You Said, We Did – an update on our All Age Autism Strategy

Introduction

The �й�Pվ All Age Autism Strategy 2021 to 2026 was co-produced by a wide range of partners who set out an autism friendly vision for �й�Pվ, where autistic people can lead healthy, safe and fulfilling lives.

Through consultation in 2020, Autistic people and family carers in �й�Pվ told us about some serious, system-wide problems with support for autistic people. Work to improve this is being delivered by a partnership of people with lived experience and people from across the service system. In this document, when we talk about what "we" have done, we are talking about the achievements of this broad partnership.

This document is a snapshot in time. It shows the progress that we have made in the first three years. Not everything we aimed for has been possible. We knew the strategy was aspirational, and by working on the key issues, sometimes we have also been able to take other opportunities that have become available.

We have been working hard on the big issues that were raised in the strategy. We will not have solved all the problems by 2026, but we will certainly have made progress and are proud that we have established a positive direction of travel. We know that there is still much more to do to improve the lives of autistic people living in �й�Pվ.

Workstream 1: Information Awareness and Understanding

We Did: 2021 to 2024

We established a Children and Young People's partnership board which is co-chaired by young people and Family Voice �й�Pվ.

We developed an Autism Reference Group made up of autistic adults who feed their views into the Adult Autism Partnership Board.

We developed a coproduction forum to ensure that coproduction remains at the heart of the strategy.

We created a Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) Parent Carer Reference Group to inform activity and offer expert lived experience.

We worked with autistic people to support development of a Community Interest Company. Autism by Experience (AbyE) employ autistic people to develop and deliver autism training and information for a range of audiences including:

Autistic people
Parents and Carers
Professionals

We are working with �й�Pվ Heartlands NHS (National Health Service) Trust to support planning for the rollout of Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training (OMMT).

We worked with a range of enthusiastic partners to coproduce Behind the Mask training.

We commissioned bespoke coproduced Autism Suicide Prevention training for professionals, parent carers and families. This is co-delivered by Autism Oxford and Making Families Count and with people with lived experience.

Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) training has been delivered in response to a lack of awareness throughout the service system.

We commissioned Cygnet training; a 6-week parenthood support programme for parent carers of autistic children and young people aged 5-18.

Through �й�Pվ Minority Ethnic Forum (SMEF) we have provided advice, guidance and support to �й�Pվ's minority ethnic populations.

We have begun forging relationships with Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) communities to understand what information and support people would like in relation to autism.

We set up an Autism Friendly Community group in East �й�Pվ.

We Will: 2025 and beyond

Strengthen partnership working with autistic children and young people, with parent carers and with people with lived experience.

Meet termly with the Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) Parent Carer Reference Group to ensure the voice of people with lived experience is heard and influences activities.

Provide training to co-chairs to support skill development and increase confidence levels.

Produce advice and guidance resources about important topics that autistic people have selected, including:

autistic girls and masking
masking in boys smooth transitions
sleep
accessing support

Seek further funding to secure sustainable Autism Suicide Prevention Training.

Deliver a coproduced Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) event for social workers and other social care professionals.

Deliver the Cygnet Programme

Expand the parenthood support offer to include specific support for parent carers who have a child under 5 or in their teens.

Launch a bespoke training offer for parent carers whose children display distressed behaviours at home.

Oversee changes to training for Adult Social Care Teams as we roll out the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training (OMMT), ensuring we keep elements of the current coproduced training offer that are tailored specifically to social care roles.

Work with training providers to deliver Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training (OMMT). to as wide an audience as possible

Consider development of Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training (OMMT) tier three training for specific health roles and social care teams.

Further develop our relationship with the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) communities and support people with lived experience to develop short videos on a range of topics.

We have committed to setting up Autism Friendly Community groups across �й�Pվ.

Workstream 2: Education and Preparation for Adulthood

We Did: 2021 to 2024

Developed the School Autism Friendly Review (SAFR) programme to support schools in creating environments and adopting practices that are autism friendly.

