Agenda item

The Strategic Director, Adult Social Care submits a report that provides the Adult Social Care Scrutiny Commission with an update on the refreshed Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Autism Strategy Delivery Plan. Members will also receive a power point presentation in relation to this.

The Adult Social Care Scrutiny Commission is asked to note the contents of this report and presentation and to provide feedback.

The Strategic Director for Adult Social Care submitted a report that provided an update on the refreshed Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Autism Strategy Delivery Plan. The report was supplemented by a PowerPoint presentation; a copy of which is appended to these minutes. Dr Barrett and Dr Avinash Hiremath from the Leicestershire Partnership Trust (LPT) delivered the presentation after which Members raised comments and queries, which included the following:

·      The Chair referred to the problem of obtaining a diagnosis for people with autism and the Asperger syndrome.  Dr Barrett explained that it was difficult to obtain a diagnosis for adults; one of the problems was trying to get individuals ‘through the door’ for an assessment. A parent could also struggle for many years to get an assessment for their child, and it could then be very difficult to untangle several years of different issues.  Dr Barrett said that they recognised that, at the moment, because of the financial challenges, they could not provide the level of support they would like. They were now however offering a speech and language and occupational therapy service.

·      A Member questioned whether the LPT Board had been asked to provide additional funding for the service. They had made a case to provide support for people with autism and although finances were limited, the Board had been responsive.

·      A Member commented that she had met rough sleepers and homeless people with autism and there were few job opportunities for people who lived with this condition. She questioned whether the service could work with people in that community. The Strategic Director responded that there was a group of people who did not meet the requirements for an adult social care package; some of those had autism and were high functioning. He would like there to be more emphasis on employment training as some individuals entered the criminal justice system, which could be avoided if they were given opportunities for employment.  Money had been secured from the European Social Fund for the Employment Hub to help specific groups of people, including people with autism.

·      The Chair expressed a view that in the criminal justice system, the law looked at the crime first, rather than autism and there needed to be appropriate training of the professionals.   The Strategic Director responded that the Leicester Safeguarding Adult’s Board worked to raise the awareness of the Police and people within the criminal justice system; in his experience, people within the criminal justice system were tolerant.

Dr Barrett stated that there was an autism App and also an information pack that they gave out which contained an ‘alert card’ designed by the West Midlands Police. Dr Barrett offered to share the pack with the Chair.  The Chair also made reference to a rap song about autism which had been performed by a family member and her friend. All proceeds from the song went to organisations that supported people living with autism.

The Chair drew the discussion to a close and thanked Dr Barrett, Dr Hiremath and officers for the presentation.

AGREED:

                   that the presentation be noted.