The East Antrim MLA said the report provides important independent scrutiny and must now act as a benchmark for improving services.
 
“The role of the Independent Autism Reviewer is incredibly important, and Ema has brought dedication and professionalism to her role, providing independent scrutiny, new statutory accountability and the ability to shine a light on the need for vital services for people with autism and their families,” said Mr Donnelly.
 
“However, this report shows a deeply worrying picture of how disconnected many families feel from the services they rely on, with 90% of respondents reporting they were not listened to when they requested help or raised concerns.
 
“It also highlights that services remain spread across multiple departments and that responsibilities are not always clearly defined or coordinated. Monitoring exists, but current arrangements are not consistently aligned or comparable, which means Ministers cannot yet clearly and consistently demonstrate how commitments are being delivered across the system.
 
“Going forward, I hope this can serve as a benchmark from which we can strive to improve both services and lives, and that we can measure successes and failures to move away from a system that doesn’t work for those who need it most.
 
“The reality is that families are often left doing the work of joining up public services themselves, and that is not how public systems should operate.
 
“Services need to be consistent and built around the people who depend on them, and this report now gives us a clearer understanding of where the system is falling short and where action is needed.
 
“While there is still a long way to go, this report must serve as a catalyst for real change. It is important that these findings are taken seriously and used to deliver real improvements in the lives of people with autism and their families.”