Autism spectrum services and supports

The request was successful.

Dear East Dunbartonshire Council,

I would like to request information in relation to adults with an autism spectrum disorder.

Can I ask for a breakdown of all the supports and/or support services available for adults with an autism spectrum disorder with and without a learning disability within the geographical area of your local authority? For example, day services, social support services, drop-in services, access to services, diagnostic and post-diagnostic services etc.

Yours faithfully,

Frances Holborn
Autism Support Day Service Officer
Autism Connections Team

East Dunbartonshire Council

Thank you for you Freedom of Information request.

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Dunbartonshire Council.

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within 20 working days.

Should you not receive a response within this period, or you have any other
queries about your request please contact: [East Dunbartonshire Council request email] or 0141
578 8057.

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East Dunbartonshire Council Web Site http://www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk

East Dunbartonshire Council

2 Attachments

Dear Frances

Thank you for your recent enquiry under the Freedom of Information
(Scotland) Act 2002 in respect of autism services.

Please find below ASD specific services, supports and initiatives in East
Dunbartonshire:

Education and Educational Psychology:

Following the launch of EDC's Autism Strategy in Education in October 2016,
every local authority school and nursery selected a member of teaching
staff to be trained as their establishment's Autism Adviser (AA). This 2
day training took place in March 2017 and the training was provided by
multiagency partners, led by Educational Psychologists and a Quality
Improvement Officer and supported by NAS. A Yammer group was set up for
this group of AA practitioners and all of the resources and materials have
been uploaded and made available for participants. This group now has a
membership of around 130 EDC practitioners and questions are asked on this
forum, and information and resources are shared regularly.

Further training for the Autism Advisers took place in February 2018. The
session was led by an Educational Psychologist and QIO and was supported by
Health and Education colleagues. The highly evaluated programme included
presentations from a Paediatrician, NAS (Karron Kent), a number of Autism
Advisers, a Language and Communication Outreach teacher and our Local Area
Co-ordinators. The feedback from March 2017 and February 2018 can be
directly compared as it was gathered from the same group of practitioners
using the same measures. From analysis of the data, there are positive
trends in practitioners? perceived knowledge and understanding, and their
self-reported levels of confidence in supporting both pupils and colleagues
regarding ASD over time. Many of the AAs went on to promote World Autism
Awareness Week in March/April 2018. Several schools now offer their
parents an in-house ASD support group, facilitated by the AA.

In addition to the above, all early years Partnership and Voluntary Nursery
Centres and their early level support teachers were offered two half-day
professional development sessions (September 2017 and March 2018). An
introduction to the role of Autism Adviser took place in September followed
by a reconnector day in March. The most recent seminar was very positively
evaluated with 100% of participants agreeing/strongly agreeing that the
aims of the session had been met. Many additional qualitative comments
highlighted aspects of the training which were of particular value or
impact. Every participant has made a plan to take forward aspects of the
training into their establishment. The early level support teachers will
support the Autism Adviser Practitioners in their link establishments. A
Yammer group is being set up for this group of AA practitioners and all of
the resources and materials will be uploaded and make available for
participants.

In addition to the two AA programmes (local authority and partnership) a
number of other ASD training/DCP events have been offered within education
by educational psychologists with the LC Outreach teacher and Specialist
Establishment staff e.g. to the Newly Qualified Teachers, the play-scheme
staff (Merkland and Campsie View), individual schools.

Local Area Coordination

Strategic Outcome 3: Independence

· That more needs to be done to raise awareness and acceptance of
autism among the general public.

· That we need to adopt a strengths-based approach to autism, focusing
on individuals? strengths, skills and abilities.

· That autistic people should be able to access community facilities
like any other citizen.

· That autonomy and peer support are important to autistic people.

One stop shop

Monthly information sessions in community venues, promoting local
services and encouraging access and participation.

Introductory training for front-line staff

Two-hour training sessions introducing basic concepts of the effects
of autism on individuals and families, and promoting useful contacts.
Introducing local supports for individuals, families and
service-providers.

Women?s Group

Monthly social group for young women with autism. Although a health
and well-being agenda is prominent, the group is primarily concerned
with developing social awareness, friendship and mutual support.

Sounds of the Gallery Band

Weekly songwriting sessions and group rehearsals. Initially set up by
LACs and Drake Music Scotland as an opportunity for people with
autism to develop their music skills, the Band is now a
self-supporting group with its own funds and committee structure. The
Band has produced one cd of original material, and was the opening
act at last year?s Big Helix Picnic in Falkirk.

Health Walks

Weekly health walk around Kirkintilloch. Promoting moderate exercise
and opportunities to engage with the wider community.

Supper Club & Good Food Good Health courses

LACs collaborate with NHS and Scottish Fire and Rescue Service in
providing training in the planning and preparation of simple healthy
meals, kitchen safety and the need to reduce salt, fats and sugar in
the Scottish diet. At the end of the course, participants are
encouraged to join a weekly Supper Club using the kitchen in Hillhead
Community Centre.