Expanded the Autism Outreach support for schools and Supporting Inclusion for Autism offers.

Begun the Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) Position Statement review.

The Autism Gender & Sexuality project is collating stories from young people with lived experience, working closely with the Twister project.

Young people from ATLAS Autism shared that their experiences of eating and drinking was difficult. We are coproducing advice and guidance on sensory eating differences for schools.

Provided advice and expertise to a schools led programme focusing on Inclusion and Innovation. This programme is supporting 3 projects:

Nuerodiverse (ND) Inclusive Education Settings
Accessing Education
Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health

The Inclusion and Innovation programme has developed 10 Top Actions to support inclusive approaches.

We Will: 2025 and beyond

Expand the SAFR offer to empower more schools to become more Autism friendly.

Complete the �й�Pվ Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) Position Statement Review and publish a revised, coproduced Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) Position Statement in 2025.

Launch the Autism Gender & Sexuality outcomes in the summer term of 2025.

Publish the Autism Sensory Eating and Drinking Differences work in January 2025.

A range of training and events will be delivered to schools across �й�Pվ participating in the Inclusion and Innovation programme.

Engage with young people and parent carers to understand what support people need when transitioning into adulthood.

Work with commissioners improve the transition to adulthood pathways offer.

Improve the information offer, so that young people can make informed decisions about their futures.

Workstream 3: Health and Social Care Support

We Did: 2021 to 2024

We worked with Autism by Experience Community Interest Company (AbyE) to coproduce and deliver autism training for Adult Social Care Teams in line with Skills for Care guidance and focused on the social work role. We made this mandatory in advance of the OMMT rollout.

The �й�Pվ and Borders NHS Trust's Neurodevelopmental Team has provided expertise, support and training to other health colleagues, including the Mental Health Teams.

Prepare primary care to support the start of annual health checks for autistic people without learning disabilities.

The �й�Pվ Heartlands Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training (OMMT) implementation and delivery plan was established, and rollout has begun, providing employment for up to 100 autistic people and people with a learning disability in the first year.

The Autism Champions programme has provided some key health and social care staff with more in-depth training.

�й�Pվ Police have collaborated with autistic people and multi-agency colleagues to develop a training package for frontline Police officers called "Autism: Learning – Improving – Adapting". This training offer is mandatory in �й�Pվ Police's Continuing Professional Denvelopment (CPD) programme.

The All-Age Autism Strategy has supported continued use of �й�Pվ Police's Pegasus card scheme, which allows autistic people to share some detail of the ways they need Police to engage with them.

We have brought together prisons in �й�Pվ with experts by experience to develop a training programme for Prison Officers. Good practice adjustments that can be made in prisons have been identified.

Frimley Integrated Care Board (ICB) have developed a pilot training programme which is being tested through November and December 2024.

We Will: 2025 and beyond

Develop a range of pre and post diagnostic information that is available in one place, so that autistic people, their families and carers can access reliable information whenever they need it.

Review the structure of teams and how they support autistic people. This will include the diagnostic offer and mental health support for autistic people who do not have a learning disability. This will include reasonable adjustments to current mental health services and a specialist offer.

Develop and implement an action plan arising from the Attain proposals for autism diagnosis, risk stratification and development of support for autistic people without a learning disability including liaison support at acute hospitals.

We will manage the transition of training for Adult Social Care teams to Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training (OMMT) to ensure continuity, and that we do not lose the role-specific elements of the current training.

Support the recruitment of the workforce of autistic people and people with a learning disability and the rollout of the OMMT for Health and social care staff, including an offer for the providers they contract with.

We will work with colleagues in �й�Pվ's prisons to develop and deliver neurodiversity training, to help with development of approaches to support neurodivergent prisoners, and to gather information to develop the system's understanding of best practice.

Continue to support primary care ahead of the 2025/26 launch of annual health checks for autistic people including coding on patient records and immunisation pathway support to practices.

