Message from South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board
Members of the public are invited to attend the first in a series of drop-in events next week to help develop new, long-term plans for supporting people with autism of all ages in Barnsley.
NHS South Yorkshire is working with Barnsley Council and local health and social care partners to build a new All-Age Autism Strategy for the next five years and is seeking the views and experiences of children and adults with autism, parents, carers and experts in the town.
The first drop-in event to start developing the strategy will take place at Shaw Lane Sports Club on Tuesday 7 November, where members of the public are invited to drop in at any time between 10.30am and 2pm.
All the feedback received over the next few months will help to collectively develop a local strategy to meet the needs of children, young people and adults with autism, their family members and carers.
The new Barnsley All-Age Autism Strategy will be developed based on the six National Strategy commitments for children, young people and adults with autism. These commitments are:
- Improving understanding and acceptance of autism within society.
- Improving children and young people’s access to education, and supporting positive transitions into adulthood.
- Supporting more people with autism into employment.
- Tackling health and care inequalities for people with autism.
- Building the right support in the community and supporting people in inpatient care.
- Improving support within the criminal and youth justice systems.
Wendy Lowder, Executive Place Director for Barnsley at NHS South Yorkshire, said: “Autism is a lifelong developmental condition which affects how people communicate and interact with the world. NHS South Yorkshire, Barnsley Council and local health and social care partners want to improve the lives of people with autism who live or work in Barnsley.”
“It’s important we work in partnership with local people to understand what matters to them. Hearing the voices of people with autism and those who care for and support them will mean we can make sure our plans are right for Barnsley people.
“If you have lived experience of autism, an autism diagnosis, if you’re currently on or have been on an Autism pathway or are a parent or carer of someone with or awaiting an autism diagnosis, then we want to hear from you.”
Councillor Wendy Cain, Cabinet Spokesperson for Public Health and Communities said: “We want Barnsley to be the place of possibilities for everyone who lives here, which means that people need equal access to the public services they need to lead healthy, safe and fulfilling lives.
“This All-Age Autism Strategy will see us working with partners to make sure that whatever their age, people with autism will have an equality of access and their needs better understood across education, care and health services.”
To find out more about the different ways that you can provide feedback and have your say throughout November and December 2023, please click on the link to the South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board webpage here which provides further details.
