Is anyone here getting any help from NAS ?

zone_tripper said:

They may indeed get 90% of their income from the Goverment and local authorities, and 10% of their income from supporters, but it is how they use that 90% which is most important, NOT where it comes from!

If the NAS offers very little for myself or other similar people then why should my taxes pay for it?

Likewise, I could not care less whether the NAS Chief Executive's salary is £30,000 a year or £130,000 a year; if you want the best business brains, you have to pay good money in salaries to acquire them.

I can see where you are coming from with the 'best business brains' but running a charity should be seen first and foremost as a labour of love rather than a means of making big money. Therefore I cannot understand why the NAS Chief Executive will not cap their salary at £30k on the grounds of morality and decency despite being capable of earning £130k if they chose to work as a senior manager in industry.

Therefore, I do not begrudge the NAS and Social Services for prioritising their services to those most in need.

If the NAS will not provide effective services for people with high-functioning Asperger syndrome because those with traditional autism who require special schools and care services are deemed to be more in need then why doesn't the NAS revert back to this and get out of Asperger syndrome altogether?

Members who can use a computer, use the Internet, spell, read and write, research using Internet search engines, etc, are probably those in the least need of the services of the NAS.

You are probably right there because of the historic nature of the NAS but it doesn't mean that they don't need high quality help or support for the problems that they face.

Making comparisons between people with low functioning autism and high functioning Asperger syndrome when it comes to prioritising services is almost like making a comparison between people who are blind and people who use wheelchairs when it comes to prioritising services. Their needs are DIFFERENT in both cases. Not higher or lower priority.

If you want support, then why not set up your own local support group

There already are plenty of local support groups but they have to scrimp and beg for money from private donors as they are not funded by millions of pounds of taxpayer's money like the NAS is. Government funding of the NAS gives it an unfair advantage and creates an unlevel playing field for independent support groups that 100% rely on donations.

A second advantage that the NAS has is that it is the approved ASD provider by the NHS and state school system who almost always exclusively recommend the NAS even if there there are independent support groups in the locality. This means that most parents head straight for the NAS with only a few 'shopping around' for other ASD support groups. A high proportion of parents who have come to my local independent support group are those who are disappointed with the NAS and the services it provides. When asked why they chose the NAS in the first place, the answer is almost always it's what the school / local authority / NHS recommended.

so why not band together and set up your own, with the help and support of the NAS?

Because it will have to obey orders from NAS central office rather than tailor its services to what the local ASD community requires.

zone_tripper said:

They may indeed get 90% of their income from the Goverment and local authorities, and 10% of their income from supporters, but it is how they use that 90% which is most important, NOT where it comes from!

If the NAS offers very little for myself or other similar people then why should my taxes pay for it?

Likewise, I could not care less whether the NAS Chief Executive's salary is £30,000 a year or £130,000 a year; if you want the best business brains, you have to pay good money in salaries to acquire them.

I can see where you are coming from with the 'best business brains' but running a charity should be seen first and foremost as a labour of love rather than a means of making big money. Therefore I cannot understand why the NAS Chief Executive will not cap their salary at £30k on the grounds of morality and decency despite being capable of earning £130k if they chose to work as a senior manager in industry.

Therefore, I do not begrudge the NAS and Social Services for prioritising their services to those most in need.

If the NAS will not provide effective services for people with high-functioning Asperger syndrome because those with traditional autism who require special schools and care services are deemed to be more in need then why doesn't the NAS revert back to this and get out of Asperger syndrome altogether?

Members who can use a computer, use the Internet, spell, read and write, research using Internet search engines, etc, are probably those in the least need of the services of the NAS.

You are probably right there because of the historic nature of the NAS but it doesn't mean that they don't need high quality help or support for the problems that they face.

Making comparisons between people with low functioning autism and high functioning Asperger syndrome when it comes to prioritising services is almost like making a comparison between people who are blind and people who use wheelchairs when it comes to prioritising services. Their needs are DIFFERENT in both cases. Not higher or lower priority.

If you want support, then why not set up your own local support group

There already are plenty of local support groups but they have to scrimp and beg for money from private donors as they are not funded by millions of pounds of taxpayer's money like the NAS is. Government funding of the NAS gives it an unfair advantage and creates an unlevel playing field for independent support groups that 100% rely on donations.

A second advantage that the NAS has is that it is the approved ASD provider by the NHS and state school system who almost always exclusively recommend the NAS even if there there are independent support groups in the locality. This means that most parents head straight for the NAS with only a few 'shopping around' for other ASD support groups. A high proportion of parents who have come to my local independent support group are those who are disappointed with the NAS and the services it provides. When asked why they chose the NAS in the first place, the answer is almost always it's what the school / local authority / NHS recommended.

so why not band together and set up your own, with the help and support of the NAS?

Because it will have to obey orders from NAS central office rather than tailor its services to what the local ASD community requires.