Agenda item

On a motion from Councillor Tim Ball, seconded by Councillor Steve Hedges, it was

RESOLVED unanimously as set out below;

Council notes:

1.  Around 700,000 people in the UK are on the autism spectrum. That is more than 1 in 100.  If you include families, autism is part of daily life for 2.8 million people. In addition, many are still undiagnosed.

2.  Autism is a hidden disability – you cannot always tell if someone is autistic. The right support at the right time can make an enormous difference to people’s lives. 17% of autistic children have been suspended from school. 70% of adults say they are not getting the help they need from social services and that with more support they would feel less isolated. At least one in three experiences severe mental health difficulties due to lack of support. Only 32% are in some kind of paid work.

3.  Public awareness of autism is growing but many people are unaware of the challenges faced by people on the autism spectrum and their families.

4.  Thousands of children are undiagnosed until later in life, and many adults have suffered from lack of diagnosis and the right understanding and support for much of their life. Many end up in our prison systems or are homeless. Many have never had the right support or opportunity to be employed. Children need to be assessed early and, if autism is suspected, get the right support in a timely way. This currently does not happen, leaving families unable to get the help and support required to enable the young people to understand their condition and reach their potential and for families and teachers to make the necessary adaptations to support them.

5.  The efforts made by local organisations and businesses, such as the Roman Baths, which has been recognised by the Autism Society, and the introduction of ‘quiet shopping hours’ in supermarkets are welcomed. But it should go much further.

6.  The excellent work the Council already achieves in providing high quality service for autistic people in Bath and North East Somerset but we recognise we may need to do more to meet the needs of the growing numbers being diagnosed.

Council resolves to:

7.  Request that the Leader of the Council writes to the Minister concerned to ensure that Autism is recognised in our criminal justice system.

8.  Recognise its position as a community leader in promoting inclusive practice across all partners including schools to ensure that children with autism or similar special educational needs and disabilities are given the appropriate support to learn and fulfil their potential.

9.  Recognise its responsibility as a public service provider, to ensure that as far as possible within available resources, all public-facing Council services are aware of the ways in which they can best enable people with an autistic spectrum disorder to access the facilities they offer.

10.Refer this issue to the Health and Wellbeing Board which brings together a range of relevant partners, and is therefore the appropriate forum to consider what more they can do to raise awareness including with local businesses.

11.Consider supporting the ‘Too Much Information’ Autism Hour in its own premises (6 – 13^th October 2018).

[Notes;

1.  The above successful resolution contains wording proposed by Councillor Paul May and accepted into the substantive motion by the mover and seconder, namely paragraphs 6, 8, 9 & 10.]