Sponsored by
Survey finds city is failing autistic people
AUTISTIC people in Sheffield are being failed by the city council, according to a survey by a leading national organisation.
But the findings are being strongly refuted by councillors who say the claims are 'extremely misleading'.
A survey carried out by the National Autistic Society found Sheffield - along with almost every other local authority in the country - had no idea how many adults with autism were living in their area. It also found Sheffield had no named team or individual with responsibility for autistic people - along with 64 per cent of other councils.
The NAS says autistic people are victims of a postcode lottery, with quality of services varying widely from area to area. And it says according to government guidelines councils should have designated teams or individuals tackling the issue.
The society has found that one in three adults with the condition are experiencing severe mental health difficulties due to a lack of support. And it says local authorities have been slow to act on the issue despite some progress made by the Government.
NAS chief executive Mark Lever said the survey results showed there was a long way to go.
"It is simply unacceptable that many local authorities have no clear picture of how many adults with autism are in their area and there remains a lack of responsibility for meeting their needs," he said. "Without the right support autism can have a profound and sometimes devastating effect."
But Coun Steve Ayris, Sheffield Council's cabinet member for independent and healthy living, said the criticisms of Sheffield were based on an online survey which asked just two questions.
"These questions didn't let us explain how important it is to us to make sure adults with autism lead full and active lives as citizens of Sheffield," he said.
"Both questions asked whether we have separate or specific systems for responding to the needs of autistic people. In Sheffield we deliberately don't have specialist approaches that segregate autistic people from other people with a learning disability on the basis of a diagnostic label."
What do you think? Add your comments below.
READ MORE
Main news index
Your letters.
Features
More Rotherham news
More Doncaster news
More Barnsley news
Check out the very latest on South Yorkshire's roads - including live traffic cameras on Sheffield's commuter routes - with our Traffic section
Latest sport.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Sheffield
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: East
