Autism Bill Forging Ahead, UK

Main Category: Autism
Article Date: 19 Jun 2009 - 6:00 PDT

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The Autism Bill is back in Parliament for its third reading today. Having secured the Government's support it is expected to pass to the House of Lords where it will be well on its way to becoming England's first disability-specific law.

Mark Lever, chief executive of The National Autistic Society (NAS) said; "It's hugely exciting that we are on the brink of a landmark piece of legislation, which could transform the lives of the thousands of people affected by autism who have been isolated and ignored for far too long. Without the right support autism can have a profound and sometimes devastating effect on individuals and families. There's still some way to go so we will keep campaigning to make sure this critically important Bill becomes a reality."

The Autism Bill was drafted by the NAS on behalf of a coalition of autism charities and is being championed through Parliament by Conservative MP, Cheryl Gillan. The Government's commitment to improve support for adults with autism comes after the NAS revealed that at least 1 in 3 adults with the condition are experiencing serious mental health difficulties due to a lack of help. Under the Autism Bill the adult autism strategy, due at the end of this year, could hold local authorities and NHS services legally responsible for providing support for adults with the condition and ensure they have clear routes to diagnosis, assessment and support.

Earlier this month research by the National Audit Office also found that identifying and supporting just a small proportion more of the population of adults with autism could save the Government £67 million a year in the long term.

The National Autistic Society, Wirral Autistic Society, Autism Research Centre, TreeHouse, Hampshire Autistic Society, Staffordshire Adults Autistic Society, Research Autism, Autism Anglia, The Wessex Autistic Society, Autism Education Trust, Autism Speaks, Autism West Midlands, Autism in Mind, Autism Initiatives, Sussex Autistic Community Trust and Tyne and Wear Autistic Society.

- In 2008, the Government committed to a national adult autism strategy which will look at four key areas: health, social inclusion, choice and control and training. Mark Lever, the Chief Executive of The National Autistic Society is chair of the strategy's external reference group.

- Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that affects how a person communicates with, and relates to, other people. It also affects how they make sense of the world around them. It is a spectrum condition, which means that, while all people with autism share certain difficulties, their condition will affect them in different ways. Some people with autism are able to live relatively independent lives but others may have accompanying learning disabilities and need a lifetime of specialist support. People with autism may also experience over- or under-sensitivity to sounds, touch, tastes, smells, light or colours.

- Asperger syndrome is a form of autism. People with Asperger syndrome are often of average or above average intelligence. They have fewer problems with speech but may still have difficulties with understanding and processing language.

Source
The National Autistic Society