Have your say on North Yorkshire’s autism strategy

Residents across the Harrogate district are being invited to help shape a new strategy to improve the lives of people living with autism.

The aim is to provide better support for autistic people, as well as improving attitudes towards the condition across the community.

The new North Yorkshire Council is working with the Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board to host a series of events for people with autism, or those who support them, to share their ideas and experiences.

People will also be able to take part in a survey, which will run until the end of April, as an alternative way to express their views. Copies will also be available in North Yorkshire libraries.

Cllr Michael Harrison, executive member for health and adult services, said:

“The aim is to enable autistic people to live fulfilling lives by making sure the right support is available at the right moments.

“Autistic people’s ideas and experiences will be at the heart of the new strategy.

“That is why we are so keen that people attend the engagement sessions, and help us to ensure the new strategy is as thorough and as helpful as it can possibly be.”

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The new, all-age strategy will be implemented across the health and local authority sector, alongside voluntary, community and social organisations.

Inclusion North, a not-for-profit organisation that works with the public sector, has also been taken on to help the campaign.

Once adopted, the strategy is expected to remain in place until 2026. It will cover several key areas of improvement, including better access to education, transition into adulthood and employment aid.

Guidelines will be provided to help support families and carers.

The next Harrogate engagement event will take place at The Cuttings in Station View, Starbeck, on Thursday, April 27, from 5.30-8pm. Full details are available on the North Yorkshire Partnerships website.

Harrogate Neighbours warns of care home closures

The chief executive of a Harrogate care charity has warned the energy crisis could force some care homes to close without urgent government action.

Sue Cawthray, chief executive of Harrogate Neighbours, said spiralling bills were already being felt by care providers, with the charity’s own gas costs more than doubling over the last 12 months to over £90,000.

She added the looming winter and further price rises was a “huge concern” for the care sector, which looks after the most vulnerable in society. Ms Cawthray said:

“Those working in social care are responsible for people’s lives and we have got to make sure that not only are our residents warm, but also that food costs are addressed.

“I have a colleague who is a small care provider and very concerned about how he is actually going to pay the wages, nevermind keep people warm.”

New prime minister Liz Truss has pledged to “act immediately” on the energy crisis – with a price freeze funded by government-backed loans to energy companies widely expected.

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But with the full details of the plans yet to be announced, Ms Cawthray said the charity was already looking at different ways to reduce its energy costs, including the use of heating monitors in residential rooms and solar panels.

She added that any government plans must include care homes and charities like Harrogate Neighbours, which provides residential care and a hot meal delivery service. She said:

“The government needs to be helping out everybody – it worries me just how people are going to cope.

“We use a huge amount of energy, not just in our residential areas but also in our kitchens and for our meals on wheels service so we have really got to think about our costs.

“This is a huge concern for us as we are a not-for-profit organisation

“At The Cuttings, our residents are responsible for their own bills so we have got to ensure they are not going to be turning down their heating to save money.

“We are going to have to be creative and innovative, as we always are.”