Autism charity launches local campaign for children in Warwickshire
The National Autistic Society (NAS) will launch its You Need To Know (YNTK) campaign next week, aiming to improve the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS). Currently only a third of parents of children with autism believe CAMHS has improved the mental health of their child.
The launch event will take place between 10.00am and 1.00pm at Exhall Grange School on Monday 28 March 2011. The NAS has an Autism Resource Centre base at the school
Over 70 per cent of children with autism have a mental health problem, such as depression, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and other anxiety disorders, despite the fact that many of these problems are preventable. Autism is a complex disability and so when mental health problems do develop in children with the condition they are much harder to recognise, diagnose and treat without appropriate knowledge. Tragically, they are often dismissed as an unfortunate, but unavoidable side effect of having autism.
Sharlene Davis, NAS Regional Officer said: “Too many children with autism are developing preventable mental health problems and find themselves unable to get help or up against a system that doesn’t understand them or their needs. Parents and professionals alike are crying out for more autism support, and local authorities in the area must ensure this support is available in every area and that mental health professionals receive adequate training. If this doesn’t happen, they risk failing thousands of children and their families”.
“I hope the You Need To Know campaign will encourage more awareness, tolerance and understanding of autism and the different ways in which it affects individuals so that schools and workplaces are also able to put adequate support networks in place, and consequently reduce the number of children and young people suffering from mental health problems”.
The launch will be attended by parents of children with autism living in the region as well as national NAS representatives and Children and Adult Mental Health (CAMHS) professionals. It will also be an opportunity for people who have been nominated as autism ‘Happiness Heroes’ to be provided with their certificates.
Julie Thomas from Kenilworth who has a six year old son with autism has nominated Hannah Frost, a Family Support Worker who lives in Warwick and works for Warwickshire County Council. She said: “Hannah worked with Jack for 18 months after I had just had my second child, to help him to get used to the transition which is often quite difficult for children with autism. She worked with him on aspects of safety and also did exercises to help him understand his own feelings and also the effects of his actions on others. More than that though she became a real friend, someone he could trust, someone he felt safe with and could share his feelings with. Every week without fail, she would leave Jack smiling having had the opportunity to do things he wouldn’t usually be able to manage. She still keeps in touch with phone calls and emails and Jack really misses her.”
The NAS is calling on supporters in the area to take action by contacting local decision-makers to make them aware of the YNTK campaign. You can email your local MP by visiting the following page on our website http://www.autism.org.uk/whatyoucando.