All-age autism action plan - easy read
All age autism action plan - easy read
This is an easy read summary of the
East Sussex all-age autism action plan
It includes the important points that are in the non-easy read version.
This is an easy read summary of the
East Sussex all-age autism action plan
It includes the important points that are in the non-easy read version.
Introduction
We have written an all-age autism action plan for East Sussex County Council.
We have written an all-age autism action plan for East Sussex County Council.
The action plan will explain what we want to do to improve autistic people’s lives in East Sussex.
The action plan will explain what we want to do to improve autistic people’s lives in East Sussex.
The things we want to do are called actions.
The things we want to do are called actions.
The action plan is for and about autistic people who:
- identify as autistic, or
- have been diagnosed as autistic, or
- are waiting for a diagnosis of autism.
The action plan is for and about autistic people who:
- identify as autistic, or
- have been diagnosed as autistic, or
- are waiting for a diagnosis of autism.
The action plan has been co-produced with:
- People with lived experience
- Staff from East Sussex County Council
- Staff from NHS Sussex
- Support providers, including from education, employment and wellbeing.
The action plan has been co-produced with:
- People with lived experience
- Staff from East Sussex County Council
- Staff from NHS Sussex
- Support providers, including from education, employment and wellbeing.
The action plan is a 3-year plan.
The action plan is a 3-year plan.
Aims
The aim of the action plan is to improve the lives of:
- autistic people
- their families
- their carers.
The aim of the action plan is to improve the lives of:
- autistic people
- their families
- their carers.
We also want to improve the wider support networks across East Sussex.
We also want to improve the wider support networks across East Sussex.
We will improve these things with:
- more awareness of autism
- better education
- better job opportunities
- better wellbeing
- better life opportunities.
We will improve these things with:
- more awareness of autism
- better education
- better job opportunities
- better wellbeing
- better life opportunities.
Money
Our action plan is happening at a time when East Sussex County Council and NHS Sussex have less money to spend.
Our action plan is happening at a time when East Sussex County Council and NHS Sussex have less money to spend.
We know that this is a challenge.
We know that this is a challenge.
So we have decided to focus on 3 important areas that we think we can make a difference in.
These 3 areas are called our priority areas.
So we have decided to focus on 3 important areas that we think we can make a difference in.
These 3 areas are called our priority areas.
How we developed the plan
In 2024 we asked lots of people what was working well and what could be better for the autistic community.
This included:
In 2024 we asked lots of people what was working well and what could be better for the autistic community.
This included:
- Working with Public Health to look at information and numbers. This helped us to understand who the autistic community are in East Sussex.
- Working with Public Health to look at information and numbers. This helped us to understand who the autistic community are in East Sussex.
- Running a survey to get the views of autistic people and their carers on the things that impact the autistic community.
- Running a survey to get the views of autistic people and their carers on the things that impact the autistic community.
- Holding group meetings with people in the autistic community.
- Holding group meetings with people in the autistic community.
- Holding workshops to talk about what we have learnt and to decide what areas we should focus on in the action plan.
- Holding workshops to talk about what we have learnt and to decide what areas we should focus on in the action plan.
The workshops helped us to decide on 3 priority areas to focus on.
These are:
The workshops helped us to decide on 3 priority areas to focus on.
These are:
Priority 1: Improving health and wellbeing
What we have heard
Most people find it hard to access activities, support and services.
Most people find it hard to access activities, support and services.
There is poor understanding about autism and how it affects people’s lives.
There is poor understanding about autism and how it affects people’s lives.
Most people find it hard to access health care services.
Most people find it hard to access health care services.
Most people have to wait a long time to get a diagnosis of autism.
Most people have to wait a long time to get a diagnosis of autism.
There is not always enough support after getting a diagnosis of autism.
There is not always enough support after getting a diagnosis of autism.
Just over half of people said healthcare staff have a poor or very poor understanding of autism.
Just over half of people said healthcare staff have a poor or very poor understanding of autism.
Just over half of people said it was hard to access social care support.
Just over half of people said it was hard to access social care support.
What we will do now
1. Make and share more accessible information about getting a diagnosis of autism.
1. Make and share more accessible information about getting a diagnosis of autism.
2. Raise awareness of autism in East Sussex, including the good that autistic people bring to the community and the workplace.
2. Raise awareness of autism in East Sussex, including the good that autistic people bring to the community and the workplace.
