Treehouse

As the national charity for autism education, TreeHouse works very closely with families who are affected by autism from all over the country. Autism now affects one in 100 school aged children. Many of these face exclusion, bullying and lack of access to the appropriate education, all of which can have a devastating effect on the whole family. TreeHouse is delighted to welcome National Family Week which will be an opportunity to celebrate the importance of families and show how vital it is that they receive the support they need and deserve.
Ian Wylie, Chief Executive

Website: www.treehouse.org.uk

TreeHouse is the national charity for autism education with a vision to transform, through education, the lives of children with autism and the lives of their families.

TreeHouse campaigns for better autism education nationally and runs a school in North London for children and young people with autism. We undertake research as well as policy and parliamentary work to ensure autism is a national priority; support parents to campaign locally and offer training and consultancy on autism education.

Autism is an extremely complex disability. It is a lifelong neurological condition which affects communication, social understanding and behaviour. It now affects 1 in 100 school-aged children. Education is the key to unlocking their potential but most children do not get the education they need and deserve. Only 22% of teachers working with children with autism have had autism specific training. Typically this training only lasts between one and four hours. Autism is often misunderstood and 27% of children with autism have been excluded from school, largely because their behaviour is misinterpreted as disobedience. According to new research commissioned by the Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities, the annual cost of autism to the UK is just under £28 billion - yet only a small percentage (7%) is spent on education.

TreeHouse was founded in 1997 by a group of four parents whose children had been recently diagnosed with autism. As the charity has grown, so have its ambitions. TreeHouse has moved eight times to various temporary premises. A site was finally bought in 2005 for TreeHouse's first permanent home - the Pears National Centre for Autism Education. Phase one of the construction is now complete and phase two is expected to be completed by Summer 2009. The new site has not only enabled TreeHouse to increase the capacity of the school, but has also allowed the expansion of services so that autism education is placed firmly on the national agenda.