CABINET members are set to approve £500,000 in funding to help reduce waiting times for an autism assessment - after it was revealed more than 1,600 are on the list with some waiting for more than three years.
On January 7, councillors will meet to repurpose the funding which is currently held in corporate reserves.
It’s hoped that the £500,000 will build additional capacity within the Autism Spectrum Disorder Assessment Team (ASDAT) team and to insource a provider within Barnsley Hospital.
The council is procuring a service which will be managed by the hospital to undertake assessments of a targeted cohort of children and young people.
A report, which will be discussed by councillor, states that there is a gap in capacity for assessments.
It said: “Over the past two decades demand for autism assessments in England has exponentially increased, driven by greater awareness of the condition and population growth.
“However, investment capacity has not kept pace with the growing change, leading to a gap in capacity.
“Nationally, the increase in the number of children and young people on the waiting list has led to unsustainable levels across the country and many areas and services exceeding the recommended NICE guidelines from referral to assessment.
“With demand continuing to rise, and capacity remaining static, the gap between need and provision is widening.
“The ASDAT team were initially commissioned to assess 25 children and young people per month.
“The average monthly referrals (over the last 12 months) is now 64 referrals a month, with an average of 39 assessments being completed on a monthly basis.
“The current number of children waiting on the waiting list as of August 2025 was 1,689 with the longest waits just over three years.
“The growth in the waiting list in Barnsley highlights the challenge not only for individuals and their families but for ASDAT service.”
The aim is for the plan to support children who are facing the most significant transition points.
There are currently 99 children who are set to attend secondary school waiting for an assessment, while there are 96 set to go to college.
A total of 72 youngsters are also waiting to move into higher education, work or independence.
The report added: “Targeting the children and young people in key phase transitions will hopefully result in them being less distressed and see a reduced reliance on additional services.
“The decision to look at these transition points have been prioritised over addressing long waits alone.
“However, a significant proportion of those identified have already been waiting between one and three years for an assessment.
“The proposal in this report represents the best option for supporting to reduce the waiting list for the children at crucial time in their education.
“Alternative groups were considered but both NHS best practice guidance and SEND legislation agree additional consideration and planning is needed for times of transition.”
