Purpose

Neurodivergent people are over-represented in the criminal justice system and are more likely to become victims of crime.

The GM Health and Justice strategy January 2020- December 2024 aimed to bring together health, social care and criminal justice services to work together and co-design a programme to develop best practice and pathways that appropriately identify and support offenders and victims who have a learning, autistic spectrum or communication/speech and language issues.

The Greater Manchester Autism Strategy published in April 2019 identified that people with autism do not always get the reasonable adjustments needed within the criminal justice system.

The GM Learning Disability strategy published in 2018 also identified this work as a priority.

Over the last 4 years the work of the Learning Disability and Autism Steering group has raised the profile of neurodiversity in the criminal justice system, ensuring consideration is given in the development of strategies, including the Violence Reduction Action plan & the Gender-Based Violence Strategy and influencing the specifications for the Greater Manchester Integrated Rehabilitation Service – commissioned services and supporting the development of the Liaison and Diversion Service review.

The Police and Crime plan highlights the importance of considering marginalised groups and matters of equality. It also talks about issues of communication/broken relationships between Police and disabled people (+ LGBT people who we know are much more likely to be neurodiverse than heterosexual groups).

It is proposed that Greater Manchester Autism Consortium (GMAC) over the next 12 months work with the Safer and Stronger Communities team to continue to develop an approach to ensuring that the Safer and Stronger Communities Business Plan and workstreams are addressing the needs of those who are neurodivergent.

This will be done by Strategic consultancy: understanding the links between criminal justice and neurodiversity/special needs, both on the side of victims and perpetrators, is essential to better support adults and young people, who are neurodivergent.

Decision

To grant fund National Autistic Society £40,000 on behalf of the Greater Manchester Autism Consortium to work with the Safer and Stronger Communities team to develop an approach to ensuring that the Safer and Stronger Communities Business Plan through the delivery of the GM Police and Crime Plan and relevant sub strategies ensure that the needs of neurodivergent people are considered. Between 01/04/26 to 31/03/27