Don't Write Me Off - Progress in Northern Ireland

Margaret Ritchie MLA, Minister in the Department for Social Development (DSD) has told the National Autistic Society Northern Ireland that her officials will be looking into the issues raised by Don’t Write Me Off.  Along with the Department for Employment and Learning (DEL), the DSD is the main part of the Government which can make the changes we are asking for in Northern Ireland, so this is great progress!  We will also be meeting staff from the DEL later this month. 

The NAS is making sure that Don’t Write Me Off is on the agenda in the Northern Ireland Assembly!  We will be presenting the issues raised by the campaign to the DEL Committee, an influential group of MLAs, in early 2010 and hope to also be invited to present to the DSD Committee.  

Staff from the NAS also presented the issues to staff working on Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) within the DSD, and have provided some basic information on autism and Asperger syndrome, which was used in training for ESA telephone staff.