Why do we need a strategy?
A strategy is a vision and this vision is delivered by a plan. Every area in the country will have both a vision and a plan. In Rotherham, we decided to make a new plan for everyone with autism. One of the most important starting points in making this plan was the Autism Act (2009).
The Autism Act describes what we need to do to make services better. It says people with autism may not always get what they need. This could be because services do not understand what they need or public places are not inclusive.
We also know what matters to people in Rotherham, and used this in our strategy.
- It can sometimes be difficult to gain a formal diagnosis of autism.
- People with autism have strengths and can develop their skills, explore interests, improve physical health and improve social interaction and, in many cases, can find employment. All autistic people can, and do, learn and develop with the right sort of support.
Our plan describes how the Council, the NHS and partners will invest and improve the services and outcomes over the next three years – from 2020 to 2023.