Public Policy Document

The National Autism Policy was issued in 2021. The policy provides an integrated system of procedures and unified standards to offer more accessible services to individuals with autism and their parents. It includes training and enhancing the efficiency of specialized staff working in dedicated centers, improving the quality of the healthcare environment, raising community awareness about autism spectrum disorder, and facilitating the integration of individuals with autism into both public and private education, ensuring their participation in various fields. 
This policy aligns with the wise leadership's vision to empower People of Determination and is part of the UAE Federal Government's efforts to support People of Determination and the community at large through policies and legislations. It aims to support and empower individuals with autism and their parents across different age groups through early detection, accurate diagnosis, and clear educational pathways that meet their individual needs at different stages of education, work, and public life. This leads to their integration and stability in society, enhances their quality of life, and provides reasonable considerations for individuals with autism to access health, education, vocational rehabilitation, employment, and public life on an equal basis with others.

1. Empower individuals with autism and enhance their quality of life in the community through a clear national policy.
2. Standardize procedures among related entities and service providers for individuals with autism to ensure accurate diagnosis and quality rehabilitation.
3. Adopt unified diagnostic standards.
4. Provide clear educational and vocational pathways for individuals with autism.
5. Ensure reasonable considerations for individuals with autism to access health, education, vocational rehabilitation, employment, and public life on an equal basis with others.
6. Raise community awareness about autism spectrum disorder.
7. Provide trained and qualified national personnel to diagnose and rehabilitate individuals with autism at different age groups.
    

1. Provide early detection and accurate diagnosis services for individuals with autism using specific and reliable diagnostic tools by qualified specialists.
2. Provide comprehensive health services tailored to the individual needs of individuals with autism by specialists trained to interact and communicate with them.
3. Train qualified specialists to offer educational, rehabilitative, and treatment services to individuals with autism, ensuring both quantity and quality in each specialty.
4. Facilitate access for individuals with autism to both public and private education at various levels, ensuring necessary support for their educational adaptation.
5. Facilitate access for individuals with autism to various societal, sports, cultural, and employment fields, ensuring their social integration.

1. A clear national policy to empower individuals with autism and improved quality of life within the community.
2. Standardized procedures among relevant entities and service providers for individuals with autism ensuring accurate diagnosis and quality rehabilitation. 
3. Highly trained national staff to diagnose and rehabilitate individuals with autism at various stages of life.
4. Clear educational and vocational pathways for individuals with autism.
5. Fair and easy access of individuals with autism to healthcare services, education pathways, vocational training, employment opportunities, and public life.
6. Support and empowerment for families of individuals with autism and to cater to the needs of their children across different age groups.
7. Specific awareness channels to provide reliable and updated information about autism, to families and society at large.

Individuals with autism, their families and community members.