Autism Anglia charity for care, education, support. Healthy Life Essex

Autism Anglia (formerly the Essex Autistic Society & NACHA)

It is estimated that in the United Kingdom
autism in all its forms affects one in 100 of the population.
This equates to 600,000 in the whole of the country
and about 16,000 in Essex.

Autism Anglia (formerly the Essex Autistic Society & NACHA) is a registered charity which provides education, care and support to people with autism spectrum conditions. We also provide support to families and seek to raise awareness of autism amongst the public.

Autism is a lifelong condition which affects the way a person communicates and relates to other people.

People with autism spectrum conditions have difficulty with everyday social interaction and can find it hard to make sense of the world around them. In diagnosis, it is recognised that there are three areas where all people with autism have difficulties irrespective of the degree of its effects:

• Social interaction (difficulty with social relationships leading, for instance, to an appearance of aloofness or indifference to others)
• Social communication (difficulty with verbal and non-verbal communication, for example, misinterpreting the meaning of gestures, facial expressions and tone of voice)
• Imagination (difficulty in developing play as a child and use of imagination in activities resulting in repetitive and copying behaviour)

In addition, people with autism tend to exhibit obsessive repetition and rigid adherence to routines, the breaking of which can lead to major upsets.

It is estimated that in the United Kingdom autism in all its forms affects one in 100 of the population. This equates to 600,000 in the whole of the country and about 16,000 in Essex.

At present, there is no one known effective cure for this lifelong condition. However, early intervention and individual specialised help and support can really assist people with autism to maximise their skills, achieve their full potential and lead a fulfilling life within the community.

Autism Anglia’s services include

Doucecroft School – a specialist day and weekly boarding school near Colchester for children aged 3-19 years of age.

Further Education Department – a day and weekly boarding college in Kelvedon for young adults aged 16-19 years of age to assist with the transition into adulthood.

Adult Residential Homes – eight houses in Essex and Norfolk which provide permanent homes to a total of 52 adults with autism, with one being specifically for people with Asperger Syndrome.

Community Support Houses – seven houses in Colchester which provide more independent living environments for adults.

Jigsaw Study Centre – a day centre in Colchester offering structured activities for adults with autism.

Family Support – a dedicated team offering practical advice, support and information to parents and carers. The Family Support Team can advise parents and carers on how to claim benefits that they are entitled to and work to assist in putting proven behaviour strategies in place.

The team have a vast amount of knowledge and have developed according to the need of those that use its services: if parents need specific advice the team will strive to ensure families can get better access to the services they need and are entitled to. The team can also assist and provide training to the emergency service, businesses, schools and other professionals on all matters relating to the support of people with autism.

The Family Support Department are also issuing the Autism Alert Card, which is available free of charge to anyone with an Autism Spectrum Condition. This has proven a very successful scheme; a recent survey showed that 100% of card holders said that they would recommendthe card to others. The scheme has been recognised for its success by recently winning awards and is supported and recognised by Essex Police and Suffolk & Norfolk Constabularies so should the person find themselves in an emergency situation the police will be able to identify the person’s condition and get them the appropriate help. All we ask is for proof of diagnosis. Please contact us for an application form.

We have over 30 years experience in providing a range of services aimed at enabling people with autism to live as independently as possible and to experience choice and inclusion in society.

Autism Anglia
Registered Charity No. 1063717
01206 577678
info@autism-anglia.org.uk
www.autism-anglia.org.uk