Draft Minutes – Not yet Agreed by the Board (for information only)
Meeting Details
Date: Tuesday 26 May 2026
Time: 13:00 – 15:00
Venue: Microsoft Teams Meeting
Agenda Item: Pre-Meeting Support
Agenda Item 1 : Welcome and Introduction
1.1 Welcome and introductions made. Communication prompts posted to the Teams Chat window, and their use explained. No reasonable adjustments were requested. Members reported no declaration of interest.
Minutes and action log approved by the Norfolk Autism Partnership Board (NAPB)
Code of Conduct to be monitored by Lee Gibbons
1.2 Members were notified that an automatic transcript of the meeting would take place to ensure accuracy of minutes. There were no objections
Agenda Item 2 : Working Group Updates
2.1 Diagnostic Working Group
Diagnostics Working Group is currently paused while new working arrangements with the ICB are established.
2.2 Young Person Autism Advisory Group
- YPAAG met 21/05/2026 and reviewed Autism Strategy priorities
- Focus: Priority 3 – employment for autistic adults
- Limited awareness of apprenticeships, work experience, and alternatives to college
- Low awareness of job applications, interviews, and support services (Jobcentre, local authority)
- Concern about employer understanding of autism and workplace adjustments
- Call for autism awareness training for employers
- Need for support with life/employability skills (IT, money, time management, organisation, rights)
- Limited awareness of routes back into education or work
- “Help You Choose” website well received but previously unknown
- Positive feedback on careers guidance sessions in school
- Next YPAAG meeting will focus on tackling health inequalities and mental health.
2.3 Question: I have a strong contact within the Department for Work and Pensions who is a disability living advisor. I believe this person may be interested in the findings. Could we arrange another meeting to discuss sharing this information
Answer: Yes, I will make that an action
Action: Arrange a follow-up meeting with JJ to discuss sharing the findings with his contact.
2.4 Question: How is this feedback being shared with the Connect to Work programme?
Answer: The findings are being shared with employment support providers, including Seetec and the Local Supported Employment Service. They will also help inform future actions within the Autism Strategy, and colleagues will take the findings back to their teams.
2.5 Autism Forum Norfolk (ANF)
- Forum structure changing reduced from 4 to 3 online forums per year
- “Now That’s What I Call Autism” event added as part of annual engagement (Autism Awareness Week)
- Forums are for wider membership
- Low attendance identified (around 2 regular attendees) leading to format change
- Forums will move to evenings 6:00–7:30pm via Zoom, to improve access
- Next forum: 28 July (provisional)
- Topic: Housing needs and longer-term support for autistic people
- Will explore housing options, support needs, and intensity of support required
- 27 October 2026: Specialist health services for autistic people
- 19 January 2027: Review of year 2 progress and planning for year 3 of the Autism Strategy
- 10 April 2027: “Now Autism 2027” engagement event
- Emphasis on increasing promotion and engagement across networks to improve participation and input from autistic community
Action: LG to meet with JS regarding October forum
2.6 Question: Is it appropriate to record the forums for those who can’t attend?
Answer: I wouldn’t recommend recording them, as people are sharing lived experiences and may only feel comfortable speaking openly if the discussion isn’t recorded.
2.7 Support Pathways Working Group
- Support Pathways Working Group met 30 March to design a questionnaire and workbook
- Aim: gather experiences of support and test need for a “kite mark” quality scheme for autism services
- Questionnaire launched 23 April at “Now That’s What I Call Autism 2026” event
- Also included wider engagement on experiences of support across health, social care, voluntary and mental health services
- Survey closes 28 May
- 43 responses received so far
- 70% of responses from autistic people
- 5% currently say a kite mark is not needed (may change as responses increase)
- Group met 20 April to review existing kite mark models and consider pros/cons
- Agreed draft principles to guide potential kite mark development
- Next steps:
- June: analyse survey responses and identify key themes
- July: hold follow-up sessions with autistic people on what good support looks like
- July (NAPB meeting): share early findings, draft standards, and update on directory development
- Future work: scope resources needed to assess and award kite mark
- Overall progress described as positive, with steady development and clear next stages
2.8 Question: Did the forum activity generate usable feedback?
Answer: Yes, we got some useful feedback. It’s written up on post-it notes, which I’ll turn into a deck, and I’ll share it back with the group before sharing it more widely.
