The National Autism Strategy
for Wales 2008-2018
Hugh Morgan
CEO Autism Cymru
2nd May 2013
CNAP: BELFAST
Developing a national autism strategy
Key Questions
• How will it be Led?
Does it provide clearly defined leadership at national and local levels?
• How will it be staffed?
Does it create a staffing infrastructure for autism throughout the nation?
• How will it engage?
Does it engage stakeholders ie the autism community in the planning, delivery, monitoring and
evaluation of local services and publish local autism action plans?
• Will it improve identification and diagnosis?
Does it lead to a coordinated national approach to diagnosis and to early intervention and post
diagnostic support for children and adults and their families?
• Will it improve research
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Will a national research agenda/centre be established which can underpin policy/strategy
development?
• Will it increase awareness of autism?
In everyday life and throughout the population
• Will it measure impact?
Does it from the start monitor, measure and evaluate progress and evolve according to findings?
• Is there sustainable funding to support delivery of the strategy?
Just over 3m people live in Wales
We will look at…..
• How the Welsh Government ASD Strategy came about
• Leadership and Coordination since 2008
• What has been the financial cost?
• What has been achieved?
• How are we evaluating the Strategy?
How The Welsh ASD Strategy Came About
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2001/2 Autism Cymru created the concept of a national autism strategy and proposed this to
Officials and Ministers in the Welsh Government (WG)
4th Dec 2002, Ministers announced the development of a national all-age autism strategy to
be developed in partnership with Autism Cymru. The first in the world.
2003 Expert Working Group set-up to collect evidence and to draft strategy
2007. Wide-ranging consultation on draft strategy. ASD Strategic Action Plan produced as a
result.
28th April,2008. Implementation launch. Autism Cymru’s CEO seconded to WG to ‘drive
forward implementation during the first 3yrs’
March 2011 WG evaluation report upon impact made of the Foundation Phase published
November 2012 Public Consultation on ASD Strategic Action Plan. 3 events across Wales. To
inform future funding priorities
October 2013 – Strategy Refresh to be published
2013-14 WG commission an independent evaluation of the ASD Strategy for Wales
(recommended in the March 2011 report)
Leadership, Coordination & Engagement
AT NATIONAL LEVEL
Welsh Government Minister with specific responsibility for autism (08present)
National ASD Implementation Manager (08-11)
Expert Advisor for Autism (11-12)
National Coordinator for the Local ASD Leads and Wales ASD learning and
Improvement Network (11-present www.ASDinfoWales.co.uk)
AT LOCAL LEVEL (NB: There are 22 Local Authorities in Wales)
22 Local Authority ASD Leads
22 Local Stakeholder Groups
22 Local ASD Action Plans
WHAT HAS BEEN THE FINANCIAL COST TO DATE?
£10.7 of Welsh Government ring-fenced funding for autism has been
allocated since 2008. (ie mean of £2.14m per year)
Of this over 90% has gone directly to Education, Health & Social Services
Remainder into research/project development work including those operated
in the academic and voluntary sectors.
This funding equates to just £34 per year for every family with autism living in
Wales today.
So what has this investment bought?
Achievements: Some Highlights
1. INFRASTRUCTURE
• A National & Local ASD infrastructure within the statutory sector
• Coordinated Stakeholder engagement in planning processes at local
and national levels
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DIAGNOSIS & POST DIAGNOSTIC SUPPORT
• “The All-Wales Assessment/Diagnosis and Pre/Post Diagnostic
Counselling Network for Adults with ASD”
• “All-Wales diagnostic web-based forum for children’s diagnosis
2012” in Wales Autism Research Centre
RESEARCH
Partnership between Autism Cymru/Autistica/Welsh
Government and Cardiff University has led to:
• The UK’s first named Professorial Chair in Autism Research (Cardiff
University) appt 2009 (Professor Sue Leekam)
• The Wales Autism Research Centre launched 2010 (Cardiff University)
• Increased research funding into welsh autism research (in addition to
within Wales funding)
• Autism Research/Policy/Practice ‘Hub’ (funded jointly by WG and ESRC)
ADULTS
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Post Diagnostic Support : Regional Community & Monitoring Support Schemes for
Adults with Asperger syndrome (commenced 2011)
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Employment: The Wales Autism Employment Ambassador (partnership with IoD)
appt Dec 2010
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Commissioned research into the needs of older people with ASD published 2010
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Further Developments: Mental Health; Criminal Justice System; Further and Higher
Education; Old Age; use of mobile phone apps
Example 1.
The Wales Autism Employment Ambassador
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Robert Lloyd Griffiths
Director of the Institute of Directors for Wales
Employer’s Autism Charter
Raising the profile of people with ASD in large
and smaller companies in Wales
• Extolling the benefits to companies of
employing people with autism
Example 2. Mobile/Cell Phone App.
The App Daily Planner
TARGETED AWARENESS RAISING
Residential & Day Care Services
Advocacy
Housing Management services
Homelessness Services
Building Design
Spiritual needs and ASD
Sport & Leisure Providers
Older persons care services
Opticians, dentists
GPs and Primary Healthcare
Services
Early Years; Primary Schools
Secondary schools, Further,
Higher Ed
Family Support Practitioners
Families
Criminal Justice System
Employers
6. Development/Pilot Projects
• No less than 43 New Autism Projects developed in Wales
since 2009 resulting from funding allocated for collaborative
pilot project work. Range includes :
• Local play and after school schemes
• Post-diagnostic packs for families
• On-line social networks for families & similar for people with
autism themselves
• Autism awareness mandatory training for all 6,000 staff
working in the Welsh Ambulance Services
• All four Police forces receive training and the Autism
Attention. Delivered by Autism Cymru
Post diagnostic pack for Parents &
Carers
Post-Diagnostic Pack for Families
wins national award
Monitoring and Evaluation of the ASD Strategic
Action Plan for Wales
Monitoring
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National ASD Stakeholder Steering Group active between 2008-11
Local ASD Stakeholder Group x22 since 2008
Adults Task & Finish Group (2009-10; and 2010-11)
Monitoring and Steering Group for Wales Autism Employment
Ambassador (2010-present)
Evaluating
• Baseline Survey of LAs undertaken 2009; reassessed in 2011
• Questionnaires of LAs; LHBs; Stakeholder Groups undertaken 2010/11
• Publication in March 2011 of Impact Made by the ASD Strategy during
Foundation Phase
• Public consultation x3 on ASD Strategy October 2012 leading to refresh
• Independent evaluation of ASD Strategy taking place during 13/14
Summary of the impact in first 5 years?
• Seen a major national cultural shift in the leadership, commissioning,
design and delivery of services across the age-range and spectrum of
autism
• A national and local infrastructure for autism
• Clear links for families and individuals with ASD
• Demonstrable increase in wider awareness of autism – especially adults
• Progressively improving diagnostic facilities for children and adults
• Many collaborative and creative projects
• Monitoring and evaluation processes in place
• A national research centre for autism and autism research/policy/practice
‘hub’
CONCLUSION
• A LOT OF PRACTICAL IMPACT ‘ON THE
GROUND’ FOR A PUBLIC INVESTMENT FOR
JUST £34 PER FAMILY PER YEAR!
Contact Details:
[email protected]