3. Involve autistic people in making sure services are accessible.
3. Involve autistic people in making sure services are accessible.
4. Share examples of services that support autistic people well.
4. Share examples of services that support autistic people well.
5. Share information and advice about support services that meet people’s individual needs.
5. Share information and advice about support services that meet people’s individual needs.
6. Help health and support staff to have a better understanding of autism.
6. Help health and support staff to have a better understanding of autism.
7. Help council staff to have a better understanding of autism.
7. Help council staff to have a better understanding of autism.
8. Raise awareness of autism health and care passports and alert cards.
8. Raise awareness of autism health and care passports and alert cards.
10. Develop autism training champions across organisations that support people with autism.
10. Develop autism training champions across organisations that support people with autism.
11. Improve access to peer support groups for autistic people and their families.
11. Improve access to peer support groups for autistic people and their families.
12. Support the places that autistic people access health care and support to be more friendly and accessible.
12. Support the places that autistic people access health care and support to be more friendly and accessible.
13. Bring about autism annual health checks.
13. Bring about autism annual health checks.
9. Raise awareness of healthcare Digital Flags that show that a person needs reasonable adjustments when they are accessing healthcare.
9. Raise awareness of healthcare Digital Flags that show that a person needs reasonable adjustments when they are accessing healthcare.
Priority 2: Improving autistic children and young people’s access to education and becoming an adult
What we have heard
Very few autistic people find it easy to access schools and colleges in East Sussex.
Very few autistic people find it easy to access schools and colleges in East Sussex.
What we will do now
1. Make a tool for schools to use to understand what people’s individual needs are and how their needs can be met.
1. Make a tool for schools to use to understand what people’s individual needs are and how their needs can be met.
2. Make sure that there is education guidance, information and support for autistic children and young people and their families.
2. Make sure that there is education guidance, information and support for autistic children and young people and their families.
3. Share information about autism training for all school staff.
3. Share information about autism training for all school staff.
4. Share information on how to make sure all schools and colleges can meet the needs of autistic learners.
4. Share information on how to make sure all schools and colleges can meet the needs of autistic learners.
5. Increase understanding and support for autistic young people in secondary schools.
5. Increase understanding and support for autistic young people in secondary schools.
Priority 3: Supporting autistic people to get and keep a job
What we have heard
Over half of people said it is hard to find and keep a job
Over half of people said it is hard to find and keep a job
Getting a job works well when:
- autism is understood
- there is job coach support
- reasonable adjustments are made
Getting a job works well when:
- autism is understood
- there is job coach support
- reasonable adjustments are made
What we will do now
1. Create and share a list of employment support services in East Sussex.
1. Create and share a list of employment support services in East Sussex.
2. Raise awareness and accessibility of resources to help employ more autistic people.
2. Raise awareness and accessibility of resources to help employ more autistic people.
3. Create and share guidance for making the recruitment process more accessible.
The recruitment process includes job adverts, applying for a job, going to interviews, starting a new job.
3. Create and share guidance for making the recruitment process more accessible.
The recruitment process includes job adverts, applying for a job, going to interviews, starting a new job.
4. Develop networks and peer support for employers who work with autistic people.
4. Develop networks and peer support for employers who work with autistic people.
5. Develop tools to help understand
- what a person’s skills are
- what job roles might suit them
- what reasonable adjustments may support the person
5. Develop tools to help understand
- what a person’s skills are
- what job roles might suit them
- what reasonable adjustments may support the person
6. Develop tools to support young people and their families to think about job choices and how they can access the recruitment process.
6. Develop tools to support young people and their families to think about job choices and how they can access the recruitment process.
7. Develop services that can support autistic people with their job and their workplace
7. Develop services that can support autistic people with their job and their workplace
How will we know if our plan is working?
It is important that we make sure the action plan is working to improve the lives of autistic people, their families, carers and wider support networks.
It is important that we make sure the action plan is working to improve the lives of autistic people, their families, carers and wider support networks.
We will repeat the survey to see how things are going in 3 years time.
We will repeat the survey to see how things are going in 3 years time.
This will help us to understand if and how things have changed for the autistic community.
This will help us to understand if and how things have changed for the autistic community.
Contact us
You can get in touch with us by emailing Autism Partnership Board
You can get in touch with us by emailing Autism Partnership Board