Making Enfield an Autism Friendly Place Enfield Autisim Steering Group

ENFIELD AUTISM STEERING GROUP AUTISM ACT 2009 overarching ambition Everyone, whatever their support needs, should be “able to live fulfilling and rewarding lives within a society that accepts and understand them.” The clear vision is that: “All adults with autism are able to live fulfilling and rewarding lives within a society that accepts and understands them. They can get a diagnosis and access support if they need it, and they can depend on mainstream public services to treat them fairly as individuals, helping them make the most of their talents.” Think Autism – Fulfilling and Rewarding Lives, the strategy for adults with autism in England: an update 2014 Enfield Autisim Steering Group

The National Autism Strategy (2010) Outcomes for adults with autism could be improved in five main ways: Increasing awareness and understanding of autism. Developing a clear and consistent pathway for diagnosis of autism. Improving access for adults with autism to the services and support they need to live independently within the community. Enabling local partners to develop relevant services for adults with autism to meet identified needs and priorities. Helping adults with autism into work. Enfield Autisim Steering Group

Enfield Autisim Steering Group Enfield Joint Commissioning Framework for Adults with Autism 2014 - 2019 Final Draft Strategic Objectives:- To increase awareness and understanding of autism in Enfield To improve the co-ordination, effectiveness and efficiency of services To improve access for adults with autism to the services and support they need to live independently in the community Enable local partners to develop relevant services for adults with autism to meet identified needs and priorities Help people with autism into work Help people with autism into meaningful daytime activities (this was left out of the National Strategy 2014, but Enfield have decided to keep it in) Enfield Autisim Steering Group

One-to-One’s Understanding of the desired outcomes Increased awareness and understanding of autism A clear and consistent pathway for diagnosis will have been developed Improved access for adults with autism to the services and support they need to live independently within the community local partners have developed relevant services for adults with autism to meet identified needs/priorities Increased numbers of adults with autism working and involved in meaningful activity Enfield Autisim Steering Group

Enfield Autisim Steering Group The things we are doing The Enfield Autism Steering Group has been re-established and is meeting regularly guide the work on the strategy People with autism are being engaged and their input provided into making the strategy work, through reference groups and drop-in sessions and in leadership roles – to including input from people speaking up for those without a voice An Autism Team (practitioners working group) has been established to ensure that there is appropriate leadership from professionals and clinicians to make a diagnostic and support pathway Raising awareness of the strategy and improving understanding of how to include people with autism in all areas of life i.e. through events and training while working in partnership with both the CCG and Council. Enfield Autisim Steering Group

The Enfield Autism Steering Group has been re-established Project lead met key senior managers from Health and Social Care to decide composition of and nominate members to the new Steering Group and The Autism Team We started by identifying key professionals to form an executive ‘Champions’ group (Using the original Steering Group representation as a guide). This enabled us to start working group straight away, whilst we are seeking appropriate representatives for the Steering Group. We outreached to recruit people with autism, carers, voluntary sector and private providers as well as other professionals from Enfield Council & NHS and appointed interim representatives. We have held three meetings In future we will be combining Steering Group meetings with Autism Team meetings Enfield Autisim Steering Group

Enfield Autisim Steering Group People with autism are engaged and their input provided into the implementation of the strategy We have done outreach to people with autism In partnership with the Enfield National Autistic Society we are in regular contact with people with autism and support a drop-in at Baskervilles Café. We have a network of people with learning disabilities and autism through our One-to-One membership and contacts Three people with autism are representatives to Steering Group meetings. We have a network of carers etc. to include the experiences of those with severe and profound disabilities and cannot represent themselves. One representative attends Steering Group meetings Enfield Autisim Steering Group

Steering Group (Champions Group) Will practice active learning in leading Enfield’s progress toward achieving positive outcomes for people with Autism – setting direction, monitoring, evaluating, reviewing and revising in line with the vision set out by the Government Chair - Lesley Walls – Chief Executive One-to-One (Enfield) Lead Commissioners – Peppa Aubyn and Keith Dean The Group includes representatives of: The Reference Groups The Autism Team Senior and appropriate Champions with a leadership role, from:- Enfield Joint Commissioning Enfield Clinical Commissioning Group Enfield Integrated Service for People with Learning Disabilities Enfield Mental Health Service Enfield Barnet and Haringey Mental Health Trust Enfield Customer Pathway Enfield Disabled Children’s Service Enfield Autisim Steering Group

