Agenda item

Report from the Strategic Director of Adult Care, Housing and Public Health.

Recommendations:

That Cabinet:

1.             Note the progress being made by Place partners to improve the lives of autistic people living and working in Rotherham.

2.             Support the recommended proposal for the transformation of Rotherham’s Autism Partnership Board, led by Rotherham Parent Carers Forum. 

3.             Approve the commencement of co-producing the next Rotherham All Age Autism Strategy.

Consideration was given to the report which provided an update on the delivery of Rotherham’s All Age Autism Strategy 2024-2027 which had been adopted by Cabinet in February 2024.

The report set out the progress by Rotherham Place partners to deliver the ambition set out in the All-Age Autism Strategy 2024-2027, which was focused on ensuring services in Rotherham were accessible and inclusive. It also set out the changes since 2024 in data and prevalence of Autism in Rotherham along with the co-produced priorities for the Strategy and how these had been progressed. Additionally, the report set out the plans to embed the voice and experience of autistic people by refreshing the structure of the Rotherham Autism Partnership Board, which would support the delivery of the Strategy and plan for the next iteration of the Strategy.

Cabinet had agreed that the All Age Autism Strategy action plan should be co-produced with autistic people, families and stakeholders. In response, Rotherham Parent Carers Forum led a series of engagement activities, including voice sessions and surveys, to ensure that the priorities reflected lived experience and local need. The co-production activities had helped shape the development of the action plan, ensuring it was grounded in what mattered most to autistic  individuals and their families. The outcomes of the engagement were detailed in Appendix 2, which summarised the key priorities identified through the process. Autistic people in Rotherham had consistently highlighted the importance of having their voices heard and meaningfully included in shaping how the Borough supported and included autistic individuals.

To further strengthen voice and co-production, Rotherham Parent Carers Forum was leading work to re-design the structure of the Autism Partnership Board. This would ensure greater accessibility and inclusion. From September 2025, the Partnership Board would meet 3 times a year, and the ambition was that these meetings will be held at the new SEND Hub (Eric Manns Building), which was scheduled to open in September 2025. This venue would support a more inclusive environment for engagement and collaboration.

The Leader thanked Councillor Baker-Rogers for her dedication to this area of work, particularly the drive to improve standards.

Resolved:

That Cabinet:

1. Note the progress being made by Place partners to improve the lives of autistic people living and working in Rotherham.

2. Support the recommended proposal for the transformation of Rotherham’s Autism Partnership Board, led by Rotherham Parent Carers Forum.

3.    Approve the commencement of co-producing the next Rotherham All Age Autism Strategy.