The government is starting work on a new ‘autism strategy’. Since the Autism Act 2009, there have been 3 autism strategies, and a new one is currently being planned by the government. This plan will help decide how services work for autistic people from 2026 onwards.
To prepare for the 2026 autism strategy, the House of Lords started with the Select Committee on the Autism Act. CRAE Honorary Professor (formerly CRAE Deputy Director, now ACER Director) Laura Crane stood as this Committee’s Specialist Advisor. This helped to make sure that research done with rather than on autistic people was central to the committee. CRAE is proud to have had input into this report with both in-person and written evidence from former director Anna Remington and the wider CRAE team. The Committee gave recommendations for a new autism strategy that are based on research and nearly 400 written submissions. We posted a summary of it.
The Government published its response to the House of Lords last week.
The government’s response is being held to account by the autism charity sector NAS, Autism Action, Autisitica, Ambitious About Autism & the Autism Alliance. You can read about this here.
Below is a summary of the government’s response to “Time to Deliver”:
Improving understanding, acceptance and accessibility
The Committee said the government needs to improve the understanding and acceptance of autism. There should be training for all public-facing government staff and providers. This training should be made by and led by autistic people.
The Government said that they would think about this. They wrote about the things they are already doing: The (great) Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training in the NHS, the LDSS qualifications for care staff, the PINS programme for neurodiversity in schools, better teacher training, and draft guidance on the design of public spaces. The government said it was “committed to raising awareness of all forms of neurodiversity, including autism, in the workplace”.
Identification, assessment and support
The Committee said the government must have money to make waiting times for assessment shorter and build support for both before and after diagnosis. With autistic people the government must find out how to do needs-first help, get away from a yes/no assessment, replace siloed autism only assessment with ones that can look at ADHD and mental health too.
The government sees that autistic people, and other neurodivergent people, are struggling to access good support. They have started an independent review into autism, ADHD and mental health to find the best types of support.
They said that they will ensure that local health services will be more joined up with family hubs, schools and nurseries. In their 10-year Health Plan, the government says they want to shift support from being based on having a diagnosis, to support based on need.
Reducing Health Inequalities and Building Support in the Community
Because of health inequality, the Committee said that the government should build up specialist services to make sure that the health of autistic people is supported. There must be a roadmap for community services that will stop the unnecessary detention of autistic people with a learning disability. Ways for autistic people and their families to raise concerns over failures need to be put in place.
The government said it will introduce health checks (CRAE’s research thinks this is a good idea) and train staff.
They talk about their expectation that local areas continue to develop services and will take strengthen accountability as the develop their strategy. There are new registers in the Mental Health Act that might reduce the risk of admitting people with a learning disability to a mental health hospital.
Access to education and transitions to adulthood
The Committee asked for better access to education and transitions to adulthood.
The government say they are ‘determined to fix the SEND system’. The white paper will be out later in the year. They want education to be early, local, fair, effective and shared. We will have to wait and see what is in the white paper, but it is taking a long time to be made public.
The government will expand the Youth Guarantee to fund 16-24 year olds with workplace experience. The DWP is consider how it might go further with more recommendations to increase opportunities for disabled young people.
Employment
The Committee thinks that the government needs to make autistic employment a priority. It should collect data to see if it is doing better. It should also make sure that employees can access their rights to reasonable adjustments. Employers should have tax incentives so they can support autistic people in work.
The government talked about things it is already doing: its Connect to Work supported employment programme, funding WorkWell, its Employment Advice in Talking Therapies programme and its Access to Work scheme. They think better data sharing is needed.
For guidance standards, the government has an independent panel advising to build on the Buckland review. There are plans to reform the Disability Confident scheme.
Criminal Justice
The Committee said that the 2021’ Neurodiversity in the Criminal Justice System’ recommendations needed to be followed. There also needs to support for victims, witnesses, suspects, defendants or those convicted of a crime.
HM Courts and Tribunal Service have a signposting strategy to connect people with support. Neurodiversity support mangers are being introduced to every prison. There is a new ‘additional needs learning tool’ being used by the Prisoner Education Service. More work is needed to make sure those in prison can access an autism assessment. Health and Justice, Children and Young People secure services and Liaison and Diversion services have the opportunity to undertake the Anna Freud train the trainer autism training initiative.