Autism Strategy

The request was successful.

Annette Masson

Dear Aberdeenshire Council,

Can you please provide me with the following information:

1. Who in Aberdeenshire Council is responsible for the implementation of the Autism Strstegy?

2. Which local groups are working in collaboration with the council to ensure the views of the Autism community are being taken?

3. How much money has been made available for Implementation of the Autism Strategy for tax year 2018/2019?

Yours faithfully,

Annette Masson

Acknowledge email, Aberdeenshire Council

Dear Sir/Madam,

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Regards,
Aberdeenshire Information Enquiries

Social Work, Aberdeenshire Council

Dear Ms Masson

 

Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (“The Act”)

 

We refer to your request dated 04/05/2018 00:40, for the following
information FOI: Autism Strategy

 

We confirm that the Council holds the following information:

 

1.      Who in Aberdeenshire Council is responsible for the implementation
of the Autism Strategy?

Responsibility for Autism is split across the IJB and the [1]GIRFEC
strategic arrangements. 

 

2.      Which local groups are working in collaboration with the council
to ensure the views of the Autism community are being taken?

Within Adult Services, the [2]Health & Social Care Partnership’s Strategic
Plan 2016-2019 sets out a number of strategic priorities.  The Partnership
recognises that the changes we need to make require a different
relationship between individuals, the communities of Aberdeenshire and
organisations that provide health and social care advice and support. 

 

There are several well-established strategic groups in Aberdeenshire that
continue to focus on service provision, redesign and improvements for
particular care groups.  These groups are multi-agency and
multi-disciplinary in membership and include representation from the third
sector organisations supporting autistic adults.  Aberdeenshire is
currently reviewing its provision and will consult with autistic adults,
their families and carers to enable their views to inform the direction of
the third phase of the autism strategy.

 

Within Children’s Services, members of the [3]GIRFEC infrastructure work
in collaboration on this issue.  More information can be found in the
[4]Children’s Services Plan 2017-2020.

 

3.      How much money has been made available for Implementation of the
Autism Strategy for tax year 2018/2019?

Budgets are not allocated on a diagnosis basis. Our vision is that care
will be based on people’s abilities, not disabilities, it will be high
quality, person-centred and locally based, and it will support people to
be as independent as possible.  This is particularly important for people
with autism because we are acutely aware that there are variations in how
individuals view their autism.    The Partnership’s Strategic Plan
2016-2019 and Children’s Services Plan 2017-2020 set out a number of
strategic priorities.

 

The Learning Disabilities Strategic Outcomes Group maintains strategic
oversight of provision and developments for adults with learning
disabilities, including those with a dual diagnosis of autism. 
Underpinned by The Keys to Life and the Scottish Strategy for Autism, as
well as our local strategies, key areas of work include:

·        The IDEA Project (Inclusive Day Services, Enabling Aberdeenshire)
– re-design and development of day service provision in Aberdeenshire to
meet local needs

·        Shared Lives

·        Short Breaks

·        Respite Review

·        Supported Accommodation and Supported Living

·        Changing Places

·        Employability, including Project Search

 

The Mental Health Strategic Outcomes Group maintains strategic oversight
of provision for adults with mental illness/disorder.  The remit of this
group was extended in 2015 to include a focus on adults with autism,
primarily high-functioning, and without dual diagnosis of learning
disability, as well as those adults who suspect that they are on the
spectrum but have not been formally diagnosed.  This was in response to
identified unmet need – our research and quality assurance processes
evidenced an increase in referrals to our Community Mental Health Teams. 
We identified that a number of such adults had become increasingly
isolated and/or went on to develop mental health problems.

 

Underpinned by the Scottish Strategies for Mental Health and Autism, as
well as our local strategies, key areas of work include:

·        Evaluation of two short-life Autism Projects funded by the
Integrated Care Fund (now completed)

·        Re-commissioning of community mental health service provision –
MyLifeDynamic, delivered by the Scottish Association for Mental Health
(SAMH) commenced in Aberdeenshire on 1 January 2017 and includes provision
for adults with autism

 

Please contact me as the officer responsible for responding to your
request if you have any further queries.

