Autism fund appeal from Ben’s family
Kinmel Bay parents back calls for ‘Autism Act for Wales’ after a change in how financial help is delivered
THE FAMILY of a North Wales boy with autism have joined the campaign for a new law to support people with the condition.
The parents of Benjamin Hadley-Bateman, of Kinmel Bay, have backed calls for an “Autism Act for Wales” after the Welsh Government ended the ringfencing of funds it gives to councils to support people with autism.
Sharon Bateman, who set up the Creatasmile support group with her husband Edward, said: “We have been lucky enough to receive grants from the Autism Spectrum Disorder funding that was ringfenced in each council until 2014.
“The Welsh Government has now lifted the ringfencing, and monies will go directly to the county councils.
“The amounts will not be shared as before but as one figure that will be purely based on population per county.
“The counties will now decide how they use the monies and for what.
“We hope that they will look favourably on autism, but this shows that autism is no longer prioritised in Wales.”
Creatasmile is joining with the National Autistic Society Cymru and other groups across Wales to petition the Welsh Assembly for an “Autism Act”.
They hope the act will ensure that people with autism can get a timely diagnosis, improve understanding of autism among key professionals, and introduce new duties so that local authorities and health boards take appropriate action to ensure people with autism get the support they need.
Benjamin was diagnosed with high functioning autism at the age of five.
Mrs Bateman said: “Although the diagnosis was obviously devastating, it was not a surprise. We were both aware of the Autism Spectrum Disorder and had come into contact with it previously, so suspected from an early age that Benjamin was on the spectrum.”
She said Benjamin benefited from early intervention and a Statement of Educational Needs, but that not everyone is as “lucky” as her son.
Mrs Bateman said: “Some people go through life never receiving a diagnosis and the support they so desperately need.”
After realising that there was little support for local children with autism and their families, Mrs Bateman and her husband started Creatasmile with now county councillor Bill Darwin in 2009.
Cllr Phil Edwards, Conwy’s cabinet member for housing, social care and health, said: “The funding for addressing autism issues is no longer ringfenced by Welsh Government and has been subsumed into the general funding for Conwy.
“In order to safeguard this service, we have made a conscious decision to protect this in Conwy, so as far as this authority is concerned service users should not notice any difference in provision.
“As far as the Autism Act for Wales is concerned, I would welcome any steps to support people with autism, to ensure timely diagnosis and better understanding, to make sure both children and adults get the support they need. n short, I am fully supportive of such an Act.”