2.9 An open position is available in Support Pathways Working Group
- Open to interested participants
- Contact TW or LG to apply or get more information
Agenda Item 3: NASOG Year 2 – Progress Plan
3.1 Norfolk Autism Strategy Oversight Group Update
- 3 April: Progress updates received from action owners
- 21 April: NASOG members received the plan and provided feedback by 5 May
- 11 May: NASOG met to review Year 2 Plan Progress Update (March 2026)
- Group agreed RAG ratings (red/amber/green) for all actions and checked clarity, readability, and autism-friendly language
- Overall view: strong progress, with several amber actions improving to green and some actions now completed
- Remaining amber/red actions generally have clear plans for improvement
3.2 Areas of good progress
- Local Area Inclusion Plan exceeded target: 3 schools now taking part in SEND audits (target was 2)
- Norwich Prison developed new partnership with Ripple Act to support autistic prisoners into employment after release
- Board asked to formally acknowledge these areas of good progress
3.3 Areas of concern
- Organisational change within the Integrated Care Board is impacting progress on multiple actions
- NHS England Health and Justice Team action (prison staff autism training) stalled due to staff change and lack of replacement contact
- Board asked to consider whether escalation or further action is needed for both issues
3.4 Next steps
Write to action owners for progress updates to 31 May 2026
When: 22 May. Return by: 5 Juen Who: TW and KD
What: Action owners/organisations will be asked to provide:
- An update of action taken up to 31 May
- Actions planned to 31 July
- Confirm actions that will continue into the Year 3 Plan
Autism Strategy Oversight Group
When: Monday 6 July Who: NASOG members
What: Members are asked to:
- RAG rate the progress based on updates from action owners
- Highlight areas of concern and good progress
3.5 Discussion
- AG suggested ICB concerns should be discussed in the round, as they likely reflect wider system and relationship issues.
- KD agreed and noted possible broader coordination problems, including loss of key contacts in the health and justice team.
- JS raised issues delivering the Tier 3 Autism Trainer Programme (NATP) for the criminal justice cohort, due to trainer restrictions and limited capacity.
- This is delaying rollout of 16-module autism training for criminal justice staff.
- KD referenced a related prison-based training pilot (“out-of-the-box” Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists) with no recent updates.
- The group agreed the issues may be linked and should be followed up outside the meeting with the Health and Justice team.
- Concern noted that delays are affecting staff access to autism training and reducing workforce confidence in this area.
3.6 Question: How is the training delivered? Is it in-person or another format?
Answer: Likely in person, though this needs confirming.
3.7 Question: Are the Police and Crime Commissioner and prisons linked in relation to this action?
Answer: They are linked in a wider sense, but this specific action relates to prison healthcare led by an NHS England team rather than the police or prisons directly.
3.8An open position is available in NASOG
- Role is for an autistic person to join the group
- Board members invited to express interest before wider promotion
- Interested individuals should contact TW or LG
Post meeting note: this position has now been filled
Agenda Item 4: Now That’s What I Call Autism! 2026
4.1 Overview
- “Now That’s What I Call Autism!” event on 23 April at The Forum, Norwich as part of Autism Awareness/Acceptance Month
- Event was co-produced, using principles agreed by the previous task force (with further co-production planned for future years)
- Purpose: create a welcoming, visible, and affirming space celebrating autistic identity, creativity, and community
4.2 What happened on the day:
- Venue: whole Forum site hired due to high demand
- 21 autistic makers (arts, crafts, metalwork, woodwork, photography, etc.)
- 19 information stands from support organisations (with waiting list due to capacity)
- 6 speaker sessions delivered (1 cancelled from originally 7 planned)
- Printed guides plus mobile event guide created and made available online
- Quiet/chill-out space provided via Millennium Library
- Volunteer team of 6 autistic volunteers supported delivery (stalls, talks, accessibility support, logistics)
Talks:
- Range of speakers including late diagnosed adults, young people, and neurodiverse experiences
- Topics included autism and ADHD, education experiences, identity, and lived experience
- Positive reception and strong engagement across sessions
4.3 Attendance and reach:
- 4,243 people entered the building during the event
- 524 attended talks (gallery area)
- 770 unique users accessed the online/mobile event guide
- 49,332 social media reach
- 844 responses indicating intent to attend on Facebook
- Overall visibility increased by approx. 74.7% compared to previous year
4.4 Feedback and impact:
- 13 feedback responses from stallholders/exhibitors
- Themes: welcoming, celebratory atmosphere; strong organisation; networking opportunities; calm and supportive environment
- 5/6 stallholders very satisfied; 1 satisfied
- 100% would attend future events
- 100% would recommend event to others
- Makers market satisfaction: 4.3/5 average score; 8.9/10 recommendation score
- All vendors rated pre-event information and organisation as “extremely good”
Budget:
- Budget: £2,500
- Spend: £1,615
- Underspend: £884.64 remaining
4.5 Key recommendations for future events:
- Continue as annual Autism Acceptance Month event
- Retain printed and digital event guides
- Review layout and sensory considerations (balance accessibility vs capacity)
- Consider weekend delivery to increase attendance (next event booked for 10 April, Saturday)
- Increase promotion via press and radio
- Review makers market criteria (e.g. AI-generated art concerns)
- Improve diversity and representation among speakers and makers
- Improve visitor feedback collection methods
- Improve data tracking of attendance and engagement
4.6 Suggested recommendation to the Board:
- That the Norfolk Autism Partnership notes the positive impact of the 2026 event and commits to (contractually) continuing Now That’s What I Call Autism! as an annual, autistic-led Autism Acceptance Month event. (Agreed)
- Agree to uploading the Now That’s What I Call Autism! 2026 report to the NAPB webpage. (Agreed)
- Next years event: Saturday 10th April 2027
Discussion
- Board formally acknowledged the success of the “Now I Call Autism” event
- Thanks were given to all contributors and organisers for their work and input
- General agreement expressed with the recommendations set out
- Requirement to deliver the annual Autism Acceptance Month event has been formally included in the updated service specification
- Service specification has been revised to reflect and build on the work delivered by ASD Helping Hands
- Upcoming recommissioning process will determine future provider (current provider may or may not continue)
- Clear expectation that future provider will be contractually required to deliver key elements, including the annual event
