Gateshead Autism Strategy 2025-2030

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Autistic people, their families, friends and caregivers make an important contribution to Gateshead. Partners across Gateshead work hard across the borough to give the right support. There is more to do, and we continue to deliver services and support in demanding times. We will keep reviewing and improving services, to ensure they meet the high expectations of the residents of Gateshead.

Autism is a spectrum; Autism will be slightly different for everyone, with each autistic person having their own strengths and challenges in different areas. Autistic people can have variety of care, support and health needs. Some people will require a high level of support, whilst others may need little or no support. Being Autistic should not stop people from leading a fulfilling life. Like everyone, autistic people have their own individual strengths, challenges, interests and ambitions. Being autistic does not prevent people from making friends, being in a relationship or getting a job.

However, depending on the individual, some people may need support to help them achieve what is important to them. It is appreciated that needs may change throughout an individuals' life or in different situations. Getting the right balance of support across all ages and all levels of need is the key for our health and care services, voluntary sector, the wider community, as well as the families and caregivers involved.

Our aim is to support autistic people throughout life, ensuring that people have:

• access to timely assessment and diagnosis as well as pre and post-diagnostic support
• equitable access to preventative health and social care services
• access to meaningful education and employment opportunities
• support from the criminal justice and youth justice services where needed
• opportunities to lead healthy and fulfilling lives where people are understood, welcomed and can access their local community
• access to appropriate mainstream and specialist services which are inclusive, accessible and helpful

We recognise the enormous contribution that caregivers of autistic children, young people and adults make. While the Gateshead Caregivers Strategy is for all caregivers and there is common ground with those providing care to people with other social and health care needs, it is important to recognise there are differences. Increased time spent caring, levels of tiredness and stress, and more years' caring are significant variations. Often caregivers report that the autistic person they are caring for has other health or social communication issues. This strategy also aims to support and reduce the challenges that some caregivers experience.

This Autism Strategy (2025-2030) sets out what Gateshead residents say are the key priorities, based on local engagement. It brings together the views of autistic people, families and caregivers, key partners across health, social care, education, voluntary sector and community services, criminal and youth justice services and other key stakeholders.

For the national and local context as well as the strategies that underpin and drive this work, see Appendix I, (documents referenced 1-9).

We want autistic people to be central to this important work.