A Regional OverviewFrom Mid and West Wales

Mary Rendell

ASD regional support officer

Retrospective• The value of looking back and looking

forward• Identify an ASD lead• Compile an action plan• Embark upon a process of stakeholder

consultation/ engagement/participation• Commence a mapping process

The ASD lead role

• To lead on the action planning, mapping and stakeholder processes

• Often without allocated time and funding• One person to address issues across all ages,

teams and services• Solutions include funded administrator time and

widening involvement

The Action Plans• 100% response• No template, so all different in layout,

timescale and content• A small number of themes and aims are

common to all• Those themes shared by most areas

have provided a basis for regional planning

Stakeholder Engagement• Open consultation• Stakeholder groups• Subgroups for siblings, parents, adults and

young people with ASDs• Group activities, art, music, online consultation

and peer consultation• Involvement of other groups, NAS Cymru, All

Wales Forum for Parents and Carers, People First

Mapping • Initial data about children good but not

complete • Initial data about adults sparse and mainly

gathered from learning disability support services

• Now moving on to further mapping of services, support systems and gaps

Barriers• Adults known to services as having an ASD,

but no official record• Difficulties with information sharing, for

example between health and social services• Lack of diagnostic services for adults • Cultural acceptance of difference and of family

responsibility

Solutions

• Fund time to develop a data base• One person co ordinates, cross checks and

records• One data base spanning all ages from the

point of referral for diagnosis creates a durable basis for planning

Key themescommon to 100% of action plans• Stakeholder involvement• Service mapping• Diagnosis and assessment of children

(including pre and post diagnostic support)

Themes in over 70% of the action plans

• Performance monitoring of the action planning process

• Diagnosis and assessment – adults• Development of short break and respite

services – children• Provide and develop training for professional• Develop transition pathways/protocols

Themes in over 50% of action plans

• Developing post diagnostic signposting information and advice

• Improving the information which is available to parents and people with ASD about services for people with ASD

• Developing counselling and emotional support systems

Continued…• Develop behaviour advice and support, and

parenting programmes• Work towards decreasing out of county

placements• Extend learning opportunities for individuals with

ASDs• Develop community based provision for adults• Develop existing services for adults• Increase access to leisure activities

Cooperative regional projects

• 7 projects addressing the needs of children and families

• Training in diagnosis for over 30 professionals working with children and adults

• A community outreach project to address the needs of adults with ASD living in the community

Future

• Barriers and challenges• Plans and aspirations• Questions?