New Shropshire Universal Autism Support Service Announced

24/03/2025

Shropshire Council have announced that the national charity Kids, have been awarded the contract to deliver the Shropshire Universal Autism Support Service from 1^st April 2025.  This is the service previously delivered by Autism West Midlands.

See the press release here

Kids will continue to offer support to families without the need for a formal diagnosis and positively the age range for the service has been increased by 1 year to 0-19 years.  The services will also provide training for Shropshire practitioners to increase the understanding of autism and how to effectively support autistic children and young people and their families. A new and welcomed element of the service is specific support for parent carer wellbeing and mental health through the Healthy Parent Carer Programme.

While there are positives about the service development PACC understands that a change in an established service provider is always unsettling for SEND families, especially where trusted relationships have been formed over many years.  It is important that there is transparency around such decision making, along with regular and clear communication through the process.  PACC has raised concerns with Shropshire Council that this didn’t happen in this case and that many Shropshire SEND families have expressed distress over this.

Further details about the new offer from Kids are available on their website https://www.kids.org.uk/services/shropshire-universal-autism-support-service/

There are also contact details available if you have any specific questions about the new service.

PACC will continue to work with Shropshire Commissioners and senior decision makers to understand what this commissioning decision means for SEND families and will encourage improved communications about the move to the new service provider and what families should expect.