Autism service cuts leave two social workers with 3k families

THE decision of the Western Trust to remove the only front line dedicated support service for families living with autism - just two social workers now cover 3k plus extended families across the region - has prompted Northern Ireland’s leading autism charity to appeal to Derry City Council to intervene.

Autism NI Chief Executive Arlene Cassidy wrote to the local authority during the summer to raise the termination of the Autism NI Autism Spectrum Disorder Family Support Service Contract by WHSCT.

She explained that whilst she understood the economic challenges facing the public sector the decision represented an “immediate removal of the only front line dedicated family support service to families living with ASD within WHSCT.”

“It leaves two social workers to meet with the various and complex needs of an estimated 3,000 plus extended families across a vast geographical area.

“This decision is set against 20 years of empowerment activity, growing expertise and resource investment by Autism NI (to help address the huge legacy of underinvestment by WHSCT) culminating in a six year project to establish a mainstream (recurrent) integrated early intervention and family support service within a voluntary/statutory partnership model,” she wrote.

Autism NI says it invested over £500k in early intervention and family support services in the Western Trust alongside the Children’s Fund from 2004 until March 2011, when Children’s Fund ended.

According to Ms Cassidy the family support service was built on top of this investment but is now being axed.

She also argued it was taken in the face of evidence presented to WHSCT which highlighted the effectiveness of the existing service.

She expressed hope Derry City Council would intervene on the issue “which we see as a significant removal of support for families and a sinister move in the erosion of our advocacy role in the West.”