To ask the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety for his assessment of international standards of Applied Behaviour Analysis training in Northern Ireland; and to detail what consideration has been given to supporting this approach as part of the Autism Strategy.

My Department has not undertaken such an assessment. The Department and the HSC follow the guidelines set out by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) including guidance CG170 on Autism - management of autism in children and young people. This guidance offers evidence-based advice on the care and management of children and young people with autism and does not make specific reference to Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA).

Although my Department recognises that there are a number of interventions for autism, including ABA, it does not advocate any particular approach. This is a decision for clinicians to make, based on individually assessed needs and good practice evidence. HSC Trusts provide a range of individually tailored programmes which are drawn from a wide body of research and evidence and many of these use approaches from the theoretical frameworks which contribute to ABA.

Following assessment, Trusts work collaboratively with children and their families to provide a systemic-based therapeutic intervention, which includes working with children, young people and their families in their communities. Whilst most ABA programmes focus solely on the child, the approach adopted by HSC Trusts means they can work with the child but also the parent (developing supports, effective and consistent parenting strategies, etc) or the school, to support the young person with autism.