(UK) Royal Borough: Number of ASD students grows: 471 in 2022/23 to 661 by 2025/26
- 23 hours ago
- 2 min read
The Royal Borough is working towards finalising an all-age autism strategy that looks to tackle health inequalities.
This strategy dives into how different age groups – children, young people, adults and older adults – will be able to access support within the borough.
It has been co-developed by the NHS, Thames Valley Police, schools, adult social care, housing, families, carers and the voluntary and community sector, among other groups.
At an adult, children and health overview and scrutiny panel meeting on Wednesday (June 10), Councillor Adam Bermange said the strategy looks to tackle the health inequalities residents with autism face.
There are six priorities, including education and lifelong learning, employment and skills, health and wellbeing, independent living and housing and community inclusion.
Councillor Genevieve Gosling (Con, Sunningdale and Cheapside) asked whether the council knew the number of children and adults in the borough who have autism.
Kate Concannon, the council’s deputy director of adult social care operations, said the exact number is not known and a figure was still ‘a work in progress’.
She explained that this is because there are people who have been diagnosed, but there are also people who are still awaiting a diagnosis.
“But we do know that it’s on the increase,” she added.
The draft strategy says the number of children with autism on their education, health and care plans (EHC) has risen year on year, from 471 in 2022/23 to 661 by 2025/26.
It added that one in five children needing education services with autism on their EHC plans are also placed in schools outside the borough.
Mark Jervis, a co-optee member of the panel, asked if there is a plan to increase specialist places locally.
The meeting heard that there are ‘absolutely’ plans to have additional provision in the borough. . . .
“Our mental wellbeing service will support people who are waiting [on] a diagnosis and [the strategy] is not diagnosis-reliant upon that.” . . .
