The Autism Advisory Council was launched today, on World Autism Day, by the Parliamentary Secretary for Persons with Disability and Active Ageing, Anthony Agius Decelis.
Agius Decelis said the aim of the council is to draft a national strategy on autism within a year and then monitor and update the strategy in the years to come.
The Parliamentary Secretary said there are several countries that have an autism strategy or are in the process of drafting one, but Malta's strategy will be unique in that it will be based around the concept of empowerment.
The national law on autism, called the Persons within the Autism Spectrum (Empowerment) Act, provides for the autism advisory council and also lays down the framework and guidelines for the national strategy. This is what makes the Maltese model unique, he said.
Agius Decelis said people diagnosed with autism are no different than others. Not all people within the autism spectrum have the same needs and all people involved, including the people living with the condition, the relatives, the professionals and the politicians, are important.
The council is made up of civil servants, professionals, academics, and people from civil society, including people who are autistic.
The council is chaired by Dr Alistair De Gaetano, who gave a brief overview of its structure and role. Apart from drafting a national autism strategy, the council will also advise the government and assist it in various sectors, including lifelong learning and gaining personal autonomy, therapeutic interventions and equal opportunities.
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