Autism: Children

(asked on 19th April 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that adequate funding is made available to support the physical and mental health of families of children with autism.


Answered by
Helen Whately Portrait
Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
This question was answered on 27th April 2021

As set out in the Mental Health Wellbeing and Recovery Plan published on 27 March 2021, there is an additional £31 million allocated in 2021/22 to improve support in the community for autistic adults and children and for people with a learning disability, with £3 million allocated for respite and short breaks aimed at helping families, including those of autistic children. During 2020/21 we allocated £3.6 million to voluntary sector organisations to improve the physical and mental wellbeing of autistic people, people with a learning disability and their families impacted by COVID-19 by funding services providing direct, practical support. We are refreshing the national autism strategy and extending its scope to include children and young people. The strategy, which we expect to publish this spring, will include actions to improve physical and mental health support for autistic children and their families.

Reticulating Splines