Individual support

Basic advocacy and developing self-confidence through volunteering or
other community activities. Depending on individual?s needs this can
range from daily meetings to occasional contact.

Strategic Outcome 4: Active Citizenship

· That autistic people should have more opportunities to work and
should be supported into work and while in work.

· That autistic people should be supported on a strengths-based
approach

· That autistic people, their families and carers should be able to
access cultural and social activities like any other citizens.

· That well-planned transitions are important to ensuring autistic
people are properly supported throughout their lives.

· That social isolation is an issue for many autistic people and their
families and that steps need to be taken to reduce this.

On the Move (travel training programme)

In collaboration with Enable, LACs run an individualised travel
training programme for autistic students in transition from school to
college. This programme can also be accessed by older people who
require support.

Parents? & Carers? Forum

This forum meets six times a year, and is primarily concerned with
promoting mutual support and the exchange of experiences between
families. A particular focus is establishing links between parents of
newly-diagnosed children and those with more experience of
negotiating with service providers.

Festival of Celebration: Autism & Mental Health

The first of an annual series of Festivals taking place in the run-up
to world autism day. This festival featured performances and artwork
from individual musicians, dancers, visual artists and established
groups. The next Festival will take place in March 2019.
https://www.facebook.com/EDautism/

Individual asset-based support for young people in transition

Local Area Co-ordination is a service offered to every person over
the age of 14 with a diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorder and/or
a learning disability.

Health and Social Care Partnership

East Dunbartonshire Council currently have several services which provide
support to individuals with autism; this is a mixture of in-house and
external provision.

We currently purchase assorted packages for EDC individuals from Autism
Spectrum Disorders (ASD) specific services - although the majority of these
are provided outwith the East Dunbarton area, e.g

National Autistic Society and the Scottish Society for Autism. These
services comprise of some housing support, day services and respite for
adults and children: access to which are normally arranged through a care
manager in one of the adult or children?s social work teams.

We purchase respite and day services from the OREMS service in
Kirkintilloch, specifically for adults with an ASD.

Housing supports and some day service supports are provided through
purchasing of servicess from independent /voluntary sector providers: Key
Housing, Cornerstone, Quarriers, Real Life Options, Enable.

Enable Also organise a young person?s group for individuals with ASD in
Bishopbriggs (Thursday evenings)

Support via art and art therapy for individuals with ASD is provided from
the EDICT service in Kirkintilloch

Silver Birch

Support individuals with a learning disability and autism through a
pre-vocational employment service ? in horticulture

There has also been a focus, however, on developing in house services and
ensuring that there is a level of expertise and knowledge, within some
specific social work services, to help facilitate support and opportunities
for those with ASD. Amongst these services are:

The Joint learning Disability Team (JLDT) who will care manage individuals
with an ASD and offer supports through social workers, community nurses,
occupational therapy and psychology and psychiatry, as appropriate ? with
the proviso that anyone accessing this team must also have a learning
disability.

The Mental Health Team at Larkfield, will also support individuals with
Aspergers, without the expectation that there be any accompanying mental
illness.

East Dunbartonshire Association for Mental Health (EDAMH)Will support
people with autism to access employment opportunities.

Positive Achievements

Support young people with a learning disability or autism to gain work
based skills.

We also have autism specific groups in our adult day services: Outlook and
Kelvinbank - Workers from these groups act as keyworkers for service users
with ASD, and are provided additional training and input re ASD to help
develop structured support plans. Again, however, any individual accessing
these services should also have a diagnosed learning disability.

Other in house services include Local Area Coordinators, who support
individuals with a learning disability, ASD or Aspergers in areas such as
employment, social isolation or individual, or community, capacity
building. (information regarding specific LAC groups and activities are
detailed above)

I trust that this information answers your request however if you are
unhappy with the information provided by East Dunbartonshire Council in
response to your request; you are entitled to require the Council to review
its decision. Please note that in order for a review to take place you
must:

- Lodge a written requirement for a review within 40 working days of the
date of this letter

- Include a correspondence address and a description of the original
request and the reason why you are dissatisfied.

- Address your request to the Freedom of Information Officer:

Stephen Armstrong
Freedom of Information/Data Protection Officer,
East Dunbartonshire Council,
Telephone No. 0141-578 8057
Fax No. 0141-578 8117
[East Dunbartonshire Council request email]

The review will be handled by staff who were not involved in the original
decision. You will receive notice of the results of the review within 20
working days of receipt of your request.

The notice will state the findings of the review as well as details of how
to appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner if you are still
dissatisfied with the Council?s response. You must request an internal
review by the Council before a complaint can be directed to the Scottish
Information Commissioner.

Kind regards.

David Aitken
Joint Adult Services Manager
East Dunbartonshire Health & Social Care Partnership
Kirkintilloch Health Care Centre
10 Saramago Street
Kirkintilloch
G66 3BF
Tel: 0141 355 2200
Fax: 0141 355 2319
Email: [email address]
Web: www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk

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