Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru	National Assembly for Wales
Bil Awtistiaeth (Cymru) drafft	Draft Autism (Wales) Bill
Llythyr Ymgynghori DAB22	Consultation Letter DAB22
Ymateb gan Pobl yn Gyntaf Sir Benfro	Evidence from Pembrokeshire People First

On behalf of the members of Pembrokeshire People First, I would like the following to be added to the responses to the above consultation.

We are very disappointed that the bill uses the terminology "Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)" and not Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC).

The use of the word "disorder" implants the concept of the medical model of disability - ie that it's the disability that's the problem, and the person who has it who needs to be treated or adapt. The more forward-thinking (and widely accepted) model is the social model - that it is society that needs to adapt to enable individuals to take a full role in their communities. I feel that the ethos of the Bill seeks to achieve exactly that.

As a member-led organisation, we see first hand that individuals on the autistic spectrum are not "disordered" - as with all of us, they have unique and differing contributions to make.

ASC as opposed to ASD is becoming increasingly used as the mainstream terminology, and I would ask you to consider this in final drafting.