Developments in England

Michael Swaffield, Adult Autism Policy Lead

2 May 2013, Northern Ireland Policy Summit

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Fulfilling and rewarding lives

• The Autism Act 2009 committed the Government to publishing an adult autism strategy to transform services for adults with autism.

• The first ever strategy for improving the lives of adults with autism in England was published on 3 March 2010.

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‘Fulfilling and rewarding lives’The strategy for adults with autism in England (2010)

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Fulfilling and rewarding lives

The strategy sets out a number of key actions and recommendations for central Government as well as for local authorities, the NHS and Jobcentre Plus, focusing on five key areas:

1. increasing awareness and understanding of autism 2. developing a clear and consistent pathway for diagnosis 3. improving access to the services and support people need to live independently within the

community 4. employment 5. enabling local partners to develop relevant services to meet identified needs and priorities.

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The Review

The Review will :

• consider current progress and practices towards adults with autism and their families by health and social services;

• identify best practice on how services for people with autism should be delivered;

• develop further advice for front line and mainstream services if necessary.

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The priority themes for the review

1. autism awareness – not only the training of key staff groups but general awareness of staff in more mainstream services who may have to make adjustments to services so that people with autism can access them;

1. social care assessment and support - provision of community care assessments including for those with high functioning autism, and the operation of personal budgets;

1. diagnosis - development of pathways to improve the diagnosis of people with autism (including the extent to which the 2012 National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence adult autism guidelines have been implemented);

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The priority themes for the review

• needs assessment, commissioning and service planning - development of local commissioning plans and extent to which the needs of adults with autism are being taken into account in local Joint Strategic Needs Assessments;

• involvement - the extent and way which the views of adults with autism and carers have been sought to inform the design and delivery of local services;

• the identification of good practice – including in advocacy services and in making adjustments to main stream services;

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The priority themes for the review

• lifecourse – the transition between children and young people’s plans and services into adults’ and support across different stages of life, including older people with autism.

The review will also look across other service areas including :

• Criminal justice system;

• Employment;

• Housing.

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The timetable

• May – October : the investigative stage of the review;

• November – January 2014 : initial proposals consideration;

• February – March 2014 : Final report and publication.

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How you can help

Let me know what is working well elsewhere via :

michael.swaffield@dh.gsi.gov.uk

or

0113 254 5002