Terms of Reference
Regional Autism Partnership for the East Midlands
Purpose
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To lead regional planning, to support the local implementation of the
National Autism Strategy, including :
 Increasing awareness and understanding of Autism among
frontline professionals
 Development of clear, consistent pathways for diagnosis
 Helping adults with Autism into work
 Planning and development of local services to meet identified
needs and priorities
Promote the sharing of good practice and peer support to build
capacity for local implementation of the statutory guidance.
Production of a draft regional delivery plan, by January 2011 and final
delivery plan by 31 March 2011, showing key milestones and
deliverables, based on the findings of an analysis/ scoping exercise.
Promote the use of the Autism self-assessment tool ( when published )
, and collate good practice / issues to share.
Ensure that the work of other regional programmes benefit people with
Autism including :
 Improving outcomes on employment
 Improving commissioning
 Improving choice of housing
 Support to review people with more complex needs
Membership
 Nominee of Adult Directors of Social Services ( Chair )
 Clinical lead ( Lead clinician with expertise in Autism )
 DH Deputy Regional Director for Social Care and Partnerships
 Representative for people with Autism ( user view)
 Representative for family carers of people with Autism ( carer view)
 Strategic Health Authority lead
 PCT Commissioning lead ( representative of PCT’s across region)
 Social Care Commissioner representative( representative of LA
commissioners across the region)
 Third sector lead – National Autistic society regional co-ordinator
 NHS Mental HealthTrust provider- nominated manager
 Valuing People Now Regional Programme lead
 A Local Involvement Network ( LINks) organisation
 Regional Transition / Special Educational Needs ( SEN) lead
Members will undertake to feedback to and from their representative
groups ( as far as practicable for user and carer reps)
Frequency of meetings and approach
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2 regional meetings will be held during 2010/11
The majority of the work of this partnership will take place outside the
regional meetings , and will focus on local planning , implementation
and outcomes.
Wider engagement of key stakeholders including users and carers
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The focus of meaningful engagement with adults with autism and
carers of people with autism will take place primarily at a local level
The regional partnership will provide support to build local capacity for
meaningful engagement.
The National Autistic Society have offered to facilitate the
engagement and involvement of people with autism and family carers
through the society’s local branches , where these exist.
There are also other networks , including Local Involvement Networks*
(LINks) and User led and voluntary organisations who are also well
placed to facilitate local involvement and engagement . The role of
LINks and User Led Organisations** ( ULO’s) will be developed within
the regional partnership including support to enhance their ability and
capacity to engage with people who have autism( and their family
carers)
The key actions of the regional partnership will be produced in an
‘easy read’ format following National Autistic Society guidance.
September 2010