All-Age Autism Strategy
Earlier this year Waltham Forest’s councillors backed an All-Age Autism Strategy 2021 to 2026 to make our local authority autism friendly. The all-age autism strategy has been produced with colleagues across different Council departments, our partners in health, policing, and local organisations, and our residents. The Strategy comes with an implementation plan which will be reviewed regularly and updated each year. Our ambition is a five-year programme. As we progress and learn more about the challenges faced, we will adapt to the needs of autistic people and their families.
Autism affects the way that a person interacts with and experiences the world around them. Autism affects at least 1% of the population, although it is likely that this is an underestimate. This equates to around 2800 residents in Waltham Forest. The Autism Act (2009) and relevant strategies have increased autism awareness, but autistic people continue to be disadvantaged in areas including health outcomes, education, employment, and the criminal justice system. We want to become an autism friendly borough so that Waltham Forest is welcoming, inclusive, and accessible. We want to reduce inequality and improve life chances for autistic residents.
You can read the full strategy or a simple summary below: