AET granted extra £35,000
23/01/08
The Autism Education Trust (AET), which was launched in November 2007, has been granted an additional £35,000 by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) to extend its work programme in the first year.
The extra money is in addition to the initial start-up funds of £125,000 granted by the DCSF in July last year as part of its commitment to improving education for children with special educational needs.
Schools Minister Andrew Adonis said;
“Improving the life chances of children with special educational needs and disabilities is an absolute priority for this Government.
“Having a disability like autism should not be a barrier to education, safety and achievement. The voluntary and community sector play a crucial role in supporting children with autism and their families, and that is why we are giving the Autism Education Trust a further £35,000 on top of the £125,000 we have already provided.”
Ian Wylie, Chair of the AET Steering Group, is delighted with the additional support and excited about the prospect of reaching more people through AET projects. He said;
“This extra funding will enable us to engage specifically with groups of people who are, by definition, more complicated to reach, such as those from BME communities and non-verbal children on the spectrum. It is essential that autism awareness and support is improved across the range of ages, diagnoses and locations throughout England. The Autism Education Trust relies on the support of the raft of existing organisations dedicated to supporting children and young people with autism .”
The AET is an organisation dedicated to improving the educational experience of the estimated 106,000 children with autism in the UK. It aims to provide voluntary, independent and statutory education service providers with information, training and support. It will create a platform to involve young people with autism and their families and carers in planning and developing autism education provision. In addition it will map existing provision across all local authorities in England and identify gaps in knowledge and support.
The additional funding will be spent in four key areas:
1. Development of an independent website for the AET. At present its online presence is hosted by The National Autistic Society, one of its founding organisations, but a stand-alone website is essential to secure the independence of the AET and to develop more interactive tools such as online discussion forums and communities.
2. Additional research to evaluate autism information given on local authority websites in England. This would examine content, consider the ease of finding information and analyse similarities and differences.
3. Specific work to ensure children and young people from BME communities are informed about and involved in the work of the AET.
4. Specific work to involve non-verbal children and young people in the work of the AET through art / drama / music therapy sessions at regional events to promote the work of the AET and engage parents, siblings and young people with autism.
For more information about the Autism Education Trust or to become involved in its work, email Project Manager Judith Kerem or call 07795 667749.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
For further information and to arrange interviews please contact:
Jennie Spears: 07944 552634
Romany Simon: 07793 403107
Further information about the AET can be found online
The AET is hosted in its first year by The National Autistic Society.
The AET Steering Group is chaired by Ian Wylie, CEO of TreeHouse.
The Council for Disabled Children is providing guidance to the AET Steering Group.
The National Autistic Society is the UK's leading charity for people with autistic spectrum disorders and their families. Founded in 1962, it continues to spearhead national and international initiatives and provide a strong voice for all people with autism. The NAS provides a wide range of services to help people with autism and Asperger syndrome live their lives with as much independence as possible. To find out more click here.
TreeHouse is the national charity for autism education. Their vision is to transform through education the lives of children with autism and the lives of their families. Established in 1997 by a group of parents, TreeHouse runs a school for children and young people with autism and campaigns for better autism education nationally. They undertake policy and parliamentary work and research to ensure autism is a national priority, support parents to campaign locally and offer training and consultancy on autism education. To find out more click here.
The Council for Disabled Children (CDC) is the umbrella body for the disabled children’s sector in England, with links to the other UK nations. CDC works to influence national policy that impacts upon disabled children and children with SEN and their families. CDC is a semi-independent council of the National Children’s Bureau, and has a small staff team reporting to its Director. The CDC Council is made up of a wide range of professional, voluntary and statutory organisations, including parent representatives and representatives of disabled people. CDC’s broad based membership and extensive network of contacts provides a unique overview of current issues. It also helps us promote collaborative and partnership working among organisations. To find out more click here.