Brighton and Hove teachers to answer questions on catering for autistic children

Teachers from two schools in Brighton and Hove are to give evidence about services for children with autism this afternoon (Tuesday 19 November).

They will also be answering questions from a scrutiny panel at Brighton Town Hall as part of an inquiry being held by Brighton and Hove City Council.

Teachers from Cardinal Newman Catholic School in Hove and Rudyard Kipling Primary School and Nursery in Woodingdean will address the council’s Scrutiny Panel on Services for Children with Autism.

Cardinal Newman assistant head Suzanne Harmer, the school’s special educational needs co-ordinator (senco), will be joined by one of her colleagues, senior teaching assistant Jenn Westwood.

The panel will also hear from the deputy head and senco at Rudyard Kipling, Aaron Sumner.

Anne Hagan, the council’s lead commissioner for adult social care, and Mark Hendriks, a commissioner of services for people with learning disabilities, will also give evidence.

The panel, chaired by Green councillor Rob Jarrett, will hear again from the council’s strategic commissioner for children and young people’s services Alison Nuttall.

The hearings are taking place after parents and carers raised concerns about the level of support available for autistic children in Brighton and Hove.

The issues discussed by the panel so far include the time taken to obtain a diagnosis and the level of awareness and expertise locally, including among family doctors.

Parents and carers gave moving accounts of their struggles in some of the first evidence sessions.

Almost all relevant local organisations, including those in the voluntary sector, have given evidence to the scrutiny panel.

The only exception appears to be the local Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) which has a key role and has been criticised by some of those who have given evidence.

The panel membership also includes Conservative councillor Andrew Wealls and Labour councillor Anne Pissaridou.

They are due to start this afternoon’s meeting at 1pm. The meeting is open to the public.