Speaking during a Commons debate on work and welfare, Ceredigion’s Welsh Liberal Democrat MP Mark Williams this week praised the work done by Autism Cymru in providing training at Aberystwyth Jobcentre Plus and encouraged the Government to work with them in providing UK-wide training.
Work and Pensions Minister Kitty Ussher welcomed their work and requested that they get in touch with her department to provide any advice they can on staff training.
During the debate Mr Williams expressed his concern that staff training did not currently cover Autistic Spectrum Disorder and learning disabilities adequately, though he welcomed the steps that have been taken to improve this situation.
Commenting, Mark Williams said: "Autism Cymru have done a lot of excellent work in this area, and I am pleased that the Minister indicated that she was keen to hear more.
"At the moment, appropriate training on autism and learning difficulties is far too patchy. Some Jobcentres can respond to autistic clients, but others have very little knowledge whatsoever.
"There needs to be a systematic approach to this kind of training which covers all Jobcentre Plus offices across the country, and I am pleased that the Government are moving towards that.
"Many people with autism find contacting Jobcentre Plus to be a very unpleasant experience, and if we are truly to make the most of these people’s talents we need to ensure that staff have the relevant expertise to deal with them."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article