THE MAYOR of Reading, Dr Alice Mpofu-Coles, attended the opening of a pioneering new project that will provide homes for ten high-need autistic young adults with learning disabilities who are about to leave school.
Autism at Kingwood, a specialist charity supporting autistic adults in Reading and Oxfordshire, has completely refurbished and converted a large property in Reading into three homes, and is looking forward to welcoming their first residents later this month.
It comes after autism school Priors Court in Newbury reported that over the last few years, 35% of adult placements resulted in a placement breakdown or some kind of difficulty.
Autism at Kingwood is redressing this with their new services, where it provides a continuum of support.
This aims to ensure that young autistic adults transitioning to their care will continue to receive the individualised support they are familiar with, whilst actively bridging the gap between their more formal education setting, and the growth, development and lifelong learning they require as they transition into adulthood.
Sarah Butcher, Autism at Kingwood’s CEO said: “All too often, young high-need autistic adults with learning disabilities ‘fall off a cliff’ when they transition to adult social care.
“After being ably supported at autism specialist schools, families go through the frequently fraught process of seeking appropriate support within their local authority for their loved one;
“Autism specialist schools have in place successful social and educational approaches, delivering the very best and most appropriate support for the child.
“This approach should continue when the young adult reaches adult services, but we lack this joined up working between child and adult services.
“Without the familiar tools to learn, communicate and thrive, young autistic adults can regress; it is heartbreaking to see years of tailored support and progress disappear from someone’s life when they leave school and enter adult social care.”
