Our Autism Strategy subscribes to the concept echoed by the National Autistic Society, “Nothing about us, without us”.
This emphasises that no strategy should be created by any representative without the full and direct participation of members of the group that will be impacted by the strategy.
Therefore we have created the Lived Experience Expert Board.
The LEE Board will benefit the on-going development of autism service provisions across the Options Autism Service and wider group in several ways:-
- Increased transparency in the services we are developing and delivering.
- Placing Lived experience Experts in a position of power in the planning of their own or loved ones’ care and education.
- Autistic individuals and their families can bring fresh and different perspectives and a divergence of knowledge
- Involving autistic individuals and their families will lead to more accessible, creative and innovative developments.
The Board’s members are autistic individuals and family members of autistic individuals; every member receives a voucher in recognition of their time, contribution and expertise.
The Board has been integral in the development of the Strategy, the logo’s creation and they will continue to meet on a quarterly basis to provide a continual lived experience expert perspective on future Options Autism policies, training programmes and service development across care, education and fostering.
“I enjoy being a part of the Lived Experience Expert Board, it allows me to have my voice heard and make important changes to the lives of other autistic individuals”
Quote from a Board member