It costs £400,00 a year to run Autism Guernsey, which supports some 300 islanders and their families.
But its funding has been precarious since it lost a long-term package from BBC Children in Need two years ago.
At that point the charity received a one-off grant from Health & Social Care and the new agreement will see further support of £24,000 a year, match-funded by the charity itself, to deliver six programmes.
‘This is the start of a journey of recognition from the States for the kind of quality and expertise that we deliver under the programmes,’ said Julia Watts, CEO of Autism Guernsey, as the support package was announced on World Autism Awareness Day, today.
‘We have between 200 and 400 people open to us at any one time. We are the right people to offer post-diagnostic support.
'That doesn’t mean the States aren’t – but they have to concentrate on what they can deliver, and we have to look at what we can deliver in terms of community.
'We value our partnership with HSC and look forward to working together.’
‘It’s genuinely life-changing support’
The programmes, which Autism Guernsey has been running for several years, provide practical advice, guidance, and strategies to help families better understand and support autistic children and young people. They have enabled many autistic young people to re-engage in education, access employment and attend college or university.
‘It’s genuinely life-changing support,’ said Amy Ford, clinical lead for Autism Children Services at the States.
‘We hope this agreement is a stepping stone to more joint working together, as more needs become apparent from the community. We want to make sure that there are easy routes to support available for people. Things have progressed, we know there’s still a long way to go.
‘There’s a big need out there for people to feel confident in understanding their young person and the support that they need. I feel really positive about this partnership.’
The agreement also supports the work of the Autism Steering Group, a strategic group within HSC, focused on improving the lives of autistic children and adults.
‘Autism Guernsey plays an essential role in supporting families in our community, and we are pleased to formalise this partnership through a multi-year agreement,’ said HSC president George Oswald.
‘While we recognise that there is still more work to do to improve the lives of autistic people in the Bailiwick, this commissioning arrangement is an important step forward. Alongside the Autism Steering Group and our third sector partners, we remain committed to working together to build services that are responsive, inclusive, and shaped by the voices of autistic people and their families.’
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