An Update on the Spectrum 10K Consultation

On 31st October, Hopkins Van Mil (HVM), independent facilitators, concluded Phase 2 of the Spectrum 10K consultation. The purpose of Phase 2 was to co-design the Phase 3 consultation with autistic people. Phase 2 involved discussions and activities in workshops, in a dedicated online space, in one-to-one interviews and in meetings. The people who took part were:

  • 95 autistic people including some who had a learning disability and some who are parents of autistic children

  • 16 non-autistic parents/ carers of autistic people

  • The Spectrum 10K team, who met with co-leads Leneh Buckle and Henrietta Hopkins of Hopkins Van Mil, to review and discuss the findings of the activities described above. 

The Hopkins Van Mil team, including Leneh Buckle, are now reviewing everything that was said in Phase 2. HVM will draft a report by mid-November. The report will contain the recommendations from those who took part in Phase 2 on how the consultation should be run and designed. It will also contain a fuller explanation of what was discussed during Phase 2.

The next steps for the consultation (Phase 3) are:

1. Publish the Phase 2 report:

  • 15th November: HVM will share the draft report with Spectrum 10K

  • 21st November: HVM will share the draft report with all those who took part in Phase 2 to ensure it reflects their views properly.

  • Week commencing 5th December: HVM will integrate the comments and amendments received on the draft report

  • 9th December: the final Phase 2 report will be published on the HVM and Spectrum 10K websites

2. Plan, publicise and launch Phase 3

  • From 21st November: the consultation process will be planned in detail by the HVM and Spectrum 10K teams using the findings from this report.

  • At the same time the consultation will be publicised so that all those who wish to take part can do so in the way that best suits them.

  • To give the planning and publicity phase appropriate time, the consultation itself will take place from mid-January to the end of February next year, 2023.

For further information, please email consultation@hopkinsvanmil.co.uk. HVM and Spectrum 10K will share further details about how to take part in Phase 3 towards the end of November.

Consultation timeline

Louis Mylne