I Exist campaign in England

In February 2008, we launched our 'I Exist' campaign to improve the lives of adults with autism. The Government in England was very responsive. 

In May 2008 the Department of Health announced that they would:

• appoint a full-time specialist advisor on autism in the Department of Health
• fund a prevalence study
• fund research into the transition needs of young people with autism
• plan for a national adult autism strategy.

Since then the following achievements have also been made:

• Through work on the Autism Act and Adult Autism Strategy, the Government agreed to include autism within guidance for local authorities on developing their Joint Strategic Needs Assessments (JSNAs) to identify the range of needs in their area.
• The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) has begun work on developing guidelines on 'managing autism in adults', which will be published in 2012. Find out more.
• The National Audit Office (NAO) published an in-depth and influential report called Supporting people with autism into adulthood, which looks at whether the support which is currently provided for people with autism is being provided in the most effective way.
• Following this report, an inquiry was launched by the Public Accounts Committee at the House of Commons which made a number of recommendations to Government. The Government agreed to take forward these recommendations through the Adult Autism Strategy.
• In 2009 the Department of Health issued a guidance note on commissioning services for adults with autism. The guidance note stated that full commissioning guidance would be produced alongside the publication of the strategy, thereby meeting another of the I Exist campaign demands.

We continue to put pressure on the Government to meet the demands of I Exist and to highlight the challenges facing adults with autism. Much of our work on I Exist is now channelled through our work on the Adult Autism Strategy and the statutory guidance that will accompany it, which has come about as a result of the Autism Act.

Campaign demands

• Count me in
  The Government, local authorities and primary care trusts do not know how many adults with autism there are in England. Without this information they are unable to plan and deliver the services that are needed.
• Understand my needs
  There is a lack of understanding of autism among staff who carry out community care assessments, and services are structured in a way that often excludes people with autism.
• Meet my needs
  At the moment, there is a clear gap between the type of support adults with autism want and the services people receive.
• Lead the way
  We need national leadership from the Government to ensure that policies will meet the needs of adults with autism.

Read the I Exist campaign demands in England in full.