of Impairments, as far as I can see, is of no more value than for diagnosing children. It has little relevance to the everyday lives and experiences of adults, and is hardly appropriate to helping professionals understand adult needs.

It doesn't explain a lot of issues facing adults.

But just what are the main texts used by professionals? And how useful are these texts for supporting adults?

Parents
  • over 11 years ago

    Hi both, 

    Here's a response from Shane from our campaigns team that I hope will answer your questions.

     

    "I can completely understand your frustration given how patchy services and support is.  Changing attitudes and organisational cultures is indeed an uphill challenge.  As part of our research for Push for Action, our campaign to end the everyday wait for support by ensuring the autism strategy is fully implemented in your area, we spoke with many professionals who would in fact agree with some of your sentiments. One professional remarked "time and again, the problem is converting the assessment into the support.  There's so little available to people.  And that's what we come up against time and again".  Similarly, they've told us " we're waiting for guidance before jumping in to commission bespoke services.  We want to make sure that there's some real thinking done about it".  I know this might chime with yours and many other peoples feeling that these are just delaying tactics and passing the buck, but there are many professionals working tirelessly to bring about change but they do need support and for autism to be a seen as a priority by their senior managers and Government.  We've seen how supporting those with dementia for example is now a real priority across the country because it is being driven from the top.    
     
    With respect to autism, a local authority professional told us "the statutory guidance [as a result of the Autism Act] brought up the agenda of autism explicitly.  The fact it's statutory guidance gives it relevance. for the organisation to pay attention.  The guidance started the process of change for people with autism across the borough".
     
    Hence why we need to keep autism up there, through campaigns like Push for Action.  Our campaign recommendations are designed to alleviate these barriers professionals on the ground tell us prevent them from doing their job properly.  
     
    For any campaign to be successful it must persistently be in the minds of those we need to influence.  These decision makers need to see that we're not going to go away after only a few actions.  Push for Action since launching in May has already called on supporters to take on a number of different actions to keep this momentum up.  And as a result the campaign is gaining recognition both locally and nationally.  For example the range of consultation activities the Government have undertaken will have in part been prompted by the autism community calling on them to take a comprehensive look at current provision as part of the review.  Granted, the review has to take place but making sure that the Department of Health commit to it is an achievement in itself when you consider the many competing priorities autism is up against. 
    But, the campaign isn't really successful until our recommendations are met and everyday support is there for adults when they need it.  That's why we're building a bank of actions supporters can take.  The latest action is to contact your health and wellbeing board since they will have a role in design what areas of health and social care should be prioritised as well having oversight of the council and NHS obligations under the Autism Strategy.
     
    Over the forthcoming months there will be other actions such as reminding your MP about the issues that still exist for adults in their area to contacting your local media.  All of these actions will act to constantly remind decision makers that we need real change now.  
     

     

    The autism@dh.gsi.gov.uk email address is active, but it's highly unlikely that you will receive an acknowledgment.  We will raise it with them so at least there is an automated statement so you know it has been received.  The views submitted via this channel will feed into the Governments final report so it's a really invaluable tool."  
Reply
  • over 11 years ago

    Hi both, 

    Here's a response from Shane from our campaigns team that I hope will answer your questions.

     

    "I can completely understand your frustration given how patchy services and support is.  Changing attitudes and organisational cultures is indeed an uphill challenge.  As part of our research for Push for Action, our campaign to end the everyday wait for support by ensuring the autism strategy is fully implemented in your area, we spoke with many professionals who would in fact agree with some of your sentiments. One professional remarked "time and again, the problem is converting the assessment into the support.  There's so little available to people.  And that's what we come up against time and again".  Similarly, they've told us " we're waiting for guidance before jumping in to commission bespoke services.  We want to make sure that there's some real thinking done about it".  I know this might chime with yours and many other peoples feeling that these are just delaying tactics and passing the buck, but there are many professionals working tirelessly to bring about change but they do need support and for autism to be a seen as a priority by their senior managers and Government.  We've seen how supporting those with dementia for example is now a real priority across the country because it is being driven from the top.    
     
    With respect to autism, a local authority professional told us "the statutory guidance [as a result of the Autism Act] brought up the agenda of autism explicitly.  The fact it's statutory guidance gives it relevance. for the organisation to pay attention.  The guidance started the process of change for people with autism across the borough".
     
    Hence why we need to keep autism up there, through campaigns like Push for Action.  Our campaign recommendations are designed to alleviate these barriers professionals on the ground tell us prevent them from doing their job properly.  
     
    For any campaign to be successful it must persistently be in the minds of those we need to influence.  These decision makers need to see that we're not going to go away after only a few actions.  Push for Action since launching in May has already called on supporters to take on a number of different actions to keep this momentum up.  And as a result the campaign is gaining recognition both locally and nationally.  For example the range of consultation activities the Government have undertaken will have in part been prompted by the autism community calling on them to take a comprehensive look at current provision as part of the review.  Granted, the review has to take place but making sure that the Department of Health commit to it is an achievement in itself when you consider the many competing priorities autism is up against. 
    But, the campaign isn't really successful until our recommendations are met and everyday support is there for adults when they need it.  That's why we're building a bank of actions supporters can take.  The latest action is to contact your health and wellbeing board since they will have a role in design what areas of health and social care should be prioritised as well having oversight of the council and NHS obligations under the Autism Strategy.
     
    Over the forthcoming months there will be other actions such as reminding your MP about the issues that still exist for adults in their area to contacting your local media.  All of these actions will act to constantly remind decision makers that we need real change now.  
     

     

    The autism@dh.gsi.gov.uk email address is active, but it's highly unlikely that you will receive an acknowledgment.  We will raise it with them so at least there is an automated statement so you know it has been received.  The views submitted via this channel will feed into the Governments final report so it's a really invaluable tool."  
Children
No Data