Workstream 4: Housing

We Did: 2021 to 2024

Planning has been approved and building works have begun for 44 supported independent living units to be built across 3 �й�Pվ locations.

A new Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) has been implemented to support contract management.

Attended the �й�Pվ Chief Housing Officers meetings to offer bespoke Autism training to Housing staff across the 11 District & Boroughs in �й�Pվ. We have provided Autism Training to 50 Housing staff in Runnymede Borough Council.

Developed accessible housing forms in partnership with Waverley Borough Council

Autistic people and professionals across �й�Pվ were part of the consultation process for the . These cover how to design buildings for neurodiverse occupants and key principles for neurodiverse design.

We Will: 2025 and beyond

The first 16 independent living units will be available in Autumn 2025

Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) Commissioning will work more widely with the independent sector to encourage investment in and development of supported independent living.

Work with districts and boroughs to improve their understanding of Autism

Creation of an accessible tenant's handbook in Runnymede Borough Council

Deliver bespoke Autism training to staff across Waverley & Guildford Housing Departments

We are currently working with colleagues on the 'Right Home, Right Support' programmes to adapt the current Mental Health Housing protocol to create a disabilities housing protocol which includes how to support Autistic individuals.

Workstream 5: Employment

We Did: 2021 to 2024

Identified funding to ensure all neurodivergent adults in �й�Pվ would be eligible for support to find or sustain paid work in 2024/25.

Promoted employment to young people in education: 73% of young adults with additional needs and disabilities now choose vocational pathways.

Introduced a new quality framework for �й�Pվ's Alternative Education Provision to ensure providers are offering person centred skills building towards paid work for young people not in mainstream education.

Participated in the National Pilot for Supported Internships for young people who do not have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)

Offered the gateway programme Preparation for Employment qualifications (PREP) to encourage inclusion in local communities for young people aged 16-24 not engaging in education and distanced from the workplace.

Vocational education pathways extended to raise aspirations for work, health, wellbeing and social inclusion.

Over 45% of autistic people supported through Employment Works for Autism achieved paid work.

Work Wise is a new national pilot for anyone with a health condition or disability, including mental health conditions and neurodiversity, who wants to find or sustain work and are struggling due to ill health. Get Set UK, Richmond Fellowship and �й�Pվ Choices work in partnership to deliver Work Wise.

�й�Pվ Chambers of Commerce run "Untapped Talent" events aimed at employers to encourage employment of neurodiverse people

�й�Pվ Heartlands Partners project promotes employment of people with learning disability & autism - 100 work placements found to help people gain skills for future employment

Established the Job Centre Work and Health Programme - available through Job Coaches.

Disability Confident status promoted to employers to encourage recruitment of disabled and neurodivergent employees and support employers to make reasonable adjustments

We Will: 2025 and beyond

Continue to work with employers by offering support and advice on reasonable adjustments for autistic people.

Promote and highlight good news stories around employment to give confidence to employers and autistic people around how to utilise untapped talent.

Strengthen relationships with employers to ensure that young people gain the skills they need for fulfilling and sustainable careers.

Work in collaboration with �й�Pվ Heartlands and partners to lead by example and offer more work experience, apprenticeships, supported internships and paid work for neurodivergent people.

Find and support resources for quality checked supported employment services that are suitable for neurodiverse people across �й�Pվ to ensure autistic people who aspire paid work can get the support they need.

Aim to double the number of supported Internships for young people with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

Evaluate the Supported Internship pilot and review how to extend vocational opportunities for those who are not in employment, education or training.

Develop a broad range of vocational opportunities for autistic young people.

Engagement Findings

Introduction

We asked �й�Pվ residents to give their views to shape the direction of travel throughout the remainder of the strategy. The consultation period ran for 8 weeks, closing on 31st January 2025.

