About us

National Neurodivergence Team

The National Neurodivergence Team, which is funded by Welsh Government and hosted by the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA), works in partnership with Public Health Wales (PHW). The team works closely with the Welsh Government, local authority Autism Leads and health boards, key stakeholders and advisory groups.

The Team, co-ordinates meetings of the Autism leads forum. The forum offers an opportunity to collaborate in developing and revising key resources and work on an all Wales basis.

In addition to the resources available across the AutismWales website, you will also find information of the further work of the team.

Below you will find further information about the key work programmes and events that have taken place and documents that has been developed and are available to download.

Annual Report 2022-23

The National Autism Team is pleased to publish its Annual Report 2022/23.

The report focuses on:
• Collaborative working
• Communications Campaigns
• The Code of Practice
• Developments within the Integrated Autism Service
• Education
• Training and Workforce development
• Transition to National ND Team

The report also features the IAS 2022/23 Data Report serving as an additional appendix.

We hope you enjoy reading about the work we have undertaken between April 2022 – March 2023.

Click here to view the Annual Report 2022/23.

Supplementary Annual Report 2021-22

The National Autism Team is pleased to publish its Supplementary Annual Report 2021/22.

The report supplements our Annual Report 2018/19 and focuses on:
• Collaborative working
• Developments in the implementation of the Code of Practice for the Delivery of Autism Services
• The development of the Autism Wales website
• Developments within the Integrated Autism Service
• Communications Campaigns
• Training and workforce development
• Developments in the Learning About Autism scheme

The report also features the IAS 2021/22 Data Report serving as an additional appendix.

We hope you enjoy reading about the work we have undertaken between April 2021 – March 2022.

Click here to view the Supplementary Annual Report 2021/22.

Exploring Employment Event 2021

On December 3rd, 2021, the National Autism Team held a free virtual employment event called Exploring Employment: How to find and keep the job or career that’s right for you. The event was for Autistic people of working age.

The event was co-produced with an advisory group of 13 Autistic people. The advisory group made all key decisions about the event, including the topics of the workshops, the workshop facilitators, the format of the event and the name of the event.

The event was also developed with a strategic planning group, which included representatives from Welsh Government and higher education institutions, local authorities, Third-sector organisations, and supported employment schemes across Wales.

The event is available to view here.

Supplementary Annual Report 2020-21

The National Autism Team is pleased to publish its Supplementary Annual Report 2020/21.

The report supplements our Annual Report 2018/19 and focuses on:

The launch of the AutismWales website
Collaborative working
Developments within the Integrated Autism Service
Communications Campaigns
Developing virtual training
Developments in the Learning About Autism scheme

The report also features the IAS 2020/21 Data Report serving as an additional appendix.

We hope you enjoy reading about the work we have undertaken between April 2020 – March 2021.

Click here to view the Supplementary Annual Report 2020/21.

Employment Symposium Webinar 2020

The National Autism Team facilitated an employment symposium in partnership with Swansea University, the National Centre for Mental Health (NCMH) (Cardiff University), and Learning Disability Wales (LDW), funded by Welsh Government.

The symposium is aimed at employers, supported employment providers, and key employment staff, and it is available to view here.

Supplementary Annual Report 2019-20

We hope you enjoy reading about the work we have undertaken between April 2019 – March 2020, most of which is collaborative with autistic people, parents/ carers, professionals and the local authority Autism Leads in Wales, and Integrated Autism Services. This is your report as much as ours.

The report includes a preface by newly appointed Eluned Morgan, MS, the Minister for Mental Health, Wellbeing and Welsh Language; sound clips from autistic people, colleagues, and Cllr Huw David, WLGA Spokesperson for Health and Social Care.

We are very pleased to include a substantive compendium of case studies drawn from the work of officers across Wales, as well as professionals and third sector partners… and much more!

Click here to view the Supplementary Annual Report 2019/20.

Click here to view our Case Studies Compendium.

Our Annual Report 2018-19 and Work Plan 2019-20

The National Autism Team is pleased to publish two key documents underpinning the work of the team. The first is an Annual Report for 2018-19 which reflects the work undertaken by the team and by key stakeholders in support of individuals with autism, parents/ carers, and professionals over the past year. The second is a draft work plan for 2019-20.

The Annual Report provides a comprehensive account of the work of the National Autism Team, together with that of the 7 Integrated Autism Services (IASs) and the Local Authority Autism Leads across Wales. Chapters have been presented in the report of key workstreams and the case studies breathe life into the work of the team and more significantly, of the Autism Leads across Wales and the Integrated Autism Services. Looking forward, the Work Plan is an ambitious plan which builds on the foundations of the work in 2018-19. Five core work streams are identified and some of them will not be completed in one year. Some activities are a consolidation of last year’s work and some activities have begun this year. We are confident though that they reflect what our partners and stakeholders have told us needs to get done.

We are particularly grateful to those colleagues and stakeholders across Wales who have been working with us to deliver the outcomes captured in the Annual Report and we look forward to working with them in the coming months to continue to increase awareness and understanding of autism and support individuals and their families and carers.

Click here to view the report:

National Autism Team – Annual Report 2018-19 >

Each year we develop clear work plans. If you wish to view workplans from previous years please see the documents below.

Memorandum of Understanding - WLGA & PHW

The WLGA and PHW have reaffirmed their commitment to collaborative working and joint management of the National Autism Team through a Memorandum of Understanding.
Please click on the document below to download and view.

Memorandum of Understanding – WLGA & PHW >

The Autism engagement and participation strategy 2019 – 2022

We want to ensure that we have the voice of autistic people central to the work of the team. The Engagement and Participation Strategy highlights why and how we do this. The Team actively engage with a wide range of people from the autistic community on a regular and ongoing basis. The participation and engagement process underpins the work of the team. This strategy is aimed at autistic people, their families and carers, professionals, organisations and the wider community. What do you have to do if you want to be involved? Contact the National Autism Team at AutismWales@WLGA.GOV.UK and they can tell you how to get involved. Please click on the document below to download and view.

Conferences 2019 Promoting Autistic Wellbeing - National Autism Wales

The aim of the first National Autism Wales Conference “Promoting Autistic Wellbeing” held on 3 April in Swansea was to increase the wellbeing of autistic adults who are not necessarily in regular contact with public or third sector services but for whom an event about wellbeing and increasing their capacity to cope with day to day life would be a positive thing.

Click this link to visit our conference webpage to find out more.

2020 CAMHS Symposium - Autism, Attachment and trauma – the overlap

The symposium brought together key professionals from across Wales. The aim of the event was to increase the knowledge of the presentation, and impact attachment and trauma and how this relates to autism presentation. This was an initial meeting and the intention is to further develop the awareness, understanding and practice of those working in this area. Click here to view the documents from the event.

National Autism Training Framework for Wales

In response to numerous queries around the content of training for professionals working with individuals with autism, we have developed a training framework to help commissioners plan and implement training.

This framework was initially adapted from The NHS Education for Scotland Autism Training Framework. Optimising Outcomes, (November, 2014). It has been significantly revised by the National Autism Team working group in 2021.

We hope that this will help to support consistency of training across Wales.

Please click on the link below to download and view this framework.

National Autism Training Framework for Wales >

Job Profile and Tasks for the National Autism Training Framework >

National Autism Training Framework for Wales – Guidance for Commissioning Training >

ASD Consultation Summary Report

A consultation exercise took place in 2015 as part of the Welsh Government Strategy update. A large number of autistic people, parent carers, and professionals responded and this help shape and inform the updated strategy and the work of the National Team. A copy of the summary report findings can be found below.

ASD Consultation Summary Report >