Agenda item

Cabinet Portfolio                  Adult Social Care and Health

Strategic Directorate            Adult Care, Housing and Public Health

Consideration was given to a report that was submitted for pre-decision scrutiny ahead of the Cabinet meeting scheduled for 15 June 2020 in respect the proposed Rotherham All Age Autism Strategy and Implementation Plan 2020 -2023.

The Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health, the Joint Assistant Director Commissioning, Performance and Inclusion, the Assistant Director - Strategic Commissioning and the Service Manager - Commissioning attended the meeting to present the report and to answer members questions.

The Cabinet Member noted that the proposed strategy had been developed with reference to the vision expressed in the Council Plan and in the Rotherham’s Integrated Health and Social Care Place Plan, and that the proposed strategy would also support and progress the outcomes as detailed in the Integrated Health and Social Care Place Plan and in the Councils Housing Strategy.  

It was noted that the proposed strategy had been developed with reference to and shared the ‘whole life approach’ with the Rotherham Health and Wellbeing Strategy and had been the subject of wide and varied consultation, including consultation with service users. The proposed strategy identified key activity, focused on five areas. There were:

·       Starting Well:  All Rotherham’s autistic children and young people are healthy and safe from harm

·       Developing Well:  All Rotherham’s autistic children and young people start school ready to learn for life

·       Moving on well to independence: Rotherham’s autistic children and young people are provided with the same opportunities to thrive going into adulthood. 

·       Living well:  Autistic adults living in Rotherham will get the right support when needed

·       Ageing well:  Autistic adults living in Rotherham will be better supported as they grow old.

The Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health noted that the proposed All Age Autism Strategy and Implementation Plan would provide an overarching framework for the Council, NHS Rotherham Clinical Commissioning Group other delivery partners and would clearly identify priority areas based on both national requirements and on local findings. It was noted that the Strategy would build on work being carried out in Rotherham and South Yorkshire by individuals, groups and communities, as well as the Council and partners to improve the lives of people with autism and would make Rotherham an Autism friendly Borough.

The Cabinet Member advised that the strategy showed a commitment to personalised approach to the delivery of services and would encourage people to recognise their strengths in a way that would support choice and control over their lives. 

It is proposed that both the Strategy and the accompanying Implementation Plan would be delivered over a period of three years, from 2020 to 2023. 

The officer’s report also contained information on the consultation processes that had been conducted as part of the development of the strategy as well as information on the proposed timelines for the strategy’s implementation. The full draft of the All Age Autism Strategy and Implementation Plan 2020 -2023 were attached as an appendix to the report.

The Chair of the Health Select Commission noted with approval that the comments made by the Health Select Commission during the development of the strategy had been included in the final document. Members asked whether any updates had been received by the Council on the deployment of a new tool for the diagnosis of autism as it had been recognised that the current diagnostic tool had an inbuilt gender imbalance that had the potential to lead to less diagnoses being made in females. The Service Manager advised that there had been no further developments on this matter.

Members asked whether the Covid-19 pandemic would impact negatively on the development of specialist housing provision for people with autism. The Assistant Director advised that the pandemic would have some impact but assured members that interest and commitment from developers in providing this type of housing remained strong. Members noted their approval for the prominent definition of autism in the strategy as it was a condition that was frequently misunderstood by many people.

Members asked for further information on how the strategy would be integrated into education provision and delivered by schools. The Joint Assistant Director advised that a detailed piece of work on the development of a neurological pathway was being carried out that and that this would enable structured support to be provided to people displaying signs of autism whether or not they had been diagnosed, and that much of this support would be delivered via a toolkit by schools.

Members sought assurance that the carer’s assessments that were part of the implementation of the strategy would be carried out in timely manner. The Assistant Director provided assurance on this issue and provided details of how the process for carrying out carer’s assessments.

The Chair thanked the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health, the Joint Assistant Director Commissioning, Performance and Inclusion, the Assistant Director - Strategic Commissioning and the Service Manager - Commissioning for attending the meeting and answering members questions.

Resolved: -

1)    That Cabinet be advised that the recommendations be supported.

2)    That a report on the implementation of the Rotherham All Age Autism Strategy and Implementation Plan 2020 -2023 be submitted to the Health Select Commission in due course.