Comments on: A better future for autistic adults

By: blog-thing : Autism Bill Progresses in Parliament.

blog-thing : Autism Bill Progresses in Parliament. — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 16:50:14 +0000

[...] is still a lot of work to be done. The government consultation that I wrote about last month is continuing and it is even more important now for people to [...]

By: blog-thing : A better future for autistic adults

blog-thing : A better future for autistic adults — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 19:08:34 +0000

[...] post first appeared on LBRB April 29, 2009. The government has outlined 5 areas of need: social inclusion, health, choice and control, [...]

By: blog-thing : Nothing About Us Without Us

blog-thing : Nothing About Us Without Us — Sun, 10 May 2009 11:05:54 +0000

[...] are happening in the UK as well. Parliamentary support for the Autism Bill led to the government setting up an external reference group chaired by National Autistic Society [...]

By: Mike Stanton

Mike Stanton — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 20:47:24 +0000

The guidance should be out by the end of the year. The government is proposing to introduce statutory guidance and provide additional funding for implementation. This has the power of law but does not need the approval of parliament. Therefore it is possible that a future government could reverse this guidance, again without the approval of parliament. The Autism Bill is different. If it became law its statutes could only be reversed by parliament. And the government guidance will only be binding on local authorities and not on other agencies, eg health, whose decisions also impact on the lives of autistic people.

This explains why AIM, while welcoming the consultation are continuing to campign for the Autism Bill The NAS also includes questions that are beyond the remit of local authorities that it wants people to raise during the consultation so that they are included in the strategy document evn if they are not immediately enforceable at law. These are support for employment, person centred planning and proposals for health care and training for health professionals.

My own guess is that the government guidance will represent a real step forward but deliver less than the provisions of the Autism Bill. This will be presented as a victory or a sell-out depending on your point of view.

By: me.yahoo.com/a/lMMwP4ovhu7DOExvz1evIpTiIaar4RlSBle96n6XQmOlf0spXQm5.YpL

me.yahoo.com/a/lMMwP4ovhu7DOExvz1evIpTiIaar4RlSBle96n6XQmOlf0spXQm5.YpL — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 08:28:27 +0000

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Obviously good news, and long overdue…. BUT how long will it take to become an active law? Will be have to wait while endless committees meet and talk and produce reports, etc? Let’s
see some action soon.

By: Clay

Clay — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 04:43:05 +0000

Though the UK is thousands of miles away, I’m encouraged by this happening, because we’ll be able to point to a successful (and moral, and humane), system. I’d love to see it happen here, but am not sure I’ll live that long. Three cheers for England !

By: kyngdingxx

kyngdingxx — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 03:22:04 +0000

“the first government strategy to support adults with autistic spectrum conditions (ASC) to live life as full and equal citizens.”
I strongly doubt this plan can ensure any of such goals.

By: david.andrews.ed.psych

david.andrews.ed.psych — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 00:37:20 +0000

“So, after years of being ignored or ineligible, autistic adults are finally being considered and their views taken into account in formulating statutory guidance for local authorities. So spread the word and mke sure the government hears your views.”

The day this happens in Finland, I shall die of shock.