Neurodevelopmental Conditions – Support and Information

What is the Autism Code of Practice?

Working together with autistic people and their families and carers the Welsh Government has developed a Statutory Code of Practice on the Delivery of Autism Services. The Code brings together the different legal duties from the Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act 2014 and the NHS Wales Act (2006) to help in the delivery of autism services. Examples of what the Code covers are:

Pathways for clinical diagnosis
Ensuring adjustments are made so autistic people are comfortable taking part in everyday activities and can follow their own interests.
Increasing awareness and understanding of autism and how it affects people’s lives, by making resources widely available to the public.
Providing appropriate training for all staff who work with autistic people.

Further information can be found at:

Guidance on autism services | GOV.WALES

Canllawiau ar wasanaethau awtistiaeth | LLYW.CYMRU

For more information on the Code of Practice please email: neurodiversity@gov.wales

Resources and training available

The National Autism Team (NAT) - Who they are and what they do?

The National Autism Team is funded by the Welsh Government and hosted by the Welsh Local Government Association and Public Health Wales. The Team’s main objectives are:

To support the implementation of the Code of Practice for the Delivery of Autism Services.
To increase awareness and understanding of autism across Wales among the public and across all sectors of public, private and voluntary services.
To produce high quality resources to create a greater knowledge and understanding of autism which reflect the voice of the autistic person and parents and carers.
To train and support other people to increase awareness and understanding of autism across Wales.

The team has produced a range of resources including videos and information leaflets which can be accessed via its website - Home - Awtistiaeth Cymru | Autism Wales | National Autism Team

The National Autism Training Framework

One of the main areas of work for the Team has been working on developing and delivering autism training. To assist in its delivery the Team has in place a training framework which sits alongside resources to help upskill all sectors including education and the 3rd sector.

The training framework consists of 4 levels:

Level 1 - Understanding Autism

Level 2 - Autism skilled

Level 3 - Autism enhanced

Level 4 - Autism expertise

I want to improve the lives of autistic people and their families in Wales by gaining a greater understanding of autism.

I work directly with people some of whom may be autistic. I want to be able to adapt my practice to better meet the needs of the people I work with.

I work directly with autistic people.

I work directly with autistic people with co-occurring conditions and/or complex needs

The National Autism Team’s - new eLearning programme:

The Team has recently developed a new eLearning programme which is compatible with SCORM so that local authorities and local health boards can drop them onto their existing learning platforms. The first module “Understanding Autism” has now been launched with other modules in the process of being produced including effective communication and assessments.

For those that are unable to access the modules through their learning platforms - the links to the eLearning module on the Autism Wales website are here for you:

English - https://autismwales.org/en/resources/elearning/

Welsh - https://autismwales.org/cy/adnoddau/dysgu-electronig/