Agenda item

Purpose: to update the Board on progress with the Autism Strategy

Jan Evans introduced her report which aimed to update the Board on the progress with the Autism Strategy.

Autism was a lifelong development disorder that affected the way that a person communicated with and related to others and made sense of the world around them.  It affected one in 100 of the UK population and there were approximately 1400 in West Berkshire with diagnosed and undiagnosed autism.

In West Berkshire only those at the top end of the Autism Spectrum received specialist support. At the other end on the Spectrum, the individual might have a very high IQ with a university degree but not necessarily be able to function normally in society without some support.  They might also have mental health problems. However, because they fell outside of the criteria they were not eligible to receive support.

In February 2010 West Berkshire reviewed its service provision across adult’s and children’s services. The review confirmed the existence of a range of services to support adults with autism and their families, but that significant gaps did exist. In April 2010, the Department of Health launched its own Autism Strategy and West Berkshire’s response to the Strategy could be viewed on page 76 of the agenda. Briefly Jan Evans highlighted that there was an Autism Partnership Board In West Berkshire, which provided strategic leadership and user and family engagement in the planning and development of services. A lot of review work had take place around developing strategic objectives.

As a result of the review Jan Evans reported that they had look at efficiencies. One key areas of need identified was the transition from Children’s Services to Adult’s Services and as a result Adult Social Care had established a project within the Adult Social Care Efficiency Programme to review transitions for Children’s to Adult’s Service to be completed by March 2014. Information services needed developing and as a result Adult Social Care had established Access For All, an Information, Advice and Signposting Service and feedback had been very positive. 

There was also need for a specialist team or worker with knowledge of Autism. Currently all of the Learning Disability Team worked with those eligible for social care services as over 60 had a diagnosis of Autism and could not be supported by one practitioner.  There was however scope for a lead practitioner to be identified to keep abreast of policy and practise to ensure the whole team was kept up to date and developed their own expertise.

Finally a need was identified for social groups and day activities as many fell outside of the social care criteria. Adult Social Care was reviewing how and what it commissioned with the voluntary sector and was consulting on a number of outcomes which should extend and diversify current provision. However, the total budget for all adult social care was £1 million for a range of activities across and wide range of needs and disabilities.

In summary Jan Evans concluded that West Berkshire Council had responded to the Autism Strategy with its partners however, Adult Social Care’s eligibility criteria, which enabled it to only support those at one end of the autistic spectrum, made it very difficult. Being in an environment of diminishing resources, meant there was uncertainty about how much further the aspirations and expectations of the Strategy could be progressed.

Councillor Marcus Franks questioned if universal education services were able to support those who fell under the threshold. Rachael Wardell reported that more young people than she would liked were placed outside of the authority area and it would be preferable for them to be supported at home. She reported that they strove towards improving this. There was a large drop off in services when a child became an adult, narrowing the amount of people services were able to support. Rachael Wardell stated that co-production was a method to ensuring resources went along way.

Leila Ferguson reported that Mencap received funding from the West Berkshire Council, which enabled them to provide support for adults with autism.

RESOLVED that the Health and Wellbeing Board noted the progress against the Autism Strategy 2010.