By the end of the strategy, we will have made demonstrable progress on reducing diagnosis waiting times and improving diagnostic pathways for children, young people and adults across the country. Autistic people will be able to access a high quality and timely diagnosis, as well as the support they need following diagnosis. We will have also made progress on improving early identification of autism, so more children and young people can get the support they need at an early age. I want to underline my thanks to everyone who played their part in helping us keep each other safe. I understand just how much this disruption has taken its toll on autistic people’s livelihoods and mental health. fund an expansion of an early identification pilot programme, which involves health and education professionals working together in schools to assess children who may be autistic or have other special educational needs

www.itv.com/news/london/2019-12-09/free-online-counter-terror-training-offered-to-the-public-will-you-sign-up/ When compared to the decrease in overall inpatient numbers, the data shows that the decrease for people with an autism diagnosis has not been at the same rate. As of the end of June 2021, there are still 1,200 people with an autism diagnosis in these settings ( Assuring Transformation, July 2021). There are several reasons why the number of autistic people in inpatient care has not reduced over this timeframe, including better identification and diagnosis of autism when people are admitted into inpatient care. While we are making progress in discharging people, too many autistic people (particularly adolescents and young adults) are still being admitted into these settings. This is because they often struggle to access community support, including social care, mental health and housing support before their needs escalate. This is not always available at the right time or tailored to their needs. The law also currently allows clinicians to admit autistic people to inpatient care without them having a clear mental health need, which can result in inappropriate admissions. The Education (Scotland) Act 2016 calls for educators to consider socio-economic barriers to learning. It includes the rights of children aged 12 and over under the Additional Support for Learning Act. Children who are able may act on their own behalf to influence decision making about them. Legislation for Gaelic Education Autistic people see, hear and feel the world differently to other people. Autism varies widely and is often referred to as a spectrum condition, because of the range of ways it can impact on people and the different level of support they may need across their lives. While autism is not a learning disability, around 4 in 10 autistic people have a learning disability (Autistica).We want education settings to provide better and more inclusive support to autistic children and young people so that autistic people are better able to achieve their potential. We want more teachers and educational staff to understand the specific needs of their autistic pupils, ensuring that more school placements can be sustained. We also want to demonstrate that more autistic children have had their needs identified early on and that they are having positive experiences in education settings.

Hayes, S. C. (2004). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and the new behavior therapies: Mindfulness, acceptance and relationship. In S. C. Hayes, V. M. Follette, & M. Linehan (Eds.), Mindfulness and acceptance: Expanding the cognitive behavioral tradition (pp. 1-29). New York: Guilford. More broadly, we have worked with experts in SEND and organisations to develop a qualification for early years staff who want to specialise in SEND. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic we have broadened our funding for the voluntary sector to support parent and child mental health and wellbeing, to help early years providers identify special educational needs and catch up children who may be falling behind, including autistic children. Improving how the SEND system supports autistic children and young people We want to reduce the health and care inequalities that autistic people face throughout their lives, and to show that autistic people are living healthier and longer lives. In addition, we want to have made significant progress on improving early identification, reducing diagnosis waiting times and improving diagnostic pathways for children and adults, so autistic people can access a timely diagnosis and the support they may need across their lives. Building the right support in the community and supporting people in inpatient carePlease list any fees and grants from, employment by, consultancy for, shared ownership in or any close relationship with, at any time over the preceding 36 months, any organisation whose interests may be affected by the publication of the response. Please also list any non-financial associations or interests (personal, professional, political, institutional, religious or other) that a reasonable reader would want to know about in relation to the submitted work. This pertains to all the authors of the piece, their spouses or partners. Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that affects how people perceive, communicate and interact with others, although it is important to recognise that there are differing opinions on this and not all autistic people see themselves as disabled. With an estimated 700,000 autistic adults and children in the UK – approximately 1% of the population – most people probably know someone who is autistic. In addition, there are an estimated 3 million family members and carers of autistic people in the UK ( National Autistic Society). As we move out of COVID-19 restrictions, we will also continue our efforts to make Jobcentres more autism-inclusive, to ensure autistic people receive the help they need to move into employment or employment programmes. More broadly, supporting disabled people, including autistic people, will be a focus of our approach to labour market recovery as we come out of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is vital in protecting autistic people from being disproportionately affected and preventing the employment gap from widening further in a challenging context. Improving employment support and the welfare system