Building upon the feedback received, and in collaboration with partners engaged in the strategy, the implementation plan for 2025 – 2026 will be established, supported by a commitment to continuous improvement which will be signed off by the All-Age Autism Strategy Implementation Board in May 2025.

Findings

Of the 28 people who responded during the engagement period, 10 people identified as being an autistic person, 11 people identified themselves as being neurodivergent, and a further 3 people identified as being a disabled person. Additionally, 6 responses were received from service providers, businesses and organisations in �й�Pվ.

It is acknowledged that - possibly due to the time of year - the number of responses were lower than anticipated.

The responses received were spread evenly across the county indicating that the reach of the strategy continues to be countywide

We asked key questions about the impact of the overall strategy. Of the people who responded:

46.4% of people agree that the All-Age Autism Strategy represents the needs and goals of autistic people and their families. (25% neither agreed nor disagreed.)
59.9% of people agree that autistic people are involved in decision making.
64.3% of people agree that the All-Age Autism Strategy works in partnership with other agencies and organisations.
42.4% of people agree that the All-Age Autism Strategy is improving the lives of autistic people. (25% neither agreed nor disagreed.)

Information, Awareness and Understanding

34% of people believe that collectively we have made good or very good progress
97% of respondents agree with or have a neutral opinion of the proposals for work planned in the Information, Awareness and Understanding workstream.

Education and Preparation for Adulthood

32% of people believe that collectively we have made good or very good progress.
89% of respondents agree with or have a neutral opinion of the proposals for work planned in the Education and Preparation for Adulthood workstream.

Health and Social Care

19% of people believe that collectively we have made good or very good progress.
57% of respondents agree with or have a neutral opinion of the proposals for future work in the health and social care workstream.
Housing
18% of people believe that collectively we have made good or very good progress.
89% of respondents agree with or have a neutral opinion of the proposals for future work in the housing workstream.

Employment

29% of people believe that collectively we have made good or very good progress
90% of respondents agree with or have a neutral opinion of the proposals for future work in the employment workstream.

Top 7 Recommendations

Increase awareness and acceptance of autism in communities.
Educate school staff and empower schools to be inclusive.
Better communication around the All-Age Autism Strategy and what is available for autistic people
Improve support for families who are in crisis.
Provide a clearer overview of employment support for autistic people.
Improve the mental health support offer for autistic children, young people and adults in �й�Pվ
Embed and expand Autism Friendly Communities

Conclusion

The aims of �й�Pվ’s All-Age Autism Strategy are visionary and ambitious. We have come to realise that some of the goals we set ourselves are not achievable within the lifetime of the 2021- 2026 strategy. For example, the increased demand for diagnostic assessment is not matched by the availability of clinical resource. This is a national issue rather than just a �й�Pվ one. Although we have worked hard to mitigate the impact, it is not possible to resolve this locally.

On the other hand, through collaborative working we have been able to identify and make impacts in areas that we had not included in the strategy. For example, work with �й�Pվ’s prisons has identified that a larger proportion of prisoners are neurodivergent than first thought. Through the strategy, we have been working to improve the understanding of autism and practice within the prison service. This work is continuing and is now starting to look at how to improve support for people upon release.

One issue that the Strategy set out to address was that �й�Pվ’s autistic population was poorly recognised by services. Autistic people and their families felt isolated and did not know where they could find support. We set out to raise awareness and improve accessibility. While it is positive that a significant proportion of people fed back that they are aware of the Strategy’s work and feel that it is improving people’s lives, it is also clear that many autistic people and families are still not aware of the work being done. Improving how we communicate the outcomes of the strategy with autistic people and their families will be a priority over the next two years.

Through the All-Age Autism Strategy, �й�Pվ’s wider system of services has committed to ensuring that no autistic person is left behind. Overall, the figures and feedback from this engagement exercise show that there is still a lot of work to do to achieve this. The feedback also reflects that most people think that the work we are planning is on the right lines. We are always open to hear from people about the impact of changes, what is working well, and where further improvements need to be made.

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