A contract with an autism charity to provide support to families in the immediate aftermath of their child's diagnosis with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has been terminated "out of the blue" by the Western Health Trust.

More that 300 families in the western area were helped through the Parent to Parent family support service, delivered by the charity Autism NI through its contract with the Western Trust.

A Director for the Family Support service for Autism NI fears the charity may not be looked on favourably by the Trust after it gave evidence in a High Court case last year. The Trust was found to have breached its duty to carry out carers' assessments of families with children with autism.

However, Mr. Kieran Downey, Western Trust Assistant Director Children's Mental Health and Disability, refutes the suggestion. He said: "The Western Trust's decision to end the contract with Autism NI is solely based on the Trust's desire to provide more direct support services for families living with Autistic Spectrum Disorder".

The front-line service gave support to families coming to terms with the diagnosis of ASD. Autism is a lifelong disability which affects the way an individual relates to people, situations and the immediate environment. There is no known cure, but there are many ways to help. The term Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is used because Autism varies from person to person. Around 25 per cent of people with ASD will have an accompanying learning disability.

The service began in September 2008. As a result of the contract being terminated, two part time Autism Resource Officers have been let go. One of them worked in the Fermanagh area.

An appeal for a reversal of the decision has been unsuccessful.

Ms. Paula Hanratty, Director - Family Support, Autism NI, said: "The service was evaluated at the beginning of this year. It was a very positive evaluation. In January the Trust asked us to begin to work with them on re-modelling the contract. Then out of the blue we were told the contract was being terminated. Obviously we had to lay off staff." "It was a great loss for families. It is a very difficult time when you get a diagnosis. The staff were also parents with children with autism and they had empathy with the families.

"The Trust has said several things. One is they are intending to re-tender the contract, which obviously raises the issue about the gap in provision. They also said they were making provision with summer schemes and respite. But these do not support parents' needs post-diagnosis. It is a much more complex need for support rather than respite," she said.

In September last year, High Court Judge Justice Treacy found the Western Trust had breached its duty to carry out assessments of 40 parents who require help looking after children on the autistic spectrum.

"Our concern was that we were the only autism charity that gave evidence and an affidavit as part of the Justice Treacy case against the Western Trust. Our concern was that we were not looked on favourably as a result of that. Our concern was that we were not looked on favourably because of that," she said.

"Our concern is also in relation to consultation with families within the Western Trust area. It was a big shock to families. They were not asked do they still need this service. There wasn't an independent and thorough consultation in relation to the termination of the contract, particularly given that it had such a positive evaluation," said Ms. Hanratty.

One per cent of children are diagnosed with ASD. Diagnosis has increased by 500 per cent in the last five years. "This has put a huge strain on the existing service in the west," she said.

Autism NI has also supported families with children with autism in other ways. In 2004 Autism NI secured funding from Children's Fund to assist the Trust to establish an Early Intervention Service. Since that time, Autism NI has secured and invested nearly £550,000 additional funding into the Trust area to meet the needs of families affected by ASD.

Mr. Downey said the Trust committed to development of autism services.

"The Trust is committed to broadening and strengthening the range of support services for families and there is no planned reduction in funding for autism services.

"In the interests of providing more direct family support and intervention the Trust is remodelling how support is being provided. The contract the Trust had with Autism NI was primarily to provide an information and advice service. This contract was ended on 25 June 2011 after a three months' notice period.

"The Trust will be using the full funding value of this contract to tender for direct family support and intervention services to meet the needs of families. Plans for the redesign of provision were developed in partnership with the Autistic Spectrum Disorder Reference Group to ensure that the Trust took account of user and carer perspectives. The contract specification has been completed and is proceeding to procurement, with a competitive tendering process anticipated in the coming weeks.

"The Western Trust is providing an extensive programme of more than 200 family support activity placements during the summer across the Trust area, including placements in Fermanagh. The range and scope of the provision is very exciting and arises from an opportunity to access additional funding from the European Union INTERREG IVA programme, through the Co-operation and Working Together cross border health and social care initiative."