National Autism Awareness Week launches in London

Representatives of the Autism Alliance UK have launched this year’s National Autism Awareness Week in London’s Parliament Square, and taken letters from parents and carers of children and adults with autism to No 10 Downing Street.

The aim of this year’s campaign is to raise public awareness of the lack of effective planning and poor use of resources by public sector commissioners to provide adequate education and support services for children and adults with autism and Asperger’s Syndrome.

Autism Alliance UK member charities have encouraged carers and parents to write to their local commissioners of children and adult services, education authorities and primary care trusts challenging them to demonstrate how their service commissioning plans meet the needs of people with autism. 

Carers and parents of adults and children with autism and Asperger’s Syndrome have written letters to the Prime Minister, Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP, calling on him to make a commitment to address this failing of a very vulnerable group of society.

Jane Asher, President of the National Autistic Society, has also written to editors of national and regional newspapers in support of the Autism Alliance UK’s campaign.

Pauline Quan Arrow, Chairman of the Autism Alliance UK says:  “Autism is a lifelong disability and getting the right help and support from people who understand can make a real difference to the lives of those affected and to their families. Many people with autism will need informed support or care to achieve a level of independence and to enjoy a good quality of life. Despite growing awareness of autism, good planning of appropriate services remains sporadic across the UK and too many people with autism are not getting the services they need. We want every local authority area to develop plans for meeting the needs of those with autism living in the communities for which they are responsible. ”

More than one in every 100 people is affected by autism, that’s around 600,000 people in the UK.  People with high functioning autism or Asperger’s Syndrome are as vulnerable as those who are more severely disabled. The lifetime costs of educating and supporting a person with autism can be very high. But with early intervention, appropriate education and effective autism focussed support to people with autism and their families, those lifetime costs can be reduced.