We are a registered charity and affiliated to the National Autistic Society. The Action for Autistic Spectrum Disorders Mission Statement is:

'Action for Autistic Spectrum Disorders' works to help people with autistic spectrum disorders live their lives with as much independence as possible by offering advice and support to all who need it.

'Action for Autistic Spectrum Disorders' has two specific objectives in support of our Mission Statement. Our first objective is:

1) To relive persons who are diagnosed as suffering from an autistic spectrum disorder or other pervasive development disorders by the provision of support and assistance to such persons and their families and carers. To meet this first objective, Action for Autistic Spectrum Disorders provides the following:

• Our Committee is made up of 90% parents of children with an ASD.

• We provide information about specialist services available.

• We encourage our children to socialize and we establish links between our families.

• We help members through the education maze and provide information about social security and other such benefits.

• We provide a telephone help line. It is one of our main aims to offer emotional support by listening and sharing our experiences and providing practical advice and solutions.

• We have monthly coffee mornings at the Action for ASD office.

• We arrange regular social events to develop friendships and mutual support among our members, by this we mean the persons affected by Autistic spectrum disorders, and their parents, carers and siblings. These events provide the families opportunities to establish links with other families and to give siblings the benefit of enjoyable times together. These events also encourage our children to socialize in a safe controlled environment. These events include Bowling nights and a Saturday Club and many more events.

Our second objective is:

2. To increase public awareness regarding the problems and circumstances of people with autistic spectrum disorders or any pervasive development disorder and their families and carers and to encourage acceptance in the community. To meet this second objective, 'Action for Autistic Spectrum Disorders' does the following:

• It is one of the main values of our organisation that knowledge leads to a better understanding of the difficulties presented by autistic spectrum disorders. To further this objective, 'Action for Autistic Spectrum Disorders' is increasing the awareness of autistic spectrum disorders by making information about this condition available to the general public, to interested professionals and to our members.

• The Members of Action for Autistic Spectrum Disorders benefit from a well stocked resource library of useful information. The library contains books, videos, leaflets and published papers.

• Action for Autistic Spectrum Disorders stages regular conferences and seminars. Our members, members of other similar groups, and interested professionals attend these from the areas of health, education and social services.

• We publish a regular newsletter, which details past and future meeting, upcoming events and conferences, and any up-to-date information useful to the members.

• Action for Autistic Spectrum Disorders informs the general public on all matters relating to autistic spectrum disorders by maintaining regular contact with the media in our area. Our members have been interviewed on local radio and in local newspapers.

There is a leaflet available giving details about Action for ASD which is in a Portable Document Format (PDF) file. To be able to view this file you can download the reader and read the leaflet by clicking on the links below:

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Action for ASD leaflet (PDF)