Autistic children and young people in our communities who have some of the highest levels of need are being denied support. These include children and young people who do not use speech and need round-the-clock support. Without it, they might become incredibly distressed, leading to harm to themselves or others. Families can be pushed to the brink, trying to fill in the gaps of support and are being denied access to short breaks because no places are available. The health and social care system should support any autistic child when they need it. But there is a comprehensive failure of the system to give these children support.

Short breaks support is woefully inadequate across Northern Ireland and it is those requiring the highest level of support who cannot access appropriate services. Many short break services have been repurposed as full-time residential homes as families have hit crisis. But even so, there are currently no available residential placements in Northern Ireland.

With the repurposing of respite centres, more families are hitting crisis and so the vicious circle continues. The Department of Health and the Health and Social Care Trusts are failing in their duty of care to these children, young people and their families. They have failed to plan and commission appropriate services and the most vulnerable in our society are forgotten.

It’s time for this to change. It’s time for Northern Ireland to work for autistic children.