Improving commissioning standards in services for children and adults with autism spectrum disorders

This discussion paper, which you can download below, comes from a working group of commissioners and autism-specific provider organisations in the North West - the first such initiative in the UK. 

It reflects their commitment to:

• recognise the complexity of the autism spectrum, particularly in relation to provision of services to people with Asperger syndrome
• stimulate the development of a range of autism-competent services provision, both locally and regionally across the education, health, housing and social care spectrum
• have a clear expectation as to the competencies a service should demonstrate
• move towards personalised services
• help children, young people and adults with ASD to gain support to remain within or close to their families and local community
• develop services that work across the transition between childrens and adult services
• develop monitoring and quality control mechanisms
• engage with families and people with autism as the final determinates of both quality and outcomes.

This work stems from two linked initiatives, Partners in Autism (North West) and the Greater Manchester Autism Consortium. The former group comprises autism-specific service providers in the region. It was set up by The National Autistic Society (NAS) to promote strategic planning and development of services and to extend partnership working to that end. In September 2004, it held a workshop with commissioners leading to a set of documents on Autism Commissioning Standards which are drawn together here.

The Autism Consortium, comprising all ten local authorities in Greater Manchester and the NAS, has also identified a confusion and lack of clarity about the use of autism-specific services. Most authorities are also experiencing an increase in demand for specialist placements, many of which are very expensive, and some many miles from the persons home area.

North West Autism Commissioning Standards Working Group

Membership

Nick Morey (Chair)  
Integrated Commissioning Manager, Bury MBC and PCT

Brenda Nally (Facilitator) 
Regional Co-ordinator, The National Autistic Society      

Janet Cobb  
Consultant, North West Training and Development Team

Val Cumine  
Autism Specialist, Lancashire LEA 

Halcyon Edwards  
Greater Manchester SHA

Helen Garry        
Commissioning Manager, Cheshire West PCT     

Helen Hewitt  
Director of Education, Together Trust

Clare Hughes  
Regional Officer, The National Autistic Society

Ann Jones  
Regional Development Worker, LD/CAMHS, North West

Beth Matthews  
Director of Education, Autism Initiatives

Michelle Montrose  
Commissioning and Development Manager, Liverpool 

Chris OGorman  
Head of Joint Mental Health Commissioning, Central Manchester PCT

Barry Probin  
Advisor, Lancashire LEA

Don Rowbottom         
Policy Officer, Lancashire County Council HQ

Paul Sutton  
Area Manager, The National Autistic Society

Barbara Taylor  
Advisor, Sefton LEA

Documents to download

• Improving Commissioning Standards in Services for Children and Adults with ASDs (PDF)  
  Produced by a working group of commissioners and autism-specific service providers in the North West, with the support of the National Autistic Society. This paper draws on consultation with colleagues in the North and on the work of the North West Autism Task Group (2003), NAS Guidance for Inspectors - CSCI (2005), Jones and Jordan (2001) and Robertson and Emerson, Lancaster University, 2006.
• Review of the comparative benefits and costs of models providing residential and vocational supports (PDF)  
  This systematic review considers comparative research on the benefits and costs of models of providing residential and vocational supports to adults with ASD. Written by Janet Robertson and Eric Emerson, Institute for Health Research Lancaster University.