Autism Team (Soon to be combined with Steering Group) Membership Chair - Dr. Brian Fitzgerald - Clinical Psychiatrist Lead Service Head – Niel Niehorster - Head of Learning Disability Service Reference Group representatives Representation from: London Borough of Enfield Barnet Enfield & Haringey Mental Health Trust, Central & North West London NHS Foundation Trust Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust NHS Enfield Clinical Commissioning Group Autism Steering Group Reference Groups The members will be people who want to bring their skills and experience to achieving the stated aims and may include:- Psychiatry, Psychology, Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy,Social Work, Commissioning, Nursing, Customer Pathway, Children’s and Transition, Forensic and Criminal Justice. Enfield Autisim Steering Group

Enfield Autisim Steering Group Regular events are organised to launch and promote awareness of the strategy i.e.through events; while working in partnership with both the CCG and Council. Annual Conference 6th April 2016 and March 23rd 2017 People with autism have developed presentations as training aids Awareness training delivered at two GP protected learning sessions Bookings being taken for training to other services from April 2016 Enfield Autisim Steering Group

Helping adults with autism into work Initially this is being lead by the Learning Disability Partnership Board Employment sub-group. Attendance from target agencies e.g. Job Centre Plus and DWP) is poor. It is hoped that this work will be taken up by a Borough wide employment group which would include Disabilities and Autism as agenda items. This has been discussed at the Learning Disabilities Partnership Board and the Voluntary Sector Strategy Group and has their support. One person with autism has gone back into employment and says that volunteering has helped with confidence Enfield Autisim Steering Group

Helping adults with autism into meaningful activities Drop-in sessions started. Monthly meetings at Baskervilles Café Monthly Social Group. Six people with Higher Functioning Autism have joined and actively participating in One-to-One’s activities of these three have trained as volunteers with Higher Functioning Autism are also volunteering with One-to-One Membership of One-to-One now opened up to include people with Higher Functioning Autism A group to look at IT support is being established. Peer support and Social Media groups are being established. Day time drop-ins to start at One-to-One in April Enfield Autisim Steering Group

Leadership of the objectives Increasing awareness and understanding of autism – training officers, One-to- One supporting people with autism, carers, occupational therapists, police, health care … Developing a clear and consistent pathway for diagnosis – learning difficulties and mental health psychiatrists, psychologists, community nurses, occupational therapists, people with autism, carers… Improving access for adults with autism to the services and support they need to live independently within the community – Head of Learning Disability Services, providers, voluntary sector, people with autism, carers … Enabling local partners to develop relevant services for adults with autism to meet identified needs/priorities – commissioners, providers, people with autism, carers, voluntary sector… Supporting adults with autism into work – Equals Occupational Therapists, Job Centres, voluntary sector people with autism … Supporting adults with autism to participate in meaningful activity. - One-to- One in partnership with people with autism and voluntary sector. Enfield Autisim Steering Group

??? Indicators for objectives How will we know if we have succeeded Enfield Autisim Steering Group

Increasing awareness and understanding of autism People with autism and their carers report they: feel more understood Feel safer Feel more able to go out and about in the community Enfield Autisim Steering Group

Developing a clear and consistent pathway for diagnosis Newly diagnosed people and/or their carers report they:- They accessed diagnosis easily They had a positive experience of diagnosis Enfield Autisim Steering Group

Enfield Autisim Steering Group Improving access for adults with autism to the services and support they need to live independently within the community People with autism and their carers report they: are able to do the things that they choose to do are supported to live more independent lives A positive experience when transitioning from Children’s services Data show that more people with autism live independently, with appropriate support. Enfield Autisim Steering Group

Enfield Autisim Steering Group Enabling local partners to develop relevant services for adults with autism to meet identified needs/priorities People with autism and/or their carers report they are able to do the things that they choose to do have choice in how they live their lives are happy with the services feel safe using services   Service mapping shows a wide variety of opportunities to meet a range of needs. People with high support needs that challenge services are able to live and receive services in Enfield and not be ‘sent’ out of borough (in-line with Winterbourne View targets). Enfield Autisim Steering Group

Supporting adults with autism into work People with Autism report they: feel ready to take up employment opportunities find the Job Centre is welcoming and supportive are enjoying work Job Centre Staff report they feel more able to offer an effective service to people with Autism. LBE Equals Team reports employers are more open to employing people with learning disabilities who have Autism. Data show more people with Autism in work. Enfield Autisim Steering Group

Supporting adults with autism to participate in meaningful activity People with autism will report that they feel able to participate in activities of their choosing e.g. Drop-in sessions Structured activities Sports sessions education and training opportunities Data show more people with Autism taking up opportunities – from baseline April 2015 Enfield Autisim Steering Group

“Let’s make Enfield autism friendly” Enjoy a day of listening, learning, sharing and supporting each other toward achieving this aim Enfield Autisim Steering Group