Part of 3. 2. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Education – in the Senedd at 3:38 pm on 6 July 2016.
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?