Extra help for autism in pipeline
D-day for new committee
Improved support and easy-to-access guidance for people living with autism in Perth and Kinross could be on its way.
Councillors are to be told of proposals to bolster the support for people on the spectrum and their families through mobile phone applications and a new round of training for staff.
One of the main aims is to curb the number of people with autism diagnoses who end up being sent to prison.
As part of the National Scottish Autism Strategy 2011-2021, the housing and communities committee will be asked to note the current plan in Perth and Kinross, and agree to continue it further.
This could see a new smartphone app called Brain in Hand introduced, which will provide roundthe-clock support to those living with autism. It will also look to increase funding and training for staff, with the aim of improving work experience opportunities for people with autism.
As part of the national strategy, the plan also looks to work with the safer communities team at the council to reduce the number of people with autism going into prison. It will also look to provide support for those with autism who are leaving prison as well.
The committee is also expected to approve a new Joint Public Health Protection Plan, drawn up by NHS Tayside. PKC would work with both Angus and Dundee City councils to deliver the plan.
The key areas identified for Perth and Kinross in this plan include sharing information from Perth Leisure Pool to reduce the number of swimming pool-related infections, and introducing the new Cleaner Air for Scotland Strategy in the area.
The elected members will also be asked to note improvements to how complaints from council tenants are handled, including discussing issues with care at home providers and following up complaints to make sure concerns are dealt with.
As part of the council’s tenant participation strategy, the committee will also note how complaints about anti-social behaviour are handled, including looking at new ways to meet targets on responding to these complaints. The report will also cover dog fouling and increasing the locations of housing services in the community.
The committee will also be asked to endorse the council’s community justice outcomes improvement plan, which aims to lower reconviction rates, and note quarterly performance reports from both Police Scotland and Scottish Fire and Rescue.
Wednesday’s committee meeting is the first for the new-look set-up, created following the merger of the housing and health committee and safer communities committee. It will be led by convener Councillor Peter Barrett.