7. Will the Minister make a statement on the provision of education for autistic pupils? OAQ(5)0006(EDU)

The Welsh Government is committed to meeting the needs of all learners, including those with autism. Through our focus on workforce development, through our strategic action plan and through our programme to transform additional learning needs support, we will ensure that autistic learners receive the provision that they need.

Thank you. I recently raised an issue with the leader of the house on a local issue brought to me by a constituent, who is trying to keep an autistic grandchild in a special school, Maes y Coed, in the Neath area for an extra year, in addition to the school year, until they can reach agreement with Abertawe Bro Morgannwg health board on the long-term future. There is provision to allow this to happen in exceptional circumstances; however, the director of education in Neath Port Talbot council has to date refused. Can you tell me what advice you as a Minister, or as a Government, are giving on these exceptional cases, so that young people who don’t received a service post school can remain in the sector to receive the support that they so desperately need?

If the Member could write to me with this example that she has discussed in the Chamber, I’d be very happy to respond to the specific points that she raised with me. But, could I just say, generally, as a Government—? The Member’s had an opportunity to read the current plan or scheme, which has been changed in the last year, and the plan that Mark Drakeford launched before the election as the health Minister. We need to ensure that every person who needs support and needs a differential curriculum, whatever it may be, receives that, in whichever school or setting they receive their education. We will ensure that that does happen, either through the Bill that we’ve already discussed in this session, or through ensuring that the support is available outwith that. But I’d be very happy to respond directly to the Member on the example that she’s raised.

Minister, I’m very pleased to hear the answer you’ve just given to Bethan Jenkins in relation to the strategy that’s been in place. However, a strategy is a strategy and there are no legal obligations upon authorities and public bodies and that’s one of the consequences of the autism Act. I’ve met with many parents who have actually struggled to get services for their children, sometimes because local authorities are not listening to experts such as therapists and clinicians, and they’re seeing behaviour in a school where perhaps a child with high-level ASD is actually not demonstrating that behaviour in a normal school environment. Will you look at the guidelines to ensure that local authorities listen to clinicians and therapists, and take advice from them, so that parents can be given the support they so desperately need?

Yes, certainly; we certainly will listen to that, but I’d like to go further than that as well, because if there are difficulties, which you’ve described, and which the Member for South Wales West describes, and that leads to the view that there’s a more systemic problem than individual difficulties, then, clearly, we’ll have to take far greater action about that. Members are aware of the agreement between the First Minister and the leader of Plaid Cymru, in that we will be looking at the autism strategy over the coming months and looking to see as to whether there is a requirement to legislate on this issue or whether we need to make legislative provisions for the strategic action plan. Let me say to Members that that is something that I take very, very seriously and if there is the need to take legislative action to underpin the delivery of these services, then we will not hesitate to do so.

Research strongly suggests that physical activity such as sport can have a positive effect on an autistic child’s ability to communicate and relate to others and can reduce the stress caused to them by their issues. Each person with a disability is unique and has their own specific educational needs. Where professionals are of the view that a particular child would benefit from a particular physical activity or sport that is only available during school hours, will the Minister support the release of such a child from school in order that they may take up alternative therapies such as sport?

Clearly, the sort of learning programme that is provided for each individual pupil is a matter for them and the professionals who are dealing with them. I’m not sure that it would be appropriate for me, as a Minister, to second judge those sorts of decisions or to pass comment on that without understanding the individual needs of the pupil. But can I tell you this? I think it’s important that we recognise that people have access to the differentiated curriculum that they require, that they have access to the support to ensure that they are to get the best out of that teaching, that learning and that curriculum and that we, as a National Assembly, put in place the national structures and frameworks that mean that we won’t see the failures that are sometimes described here by individual Members.

Thank you very much, Minister.