The government and the Opposition yesterday expressed their intent to support the Persons Within the Autism Spectrum Empowerment Bill.
Opening the debate, Parliamentary Secretary for the Rights of Persons with Disability Justyne Caruana said the goal of the Bill was to empower persons within the autism spectrum.
Shadow social minister Paula Mifsud Bonnici underscored that rather than focusing on problems, Parliament’s approach should be centred on persons within the autism spectrum and their families.
The Bill should empower these persons by promoting their participation and inclusion in society, improving their living conditions and providing for their well-being and their health.
Bill seeks to promote participation
Both sides agreed that the current fragmentation of services should be addressed. The Autism Advisory Council is a key component of the Bill debated in Parliament.
Set up by the Social Affairs Minister following consultation with the Parliament’s Social Affairs Committee, the council would be responsible to develop the National State Plan on Autism.
This plan should aim at raising awareness on the autism spectrum disorder, coordinate programmes and empower persons affected by autism and their families.
Other matters to be dealt with by this national plan include family engagement and involvement, early identification and intervention services, educational support and services, access to sports and leisure, adult support and services, training and professional and personal development.
The proposed law provides that the advisory council should be composed of 11 members. The directors of the health, education and social welfare departments and the deans of the faculties for social well-being, medicine and surgery, and education at the University of Malta would be ex officio members.
The other members of the council should also include three representatives of non-governmental organisations working within the autism spectrum, of which at least one should be an adult with autism.
In Malta, 400 children were diagnosed with autism by the Child Development Assessment Unit over the last 10 years, reflecting international statistics.