Norfolk's All Age Autism Strategy 2024-2029 Year One Update

Introduction

Norfolk Autism Partnership Board (NAPB) published the Norfolk All Age Autism Strategy in July 2024.  The NAPB co-produced a Year One Plan covering 1 June 2024 to 31 July 2025.  This plan sets out the actions that organisations would take to start working towards the priorities of the strategy. 

In this first year, good progress has been made but we know there is more that needs to be done to improve autistic people’s lives.

Autistic people told us that they wanted to see improvements in three key areas: information and resources, training, and support.

Click or tap on a button to go straight to that section of the "You Said We Did"

Information and Resources
Training
Support

Information and Resources

Image from our Makers Market at Now! Thats What I Call Autism.

You said that you wanted:

  • better access to autism-specific resources and information
  • clear guidance for professionals and families
  • support for autistic people to navigate everyday life more confidently
  • co-produced materials that reflect lived experience
  • more inclusive practices in education, health, and social care.

We Did...

Click or tap on the + sign beside the heading to find out more

  • Titan Travel Training helped more autistic young people and adults travel confidently on public transport. They used tools like sensory-friendly journey planning, communication cards, guides to timetables and Google Maps. Some of these tools are available on Public transport accessibility – Norfolk County Council website.
  • The NAPB developed and shared a demand avoidance statement with professionals across Norfolk to improve understanding and support for autistic individuals who experience demand avoidance.
  • The NHS Talking Therapies Service created positive practice guides for staff and introduced neurodiversity champions. These guides are now used in staff training and co-produced resources are available for autistic people accessing the service.
  • Co-produced guides for autistic adults undergoing social care assessments were published on both the Norfolk County Council website and NAP website, to help autistic adults know what to expect
  • A new neurodiversity digital library was launched to help parents and professionals find resources to support autistic children before and after diagnosis. This library is regularly updated with new materials.
  • 10 Tips for Inclusion were created to help education settings support autistic children and young people to advocate for themselves. These tips are being used in schools, and young people are co-creating a jingle to explain their rights in a fun and engaging way.
  • New Supported Living Information pages were added to the Norfolk County Council website, including videos to help autistic people and their families understand housing options.

Training

Delivery the Norfolk Autism Partnership Understanding Autism training to school staff

You said that you wanted:

  • more autism-specific training for professionals in public services
  • training that includes lived experience and practical strategies
  • opportunities to celebrate autistic identity and creativity
  • more ways to get involved in shaping services and resources.

We Did...

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  • The NAPB increased delivery of their Understanding Autism Tier Two training, offering 7 courses this year – exceeding the target of 5 – training professionals from local organisations.
  • Staff from 298 educational settings (61% of all settings) have accessed Autism Education Training. Other training provided to educational professionals included 18 Making Sense of Autism courses, 8 Autism Practice one-day courses and 2 Autism and Anxiety half-day courses.
  • The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training was rolled out for health and social care staff, reaching over 7,000 staff. This training was co-delivered by 20 autistic experts with lived experience.
  • A new training course, ‘Reasonable Adjustments are our Statutory Duty’, was introduced to help staff supporting autistic children with mental health needs make appropriate adjustments.
  • Approved Mental Health Professionals (AMHPs) received training on autism and trauma responses, particularly to support neurodivergent women during assessments.
  • The Norfolk Probation Service introduced new training for staff on working with neurodivergent people, improving engagement with autistic individuals on release from custody.
  • A new SEND Participation Training was developed to help professionals empower children and young people to have their voices heard. This will be available on the Just One Norfolk website.
  • The NAPB launched an online form for people to express interest in co-production.  29 opportunities to get involved were shared on the Co-production and Engagement page of the NAPB website, helping more people shape services and resources.

Support

Members from our Adult Social Group

You said that you wanted:

  • more support to get a job and stay in employment
  • services that understand and respond to autistic people’s needs
  • better crisis and mental health support
  • inclusive community spaces and activities
  • joined-up support across health, social care, and justice systems
  • help for families and carers, including siblings and young carers.

We Did...

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  • A new Autism Intensive Support Team pilot was started. This is supporting up to 15 autistic people who frequently use urgent and emergency services. Learning from this pilot will inform future expansion.
  • NHS 111 mental health call handlers received new training to better support autistic people during crisis calls.
  • There are now 32 library social and support groups across Norfolk. The NAPB continues to collaborate with libraries to expand these inclusive groups.
  • A new adult autism diagnosis and navigation service was launched, offering both assessment and support. If someone is waiting for both ADHD and autism assessments, their first referral date is now used for both services to reduce the time people are waiting.
  • Families can now use Short Breaks funding for whole-family activities, including siblings. The Short Breaks website was updated to make applying easier, and more services are signing up.
  • A new Parent Carers Needs Assessment is being rolled out, offering support to parent carers of autistic children and ensuring young carers are also identified and supported with their own assessment.
  • Autism Central expanded its peer support offer for parents and carers in Norfolk, including one-to-one and group sessions.
  • The Norfolk Autism Adult Support Service was rolled out to referrals for all teams in Adult Social Services. This service provides short-term coaching (up to 12 weeks) to autistic adults with emerging social care needs, to support them with building confidence and developing skills.
  • Norfolk improved the timeliness of Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) from 43% to 57%, exceeding the national average of 46% Department for Education’s website.
  • All children entering the Youth Justice System are now screened for communication needs. A speech and language therapist provides one-to-one support and creates communication passports which help autistic children in court and other settings.
  • Norfolk Youth Justice Service now provide therapeutic support for children whose offending is linked to trauma or neurodivergence.
  • Norfolk Probation Service adapted its referral process to better understand how autistic people experience their neurodiversity, improving engagement at an early stage.
  • All three Norfolk prisons expanded the use of one-page profiles to highlight reasonable adjustments for autistic prisoners.
  • HMP Norwich:
    • made autism more visible on prisoner’s support plans
    • created new wellbeing areas and quiet spaces
    • increased neurodivergent drop-in sessions.
  • HMP Wayland introduced coffee mornings for autistic prisoners to provide safe social spaces.
  • HMP Bure:
    • set up sensory and music sessions
    • offered travel route support to reduce anxiety around release.
  • A new regional RECONNECT service started in April 2025, offering neurodiversity-informed support for up to 6 months post-release, helping autistic people access community health and social care.

To find out our Plans for Year 2 of the Norfolk All Age Autism Strategy please click or tap here