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In this issue…
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Spring/Summer 2010
Dear TreeHouse supporters
I am delighted to introduce to you our spring/summer newsletter, my first since joining TreeHouse last November, and to share our news and plans. Thank you so much for your continued interest and for your shared ambition to enable children and young people to learn, thrive and fulfil their potential. It has been particularly rewarding to meet supporters over the last six months and to share ideas on how we can take TreeHouse forward.
In the last three months, we have launched a number of major developments including a programme to develop our transition work, and our new “Talk about Autism” campaign, supported by TalkTalk which aims to increase public understanding of autism.
Although many more people are aware of autism, we know that real understanding of what autism is and how it affects children and young people is still poor and, importantly, this has an impact on the everyday lives of families who are directly affected by autism.
Our TreeHouse Talk about Autism survey revealed that 58% of parents and carers of children with autism have been openly criticised by members of the public for their child’s behaviour and 87% feel unsupported by their community. Also 32% of parents reported that their child had been excluded from a recreational club or activity due to their autism. A YouGov survey commissioned by TreeHouse also revealed that more than a quarter of the general public still believe that children with autism are “badly behaved”. The campaign is being supported by author Nick Hornby and musician and actor Keith Duffy, who are both fathers to a child with autism.
We are now working to develop TreeHouse’s new strategy, which we will launch later in 2010. As part of this work we were delighted to welcome parents and carers from across the UK for our first Parents and Carers Day. The day gave everyone the chance to share ideas, views and to influence future plans.
Further information about Talk about Autism and details of how to get involved are on the back page of this newsletter and on talkaboutautism.org.uk.
I hope you enjoy reading our achievements and plans.
Jolanta Lasota
TreeHouse Chief Executive
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