McGrath says Autism report exposes failure to turn promises into reality
SDLP Opposition Health Spokesperson Colin McGrath MLA has said a new report from the Independent Autism Reviewer confirms that autism services in Northern Ireland are failing to deliver in practice despite years of commitments.
Colin McGrath MLA said: “This report lays it out in black and white: we have the laws, we have the strategies, but we simply do not have delivery.
“For too many autistic people and their families, services are fragmented, inconsistent and difficult to navigate.
“They are being left to piece together support themselves, and that is completely unacceptable.
“What is particularly concerning is that government cannot even clearly demonstrate whether it is delivering on its own commitments.
“When monitoring is weak and responsibilities are unclear, accountability disappears and it is families who pay the price.
“The findings around transition into adulthood are especially stark. Young people are effectively falling off a cliff edge between services, with no clear pathway and no single Department taking ownership.
“We are also seeing serious issues in education, respite provision and safeguarding – all pointing to the same underlying problem: a system that is not joined up and not working as it should.
“This report backs up what families have been saying for years. It is not a lack of policy, it is a failure of implementation.
“The Health Minister now needs to step up, take ownership and drive proper cross-government coordination. That means clear responsibility, proper data, and real accountability for outcomes.
“Autistic people and their families deserve more than warm words and strategies, they deserve a system that actually works.”
