www.aspie-editorial.com

 

The Government has launched a new consultation on the statutory guidance it is producing for local authorities and health bodies delivering services for adults with autism in England.

The National Autistic Society welcomes the consultation and the development of this guidance, which is a key part of the Autism Act 2009.

The new guidance will be statutory, which means that any local authority or local health body that doesn’t follow it can be challenged through the courts.

It is therefore very important that the guidance says the right things, so that people with autism and their parents and carers can use it to get the support they need locally.

We want to urge as many people as possible to tell the Government what they think should be in the statutory guidance.

How you can get involved

There are a number of ways that you can get involved and let the Government know what you think of its draft guidance.

1. Download the consultation document and questionnaire. There are standard and easy read versions of both documents available. You do not have to answer every question in the questionnaire. You can also send in comments on the draft guidance without answering the questionnaire.

   Send your completed questionnaire by post to:     

   Adults with autism statutory guidance consultation
   Department of Health
   Unit 124
   Wellington House
   133-155 Waterloo Road
   London SE1 8UG

   or by email to autism@dh.gsi.gov.uk
   

2. Organise your own a consultation event. The Department of Health has developed a toolkit to help you do this.
   
3. Tell us what you think of the guidance and we will look at your views when we are writing our own response. To let us know what you think of the guidance, email policy@nas.org.uk

The consultation runs until 22 October 2010.

Read more about:

• The Autism Act 2009
• The Autism Strategy for England

Source: http://www.autism.org.uk/news-and-events/news-from-the-nas/have-your-say-on-the-autism-act-statutory-guidance.aspx