Was OH PUKE, now NAS and local autism groups

[Guest guest]

I would like to see the NAS put resources into enabling change at a

local level ie supporting local autism interest groups to make

changes.

This is as well as working at a national level (I agree, lobbying

and PR about autism has to get better).

If there was an organised autism interest group speaking up for

autism in every local authority, the NAS could support that group to

make sure that the Autism Services Development Group did what it was

supposed to do - lobby to improve autism services locally.

There is an ASDG in every LA. Broadly speaking, one of the remits

of the ASDG is to implement the recommendations of the national

Autism Plan for Children - enabling better assessment and diagnosis,

better access to education, better access to health and social

services.

This is what we are slowly working towards in Oldham, for example -

our main focus at the mo is education. Already, we have been on the

training that members of the statutory assessment moderating panel

(the panel that makes decisions about stat assessment and

statements) receives. As a result of this, we have been able to

make recommendations to Pupil Services about the way the SAM process

works and they way submissions are assessed..........like, for

example, making the assessment criteria public (done!!)

They are now doing a review of the whole process, and have

undertaken to consult with us throughout the review.

We have had excellent support from TreeHouse's Parent Support

Project - this has been absolutely invaluable and has made all the

difference to us.

NAS could do the same. Lobbying at national level takes ages, and

even if it is successful, it can take years to filter down to really

make an impact upon peoples lives.

Local activism is much quicker! I would like to see that better

supported by NAS.

Zoe

>

>

>

> In a message dated 13/11/2007 12:39:45 GMT Standard Time,

> zoet@... writes:

> Re 'why are they bothered'..........well I guess the answer to

that

> is that there is zealotry and extremism in all areas of life and

> autism politics is no different

> >>And they are 'autistic' and often fail to see others point of

view

>

> yes, I didn't like to say that myself. That is why they cannot be

seen

> as enemies, imho. The worry is how many people listen to them and

> generalise to our children? I have started to think in the last

week or

> so that it is us that have to make sure this doesn't happen (or

rather,

> it has happened and we have to reverse it). I have also started to

think

> that NAS is the most difficult and most important hurdle for us

all to

> overcome. If we can change NAS we will change the attitude of the

whole

> country. I know drugs companies are behind some of our

difficulties but

> isn't it true that the reason we have more problems than the US

such as

> poorer education and poorer access to early intervention, etc is

because

> NAS dishes out pathetic advice which schools, etc, perhaps

innocently

> follow???

> SARA

>

> - they have no clue our kids are sick and not like them. We had an

adult

> with Aspergers treating himself at NAA conference - his only worry

was

> that all the speakers and literature said children and he wanted

us to

> know biomed helps adults too - he got a very big round of applause!

>

> Mandi x

>