- Board will be kept updated on commissioning progress and outcomes
4.7 Question: How is the event’s success being shared nationally?
Answer: The success is shared through the final report, which is circulated widely, and by promoting the Partnership Board as good practice through commissioner networks and national forums.
Now That’s What I Call Autism! 2026 report available here
Agenda Item 5 : Impact on ICB restructure for the Norfolk Autism Partnership Board
5.1 Discussion:
- Update on Integrated Care Board (ICB) reorganisation following merger with Suffolk
- Significant staffing reductions and restructuring affecting autism and mental health work
- Unclear future relationship with ICB; only initial meeting held so far
- Autism diagnostics group paused due to lack of current data and no updated reporting
- Long-standing data work on diagnostics has temporarily stopped
- Concern about reduced capacity and loss of local expertise
- Further meeting needed to clarify ICB commitments and restore data-sharing and progress
5.2 Question: Who owns the action points in the strategy, and are they linked to specific services or individuals? Is there a risk of actions not being progressed?
Answer: Ownership is split between named leads and organisations like the ICB/ACB, with some roles still being confirmed. Nothing has stopped, but actions are being closely monitored to ensure progress continues.
5.3 Strategy actions are still in place and responsibility remains with delivery organisations
- Main concern is the broader partnership and co-production relationship with ICB, particularly around health, mental health, and diagnostics
- No formal confirmation yet from ICB on future approach or level of engagement
- Current position remains uncertain until further clarification is received
- Hope expressed that clearer information will be available by the next board meeting
5.4 Question: Is there any join-up with Suffolk’s Autism Partnership or strategy work?
Answer: Norfolk and Suffolk currently work separately, as Suffolk’s autism strategy and structures are at a different stage with no Partnership Board in place. There is some liaison but limited formal join-up at this time.
5.5 LD and A Programme Board paused during ongoing system change, not cancelled
- Concern that instability has continued for 7 months with no resolution
- Main issue is wider ICB relationship and co-production, not individual strategy actions
- Need for clearer, more formal agreement on how partnership working will operate
- Uncertainty affecting co-production across health, mental health, and diagnostics
- Challenge linked mainly to restructuring and reduced capacity rather than intent
- Mental health leads engaging new commissioners via collaborative workshops to re-establish priorities
- Concern that new commissioners may lack Norfolk context and previous shared understanding
- No clear mechanism currently to maintain continuity of past work
- Agreement to continue engagement through individual channels and revisit at next board meeting
- New contact identified within ICB: Sue Conker, Senior Co-production Manager (Norfolk and Suffolk ICB)
- Suggested this role may be a useful route to strengthen engagement on co-production
- Agreement that contact details will be shared and followed up
- Board acknowledged limited current information but intention to follow up and explore further engagement opportunities
Action: To carry conversation (Impact on ICB restructure for the Norfolk Autism Partnership Board) over to the next meeting
Agenda Item 6 : Any other business
6.1 MP Stephen Ackerley (North Norfolk) expressed interest in the Partnership Board following a conversation with a board member
- MP welcomed the idea of being invited to a future meeting to learn more about the Board’s work
Members agreed it could be a useful contact and worth pursuing engagement
Action: LG to invite MP Stephen Ackerley to a future meeting
6.2 New and existing Norfolk County Council councillors have received induction, including information on the Norfolk Autism Strategy
- Suggested that key information may need repeating to support understanding and retention
Recommendation for councillors to attend NAPB forums. Forums highlighted as a good opportunity to hear directly from autistic people’s experiences and feedback
Date, time and location of next meeting
Tuesday 28th July 2026 13:00 – 15:00