Simon Burns MP
Minister of State for Health
Richmond House
79 Whitehall
London SW1A 2NS

13 July 2010

Dear Simon,

Autism

Autism is not a mental health problem but, shockingly, as many as 71% of children with autism develop mental health problems, such as depression and obsessive compulsive disorders. This is in no way inevitable, and with the right support children with autism can enjoy good mental health, just as anyone else can.

Many constituents who have regular contact with children with autism have written to me about the acute frustrations the condition brings about and about what action they think is needed to give children and carers better support. I am therefore backing the National Autistic Society's campaign:

- for all staff working within Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) to have basic training in autism;
- for specialist autism capacity to be available within all CAMHS;
- for intelligent local planning, based on an accurate picture of the needs of the local community, with families and frontline professionals empowered to take part in this process.

I look forward to learning what you are doing to this end and to guarantee a fairer deal for young people with autism.

Yours sincerely,

Caroline Lucas, MP, Brighton Pavilion

Read the Department of Health's reply