Hannah is a Happiness Hero
This summer, the National Autistic Society’s is celebrating people across the UK who play a huge role in helping children with autism lead happy and healthy lives.
Local CAF family support worker, Hannah Frost, from Warwickshire County Council, has been nominated as one of the NAS Happiness Heroes, by Julie Thomas from Kenilworth, whose five year old son Jack is on the autism spectrum.
Happiness Heroes is part of the NAS’s You Need to Know campaign, which highlights how over 70%* of children with autism in England also have a mental health problem, often due to the lack of appropriate support. The Happiness Heroes scheme aims to commend people who make a positive difference by helping to prevent these problems from developing in the first place.
Hannah started working with Jack 18 months ago after Julie had a new baby, as Julie was unable to take both children out due to Jack’s unpredictable behaviour where he would often run off without warning. Hannah visits the family on a weekly basis and accompanies them on trips to the park and the library in an effort to build Jack’s social skills and his road safety awareness.
Julie said: “Hannah has been a godsend for Jack and for myself. Nothing is ever too much trouble for her and she has helped us through some very difficult times. She always provides a listening ear and useful advice at times when we have felt most isolated. Jack now sees Hannah as a close friend and when the day comes that Hannah has to move on to work with someone else, Jack will miss her friendship terribly. Hannah also meets regularly with the school and all of the health professionals involved with Jack to ensure that he continues to develop and make the best of his home and school life”.
Hannah said: “I’m so pleased to have been involved in Jack’s life and have helped him and Julie through some difficult times. I have noticed a massive difference with Jack since I have been working with the family. He has now settled into school and has had a successful first year. He has also joined a local rugby team and really enjoyed his first season. Julie is now able to take Jack to the park with his friends and he will happily play with them on the swings or with a football. He has also had friends to play at his house and he is starting to go and play at other people’s homes, which is fantastic”.
Mark Lever, chief executive of the NAS said; “We know that many children with autism aren’t able to get the support they need to fulfil their full potential. That’s why we’re delighted to be able to celebrate the work of people like Hannah. The right help at the right time can make an enormous difference to the lives of children with autism”.
The NAS is calling on other local children and families affected by autism to nominate their own Happiness Hero. It could be a mental health professional, teacher, youth group worker or any individual who has made a positive difference to the life of a child with autism. For more information, visit http://www.autism.org.uk/youneedtoknow.