Assembly to debate NI autism act

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/6243625.stm

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The future of autism in Northern Ireland and a proposed autism act is to be debated by assembly members.

Autism affects one in 100 people, and the numbers of children with autism in Northern Ireland are rising each year.

SDLP MLA Dominic Bradley said legislation was needed to ensure people of all ages had their needs met by a "strong, coherent strategy".

Arlene Cassidy of Autism NI said there was "significant disparity" in services across the health boards.

She said there was a lack of funding for the condition and a "piecemeal" approach to it.

"Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder endure significant social injustice and their carers experience the highest levels of stress amonst all carer groups," she said.

"Wales, Scotland, Sweden, USA, Canada, New Zealand and Australia all are developing, or have developed, legislation or strategy which acknowledges and deals with ASD as a unique and complex challenge.

"Currently there is no cohesive strategy for ASD in Northern Ireland; families moving between health and social services boards encounter significant disparity in services.

"This postcode lottery that is developing in Northern Ireland is just not acceptable in this day and age."

'Social injustice'

Autism is a developmental disorder, which affects the areas of the brain responsible for communication, imagination and social interaction.

Individuals with autism have extreme difficulty in learning language and social skills and in relating to people.

Mr Bradley, who proposed the debate, said: "There is a clear need for legislation...to guarantee the future security and rights of those on the autistic spectrum and to combat the tragic social injustice being perpetuated through lack of planning and funding."