New Autism Strategy for England

25 Aug 2021

The government’s new 5-year strategy was published on July 21st. According to the National Autistic Society, this represents the biggest investment ever in England’s autistic people.

You can read the strategy here: National strategy for autistic children, young people and adults

Among other things, the strategy aims to improve the general public’s understanding and acceptance of autism. In 2019 the National Autistic Society and the All Party Parliamentary Group on Autism found that more than 2 in 3 autistic adults don’t get the support they need. This problem has grown since then through the pandemic’s impact on the education and mental health of autistic children and adults.

Caroline Stevens, Chief Executive of the National Autistic Society, says that the government’s new strategy “recognises many of the biggest challenges autistic people of all ages face.[…] No one should feel judged for being autistic, or to have to wait many months for a potentially life changing diagnosis and vital help and support. […] But the true success of the strategy will depend on the Government investing in autistic people each year, as well as the Prime Minister honouring his promise to fix the social care crisis. If this happens, this strategy could be a significant step forward in creating a society that really works for autistic children, adults and their families.”