Issue - meetings

-       Steve Mulligan, Principal Educational Psychologist

Further to Minute No. 19 of the meeting of the Health Select Commission held on 11^th July, 2013, Steve Mulligan (Principal Educational Psychologist) gave a presentation about the progress of the implementation of the actions arising from the scrutiny review of autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). The various issues highlighted were:-

Scrutiny Review: September-November, 2012

Objectives of the Review

-          The reasons for the higher diagnosis rates

-          Services required at diagnosis stage and after

-          16plus (pupils leaving school) support and transition

-          Budget implications

Final Recommendations

-          That the Autism Communication Team (ACT) continue to co-ordinate the monitoring and intelligence of ASD rates of diagnosis in Rotherham and partner agencies be requested to share information to facilitate this being done accurately. ACT should also ensure that partner agencies have access to this compiled information;

Local and regional data continued to be collected and shared across Education and Health.  CAMHS and the Local Authority have improved their dialogue via regular meetings during the past four months.  The most recent figures, collated to October, 2013, were:-

Mainstream                    1,015

Special                               192

Total                                1,207

-          That the Rotherham Child Development Centre (CDC) and the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) bring forward proposals to streamline their assessment processes and reduce waiting lists.  In particular, transition referrals at age 5 years should be the subject of a clearly documented care plan that is shared with all partners and the family

CDC/CAMHS are physically located in the same building and complied with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual version5.  Waiting times are being reviewed and both CDC/CAMHS were examining pathways for the Autism Spectrum conditions, working with the Education Psychology Service.

-          That the Special Educational Needs reform project group is being asked to implement a pilot project for the development of Education, Health and Care plans for children with a diagnosis of ASD with a view to ensuring that in the future all children with a diagnosis will have a multi-agency care plan with a lead worker allocated

Education, Health and Care plans were being developed by the Local Authority group looking at Support and Aspiration under strategic leadership within the Council.  Pilot Education, Health and Care plans were being formulated in compliance with the new Code of Practice and the Children and Families Bill 2013

-          That proposals are brought forward to develop more wrap around family support to assist with the transition between different services (particularly post-5) and at different life stages.  This Service should recognise the vital role that parents and carers need to play in working with and influencing Service providers and should be developed in line with the commitments in the Partner and Child Charter

Continued work regarding the development and understanding of multi-element planning.  The principles of the Parent and Child Charter continue to be implemented and rolled out.  Development of the Early Years Charter

-          That the hierarchy of support within a mainstream setting with ACT and Educational Psychology concentrating on  ...  view the full minutes text for item 50