 

If, for any reason, you are not satisfied with this response, please refer
to the further information at the link below.

 

Yours faithfully

 

Freedom of Information Co-ordinator

Health & Social Care Partnership

 

 

Further Information:

Aberdeenshire Council’s Review Procedure under the Freedom of Information
(Scotland) Act 2002 and the Environmental Information (Scotland)
Regulations 2004 can be accessed at the following link:

[5]http://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/council-...

This e-mail may contain privileged information intended solely for the use
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References

Visible links
1. http://www.girfec-aberdeenshire.org/
2. https://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/social-...
3. http://www.girfec-aberdeenshire.org/
4. http://www.girfec-aberdeenshire.org/who-...
5. http://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/council-...

Dear Aberdeenshire Council,

I refer to your reply to my FOI regarding the Autism Strategy.

The answers you have provided do not answer the specific questions I asked. I would be grateful if you could please answer the actual questions.

Yours faithfully,

Annette Masson

Social Work, Aberdeenshire Council

Dear Ms Masson

 

Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (“The Act”)

 

With reference to your email dated 11 June 2017, we are able to provide
some additional information below:

 

1.      Who in Aberdeenshire Council is responsible for the implementation
of the Autism Strategy?

The following have responsibility for Autism within Aberdeenshire Council:

Adult Services:                   Mark Simpson, Partnership Manager
(North)

Children’s Services:          Robert Driscoll, Head of Children’s Services

Vincent Docherty, Head of Secondary Education & Additional Support

 

2.      Which local groups are working in collaboration with the council
to ensure the views of the Autism community are being taken?

Within Adult Services, an [1]Aberdeenshire Voluntary Action representative
sits on the Autism Training Steering Group and the Mental Health Strategic
Outcome Group, to represent the third sector.  [2]Grampian Opportunities
also have an invitation to the Autism Training Steering Group.  We are
currently evaluating services in the area that are autism specific and
have consulted with a local [3]National Autistic Society group
representative.  Groups in the autism community will have the opportunity
to be involved in the planned consultation.  Within Children’s Services,
members of the GIRFEC infrastructure work in collaboration on this issue,
which can be found [4]here.

 

3.      How much money has been made available for Implementation of the
Autism Strategy for tax year 2018/2019?

This information is not held, as budgets are not allocated on a diagnosis
basis.

 

Please contact me as the officer responsible for responding to your
request if you have any further queries.

 

If, for any reason, you are not satisfied with this response, please refer
to the further information attached.

 

Yours faithfully

 

 

Freedom of Information Co-ordinator

Health & Social Care Partnership

 

 

Further Information:

Aberdeenshire Council’s Review Procedure under the Freedom of Information
(Scotland) Act 2002 and the Environmental Information (Scotland)
Regulations 2004 can be accessed at the following link:

[5]http://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/council-...

This e-mail may contain privileged information intended solely for the use
of the individual to whom it is addressed. If you have received this
e-mail in error, please accept our apologies and notify the sender,
deleting the e-mail afterwards. Any views or opinions presented are solely
those of the e-mail's author and do not necessarily represent those of
Aberdeenshire Council. www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk Dh’fhaodadh fiosrachadh
sochaire, a tha a-mhàin airson an neach gu bheil am post-dealain air a
chur, a bhith an seo. Ma tha thu air am post-dealain fhaighinn mar
mhearachd, gabh ar leisgeul agus cuir fios chun an neach a chuir am
post-dealain agus dubh às am post-dealain an dèidh sin. ’S e beachdan an
neach a chuir am post-dealain a tha ann an gin sam bith a thèid a chur an
cèill agus chan eil e a’ ciallachadh gu bheil iad a’ riochdachadh beachdan
Chomhairle Shiorrachd Obar Dheathain. www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk

References

Visible links
1. http://www.avashire.org.uk/
2. http://www.grampianopportunities.org.uk/...
3. http://www.autism.org.uk/
4. http://www.girfec-aberdeenshire.org/who-...
5. http://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/council-...