Northern Ireland has passed a new law to bolster support services for autistic people.
Members of the province’s legislative assembly (MLAs) backed the Autism Amendment Bill last week. However, a leading lawyer said more needed to be done to tackle disability discrimination.
Pam Cameron MLA, of the Democratic Unionist Party, sponsored the Private Member’s Bill.
Parliament Buildings at the Stormont Estate in Belfast, the seat of the Northern Ireland Assembly
The aim of the new law is to provide consistent autism services across the province. The intention is also to support early intervention.
A ‘good day’ in Northern Ireland
Cameron told the BBC the new law marked a “good day” for the assembly.
The legislation got cross-party support.
The new law will create an autism information service and a cross-departmental training plan.
Also, an independent autism reviewer will assess services.
Disability discrimination law ‘needs strengthening’
Rachel Hogan is a special needs representative in the legal team at Belfast charity the Children’s Law Centre.
She said Northern Ireland’s legal framework more generally needs to be strengthened on disability discrimination.
Hogan said the law needs to be “urgently” reformed to protect children and adults.
She pointed out that families who win disability discrimination cases for children in education cannot get compensation.
The law here is “ineffective” and also requires “reform”, says Hogan.
Deirdre Shakespeare, from County Tyrone, is a mum who campaigns against restraint. This followed a school strapping her autistic son Harry, 10, to a chair.
She said a “cross-party” approach would be needed to “improve standards and services” for autistic people and their families.
Time for ‘person-centred’ autism support
Kerry Boyd is the chief executive of Autism Northern Ireland.
She said it is now time for the province to deliver “person-centred” autism support services that are “easily accessible from childhood right through to adulthood”.
Autism Eye approached Northern Ireland’s Department of Education, but it did not respond.
Related:
- Expert slams N Ireland special education
- Education authority ‘breaks law’
- Families left waiting for SEN statement
- Northern Ireland funding ‘not enough’
- Commissioner slams support in N Ireland
- N Ireland schools ‘almost in crisis’
- Call for autism schools in N Ireland
- Radical N Ireland school plans blasted
- N Ireland pay hikes at top despite cuts
- Parents take action over N Ireland cuts
- Cuts hit ‘crucial help’ in N Ireland
- Parents defy dire services in N Ireland
- Huge increase in diagnosis in N Ireland
Published: 17 March 2022
