25 October - Bexley’s autism strategy
Yesterday was spent in a household including three young children, all
cousins twice removed if you are into that sort of thing, and the not quite
three year old ran around like a lunatic all day without speaking to anyone.
After losing an argument with his six year old sister over which TV programme
should be watched, he settled it by throwing his toys at the screen hard enough
to crack it. (Really; this is not invented!)
When I got home I discovered that the 40 minute long Cabinet meeting devoted
most of its time to Autism. It did make me wonder but fortunately not my problem - or Bexley’s.
As is Bexley Council’s way, they have recently been busy studying a Mencap
survey from which yet another Strategy has been created. The total responses
numbered a disappointing 120, more than 80 from Unpaid Carers and only 18
from the affected persons.
Anyone with an interest in Autism should
take a look at the data collected (PDF) and not rely on this brief summary
of what Councillors and staff had to say about it.
It is not the first such Strategy, the first was in 2017 but the new one devotes
attention to children and young people which the previous one did not. 4,089 Autism sufferers are
registered with Bexley GPs but others self-identify
as autistic without a formal diagnosis.
Cabinet Member Cafer Munur
(Place Shaping) said the Strategy was “rather excellent” and
particularly pleased at the plans to get affected people into work. Cabinet
Member Melvyn Seymour (Adults’ Services) was similarly effusive.
Councillor Esther Amaning (Labour, Belvedere) said that survey respondents
represented only 2% of those registered; why was the take up so low and went on to allege
that early intervention is still not early enough. The lengthy reply did not
answer any specific question but Cabinet Member Seymour offered a guarantee that all the
Councillors concerns would be addressed.
From various respected sources I am informed that Cabinet Member Seymour is
conscientious and determined and without going into details I spoke to him recently
for the first time ever and formed the same impression.
Councillor Chris Ball (Labour, Erith) said that seven to eight percent of Autism
sufferers have learning difficulties too and males outnumber females. What is
being done to help them? Answer: With help from Mencap there is a range of
groups in the borough which are specifically engaged in “reaching out” to
all varieties of sufferers and it was known that “women are very good at masking
Autism”. There is a group for young girls.
Cabinet Member Seymour said no one is being forgotten.
The Cabinet approved the revised Strategy.