North Tyneside council has backed efforts to make the borough more autism friendly.
Julie Young, a commissioning manager for North Tyneside council, reported back to local authority’s adult social care, health, and wellbeing sub-committee on the progress made. A consultation took place in 2019 but was delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The authority’s Autism Strategy has been raising awareness of autism within its own services. Sessions about autism and carers have been added to core training for all staff.
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Two new members of staff have been hired to upskill hospital workers to better support people with autism who are also diagnosed with mental health conditions. A ‘Worry Group’ has also been established to help autistic people aged 16-25 living with anxiety.
Four schools in the borough have signed up to the ‘Autism in Schools’ project. The project aims to support children with autism to achieve success in mainstream education.
Percy Main Primary, Whitley Bay High School, New York Primary, and Monkseaton Middle school have all signed up to the scheme.
The strategy also contains plans to establish “mystery shoppers” who will assess businesses and services on their levels of service to people with autism. The strategy is also looking to expand its housing stock and is looking to secure a number of bungalows to allow for assisted accommodation.
Chair of the committee, Coun Joe Kirwin, asked that those children diagnosed with autism who are home schooled are not be overlooked by the strategy. Ms Young said whilst those individuals may not be known to the strategy as they are less engaged, efforts would be made to include parents and carers who home-school their children.
Whitley Bay councillor John O’Shea said: “I look forward to seeing this plan emerge over the next three to five years. It sounds like a wonderful idea, so well done.”
