CHILDREN with suspected autism are facing lengthy waits to be diagnosed in York - with one mum telling how her daughter has been on a waiting list for almost two years.

Nearly 400 people have signed an online petition calling for an urgent review of autistic services in York, stating that "parents feel isolated and helpless and most importantly those needing support don't receive the help they so desperately need."

Concerns about waiting times in York have been raised as an NHS report has warned families with children aged five to 18 are on long waiting lists, causing 'strain and anxiety for families' as many can't get the specialist support they need in school and other settings.

Under NHS guidelines, children or adults in England who are thought to be autistic are meant to be assessed within three months but figures for last year showed children in York were waiting an average of nine months from GP referral to being seen for a first appointment.

For mum-of-four Becky Warboys, from Huntington, delays in the assessment process - which has so far involved numerous meetings and appointments - have meant her children have struggled to access the support they need in school.

She said she believes three of her children are on the autistic spectrum but only one, her nine-year-old son Jamie, has been formally diagnosed as having severe autism. This has meant he is currently thriving at the specialist Haxby Road Enhanced Resource Provision.

But her two daughters remain on lengthy waiting lists to see a specialist, with Beth, 16, waiting almost two years for a formal diagnosis for her suspected Asperger syndrome, and unsure whether she can apply for university, as a lack of formal diagnosis means she won't get the support she needs. Meanwhile Millie, 14, is being educated at home and without a formal diagnosis for Asperger syndrome she cannot receive the necessary support at school, Becky said.

She said: "It's just frustrating. You need to be able to move forward. My girls are teenagers and they want to know. It causes them great angst. They want to be able to explain their diagnosis.

"It's awful the waits are so long. They need that knowledge on paper and I need it to get the help they need in the future."

In November there were about 195 children and young people in York who had already had an initial assessment awaiting a full assessment, Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) said.

A report to its governing body explained that the mental health trust Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV) was investing an additional £50k a year into the service and the CCG had invested £90,000 this year to allow for extra assessments. An action plan, including improvements in triage, should mean the waiting lists drop, the report states.

Tim Nicholls, head of policy at the National Autistic Society, said: “Far too many autistic people have to wait many months, sometimes even years for a diagnosis and support, just because of the poor or overstretched services where they live.

“Many autistic people and parents describe their diagnosis as life changing. It can explain why someone has always felt different, help them access vital support and enable people to take control of their lives. Long waits can be traumatic for autistic people and their families who are often desperate for help and at risk of developing mental health problems.

“NHS England’s Long Term Plan was published this week and promised to drive down diagnosis waiting times for autistic children and young people. NHS England and the Government must hold each area of the country, including York, to account and give them resources they need.”

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