Leading Autism Experts At A One Day Autism Conference In June

Main Category: Autism
Article Date: 20 May 2009 - 4:00 PDT

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Has autism got more common? What's so good about autism? What is it like to live with autism? These are just some of the questions to be answered at a one day autism conference on 24th June at Prior's Court School in Berkshire.

The conference includes presentations from some of the most respected experts in the country covering the latest autism research and knowledge, interventions and best practice and a personal insight into living with autism.

Professor Tony Charman, recently appointed Professor of Autism Education at the Institute of Education, will discuss his research which highlighted the rise in the prevalence of autism with numbers as high as 1 in 100 in the UK. Consultant, lecturer and researcher Dr Luke Beardon's upbeat "What's so good about autism" will be followed by Professor Patrick Bolton a leading authority on autism looking at the earliest signs of autism. The pioneering methodology used to support children with autism at Prior's Court School will be discussed by Principal Robert Hubbard and Consultant Clinical Psychologist Dr Tim Williams examines the evidence which has supported its development and contributed to its success. Ros Blackburn is a highly articulate autistic adult whose personal perspective on the challenges of life with autism, "Logically illogical", is illuminating and often humorous and has brought her a world-wide following (Sigourney Weaver spent a lot of time with Ros to research her character in the film Snow Cake). With an introduction by Dame Stephanie Shirley, the government's advisor on giving and philanthropic supporter of autism projects and chaired by Professor Roy Evans places are in great demand.

The conference is an annual event at Prior's Court, a specialist school for young people with autism. Training & Development Manager, Sarah Butcher, believes it will have a wide appeal; "the line-up of speakers promises to make this thought-provoking but also very accessible. We worked with our local Education Service when planning the conference to ensure it would be a really interesting day and one which will appeal to teachers, SENCOs, practitioners working in social care, families with personal knowledge of living with autism - anyone with an interest in autism. There will also be opportunities for questions, networking and tours of the school."

The Speakers on 24th June

- Tony Charman MA, MSc Tony Charman MA, MSc (C. Clin. Psychol), PhD -Professor of Autism Education, Institute of Education, London

- Professor Patrick Bolton PhD FRCPsych -Professor of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Kings College London

- Dr Luke Beardon - Senior Lecturer in Autism, Sheffield Hallam University

- Dr Tim Williams -Consultant Clinical Psychologist Prior's Court School and Consultant Clinical Psychologist for Child and Adolescent Services West Berkshire Health Authority

- Robert Hubbard OBE -Executive, Principal and Co-Founder, Prior's Court

- Ros Blackburn -adult with autism

Prior's Court School

- Prior's Court School based near Hermitage, Berkshire is an independent residential and day school for children aged 5 to 19 diagnosed as being on the autistic spectrum and with severe and complex learning difficulties.

- The School opened in 1999. As a pioneering school, it quickly built a reputation for the educational and therapeutic approach which has enabled students to achieve significant progress and is now recognised internationally as one of the foremost providers of autistic-specific education and care in the country.

- Website: http://www.priorscourt.org.uk

Autism

- Autism is a lifelong developmental disability which is typically diagnosed at about the age of three and is four times more prevalent in males. Varying enormously in severity, all experience difficulty in communicating and social interaction. Rigid, inflexible thought processes can create anxieties about the world around them.

- Since Leo Kanner first used the term autism to identify specific traits in a group of children numbers of people diagnosed with autism have increased and today autism is thought to be the fastest-growing serious developmental disability in the world with the autistic population in the UK recently estimated at more than 1 in 100.

- National Autistic Society website: http://www.nas.org.uk

[ 1.16 per 100 (Baird, G; Simonoff, E; Picles, A; Chandler, S; Loucas, T; and T Charman (2006) 'Prevalence of disorders of the autism spectrum in a population cohort of children in South Thames: The Special Needs and Autism Project (SNAP) Lancet 368:210-215)]

Source
Prior's Court School

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