NORTHERN IRELAND'S AUTISM ORGANISATION

EDM number 467 in 2005-06, proposed by Iris Robinson on 29/06/2005.

That this House commends Parents and Professionals and Autism (PAPA) as Northern Ireland's autism organisation since 1990; further commends PAPA's pioneering innovative work responding to a demonstrable constituency of families with autistic spectrum disorders and its capacity and practice for discerning needs from families, informing policy makers, and shaping services; further commends the PAPA NI evaluation and establishment of appropriate TEACCH training in statutory services; further commends the 1997 PAPA NI study on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Services into Diagnostic Services, highlighting the need for professional diagnostic training, specific referral routes and an interagency approach; further commends the PAPA NI led Diagnostic Scoping Study resulting in a diagnostic special interest group; further commends the 2002 Education Task Group investigation into ASD provision in schools in Northern Ireland, initiating specialised autism specific training with PAPA NI; and the PAPA NI keyhole research, identifying the needs of pre-school children and families, to develop home based intervention programmes for pre-school children, enhancing provision for them, and exploring the efficacy of small groups in parent support; further commends the PAPA NI Connecting with Autism Project currently being evaluated by Ulster University, empowering parents to work with their children; and further commends the 2005 PAPA NI specialised training wing, officially commended by the Department of Health and Social Services.

This motion has been signed by a total of 36 MPs.