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What has the NAS achieved for children with Asperger Syndrome?

Arran

Can anybody compile me a list of everything the NAS has achieved for children with Asperger Syndrome (not traditional autism or speech and language delays) since the year 2000? Things like residential care services and running autism schools that do not offer the services such children require do not count. Also factor out things where the NAS initially had success in but have clearly been eclipsed by developments elsewhere, ranging from books from JKP to parenting forums on the internet.

Try to be precise rather than vague in your submissions.

  • Oh well in that case, failing contributions from parents and people who were children in 2000, you just look at the situation now, and compare it with how it was then. In which case Paull probably has all the answers, already given for adults.

  • I have asked the NAS this question countless times over a period of several years but every time I'm confronted by their army of (highly paid?) PR types who fob me off with all sorts of spin about children with severe traditional autism or multiple issues; NAS schools; NAS magazine articles; and a handful of what could be isolated cases. 

    The definition of the horse's mouth for this discussion are the NAS customers. The children with Asperger syndrome and their families. Asking the NAS about its services is like asking a car manufacturer about its cars. If you asked Ford then they would say that they are the best and you really do want a Ford, but if you want to know more about whether Ford really are the best then you have to ask the customers about their findings and experiences.

    It's also common practice for organisations to keep quiet about failures and situations that are likely to cause embarrassment.

  • The horse's mouth in this case would presumably be NAS..... Why don't you ask them?

  • I don't trust the media. I want information directly from the horse's mouth.

    The statement about the NAS being powerless is questionable because local ASD support groups have achieved many successes even if they are on an individual by individual basis or at a local scale. 

  • Why ask us? Its a simple enough research task. Simplest way might be if anyone keeps back copies of "Communication" (What is now called Your Autism).

    Failing that a more scattergun approach is to search websites like Guardian and BBC News for each year. For example BBC News in 2000 covered the NAS Inclusion & Autism Report which identified that 1 in 5 children with autism were excluded at least once (20%), compared to 1.2% for the general pupil population.

    Then you have to have some means of weighing up whether NAS made a difference. And if they didn't is that the fault of NAS for not being effective, or just the entrenched unprogressive attitude of the world outside.

    I suspect things haven't changed that much.

    The trouble is you are asking a question about absolutes in situations where NAS may be pretty well powerless do do anything more than point out the outrages.

    I think personally that NAS frequently loses impact from having contradictory and ambiguous information on their website.

    But to be fair I think you have to compare like with like here

  • IntenseWorld said:
    Can I add, also adults with Asperger's syndrome.  I'm not saying they haven't, but I'm not aware of it so if there is information on the website please can someone direct me to it.  (I'm not including the Push for Action campaign).

    A question about services for adults will be submitted in the future. At the moment I want to focus on children.

  • yep, I'll start the adults list..

    1) Nothing

    2) Zip

    3) Nada

    4) Zilch

    5) Sod all

    6) Zippity squat

    7) Nowt

    8) All of the above

  • Can I add, also adults with Asperger's syndrome.  I'm not saying they haven't, but I'm not aware of it so if there is information on the website please can someone direct me to it.  (I'm not including the Push for Action campaign).