Dr. ?ine Roddy:

I would definitely increase training and awareness among health professionals about the needs of autistic people. From what parents reported, when they eventually got access to services, some expressed great frustration about the lack of understanding and awareness about autism. They waited for so long to get an appointment and when they eventually reached it, they may not have been satisfied with the service. Others reported that they were satisfied, so I was balanced in my reporting. Greater awareness and training are needed. There is controversy when, for example, a health professional or professional in an educational setting has more autism-specific training, which is considered best practice, but others disagree and say that we should move towards a general disability model. The autistic community considers there is a requirement for more awareness of their particular needs.