It is our ambition that the Black Country and West Birmingham is a place where children and young people with Learning Disabilities and/or Autism thrive, get a good start in life and are healthy; that all families are supported to be independent, responsible and successful, exceeding expectations; and where the most vulnerable children are protected. 

Our vision is to reduce the number of hospital admissions for this group or children and young people or if a hospital admission is required to ensure the length of stay is as short as needed to support change in the young person's mental health.

We want every local child and young person with Learning Disabilities and/or Autismto have the best start in life. This means that every child grows up in an environment that nurtures their development, derives safety and security from their care givers, provides ready access to high quality services and has a belief in their goals and their ability to achieve them.

The Transforming Care programme aims to improve health and care services to enable children and young people with learning disabilities, autism, or both, to access the support they need at home or in the community. We are committed to making sure that they have the right to the same opportunities as anyone else. These include:

• Getting the support they need to live long and healthy lives
• Being treated with the same dignity and respect
• Having a home within their community
• Being able to develop and maintain relationships and
• Getting the support they need to live a healthy, safe and fulfilling life.

In the Black Country and West Birmingham we know that children and young people with suspected autism wait too long before being provided with a diagnostic assessment. Over the next three years, autism diagnosis will be included alongside work with children and young people’s mental health services to test and implement the most effective ways to reduce waiting times for specialist services.

We will work with children and young people and their parents, families and carers and other important stakeholders in education, health and social care to identify the things which work well and also to highlight the gaps where improvements can be made. Making services in the community better will mean that children and young people living with a learning disability and or autism will be able to get their health care at home or near to where they live and reduce the need for hospital care.

During 2019 we have been engaging to help shape a new model of care for children and young people. A draft framework has been developed and this has been tested with children and young people, their parents, families and carers, health and social care and education professionals. Their views have helped define the core components of a new model of care in terms of what matters most and how current services could be better. 

Key actions:

• By 2023/24, a ‘digital flag’ in the patients record will ensure staff know a patient has a learning disability or autism.
• by 2021/22 75% of all >14year olds  who are eligible will have a health check each year
• By 2022/23 we will implement hearing, eyesight and dental checks pathway
• By 2022/23 children and young people with a learning disability, autism or both with the most complex needs will have a designated key worker.
• By March 2023/24 no more than 5 children with a learning disability, autism  cared for in an inpatient facility