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An innovative parent-led organisation today unveiled the first ever Multimedia Support Package for parents and carers of children with Autism.

PEAT (Parents Education As Autism Therapists) launched 'Simple Steps,' a multi-media training and support package funded with a grant of £236,529 from the Big Lottery Fund's Voluntary and Community Sector Programme and a grant of £32,000 from BBC Children in Need.

The multi-media package, which will provide training and guidance to parents who have a child with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), has been designed and produced by parents and professionals to provide information about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA).

'Simple Steps' contains both a hard copy brochure about PEAT and ABA, which is supported by a DVD and a CD-ROM. ABA is the applied branch of the science of behaviour and, when applied to Autism, it has been proven to bring about socially significant change both for the children and their families.

PEAT will distribute 1000 free copies of 'Simple Steps' to parents of children with Autism in Northern Ireland as well as 100 free copies to professionals working with children with Autism.

Around 10,000 children in Northern Ireland suffer from ASD and the figure is rising. Autism, which has a detrimental affect on a child's social interaction, communication and play skills, can also lead to challenging and inappropriate behaviours.

'Simple Steps' aims to empower parents through the use of ABA, giving them the skills base to deal with challenging behaviours, such as tantrums, and to teach their children new skills. ABA also empowers children with the skills to make choices for themselves giving them more independence and a better quality of life.

Dr Tony Byrne, chairperson of PEAT, has two children with autism. He says that parents have initial feelings of devastation and disbelief when their children are diagnosed with Autism. He added: "We then embark on a lonely search for help. Most of us rang every charity we could find, spoke to countless professionals, read books on autism and searched many websites. Wouldn't it have been great if someone had given you a complete comprehensive support package that answered the questions you needed answered."

"It is thanks to funding from The Big Lottery and BBC Children in Need that parents of children with Autism in Northern Ireland now have free access to something that isn't available anywhere else in the world."

The PEAT Charity worked along with Dr Stephen Gallagher and Dr. Mickey Keenan from the University of Ulster's school of Psychology in Coleraine, Dr Karola Dillenburger from Queen's University Belfast and with a local company Manley's Ltd. to produce Simple Steps.

Crossroads Primary School and STARS pre-school in Kilrea played a key role in the project.

For further information and to request a copy of SIMPLE STEPS you should contact the PEAT office on 028 9032 4882, email info@peatni.org or log on to our website at www.peatni.org

Press Call and Photo Opportunity

You are invited to the official launch of Simple Steps in the McWilliam Suite at the Wellington Park Hotel, Belfast, on Tuesday, June 26, 2007 at 10:30am.

Photo opportunity

Present will be project participants and organisers.
For further information contact Andrew Kennedy, Big Lottery Fund Press Office on 07788 640 791 or Dr Tony Byrne, PEAT chairperson on
07970705360

Date Posted: 25/06/2007

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