A £7 million investment in autism care has been hailed as ‘another step towards positive outcomes’ for individuals and families living with the condition, by Llanelli AM, Lee Waters.
The new funding tops up an initial £6 million Welsh Government investment, bringing the total amount pledged to £13 million by 2019.
The funds will help deliver the target of a 26-week waiting time from referral to first appointment for children with autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions, along with speeding up access to support.
Lee Waters AM said:
“Speaking as someone with personal experience of how difficult it can be for families living with autism, this new funding is a significant step forward.
“Last year, the Welsh Government listened to individuals with autism, parents and carers and adopted a fresh approach which is already bearing fruit through the Autistic Spectrum Disorder Strategic Action Plan.
“There’s been an immediate improvement in the appalling waiting times for families in the Hywel Dda area.
“But the situation is nowhere near good enough. It needs to keep improving, and I’m confident that it will.
“I’ve always been open-minded about the need for future legislation if the new Integrated Autism Service doesn’t produce results, but at the moment we need to throw our support behind it”, Lee Waters AM added.
The Integrated Autism Service, setup in March 2016, offers help with emotional and behavioural issues, support to access leisure and improved diagnostic assessment.
