Paul Adderley from Change with Councillor Lucinda Yeadon
Leeds City Council has launched a brand new strategy to raise awareness and improve the wellbeing of adults living with autism in the city.
The Leeds Adult Autism Strategy recognises the importance of educating people about the condition, and giving them the facts needed to deal sensitively with people’s needs, including during the transition from childhood to adulthood. Partner organisations in the city that work directly with people with autism are supportive of the strategy.
The National Autistic Society estimates that as many as one in a hundred people may be living with autism in the UK. This statistic was a key factor in the council’s decision to produce the new strategy, and to make sure that appropriate care and support is in place to support those that require it.
One of the main aims of the strategy is to raise awareness and ensure that specialist support is available within public-facing services. A partnership board, made up of representatives from council departments, the health service, the voluntary sector and including people on the autistic spectrum and their carers, has been set up to monitor progress and make sure that the needs of people with autism are being met.
There will also be an autism specific commissioning plan produced each year to track how many people are living with autism in Leeds, and make sure that good quality services are in place to meet their needs. This plan will then assess what funds are available and establish what support can be provided.
Councillor Lucinda Yeadon, executive board member with responsibility for adult health and social care attended the launch and said:
“Autism is a very misunderstood condition, and with more cases now being diagnosed than ever before, the council has acted positively by developing this new strategy with its partners.
“The strategy aims to address the fact that adults with autism have consistently fallen through gaps in the system in the past. It will help services, including health and social care, education, employment, the justice system, sport and leisure, and wider society to have a better understanding of the condition.
“I am delighted that this strategy has the support of partner organisations in the city, and that we are working hard together to continuously improve services for our most vulnerable people.”
Sandie Keene, director of adult social services said:
“Organisations now recognise that autism can be disabling, and staff require specific training in order to make sure that the best possible outcomes are secured for people living with the condition.
“Allowing people to feel included and supported to participate fully in society is a priority for the council. This strategy will encourage organisations to work together to enable people on the autistic spectrum to get the support they need so they can live their lives successfully and independently.”
The Leeds Adult Autism Strategy can be found on the council website (www.leeds.gov.uk)
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For media enquiries, please contact;
Claire Macklam, Leeds City Council press office (0113) 395 1578
Email: claire.macklam@leeds.gov.uk
