Autism, the Church and the Community
Opening the doors wider
A day conference for leaders wishing to make church and community more welcoming and user-friendly to people with autism and Asperger's syndrome
Keynote speaker: Professor Simon Baron-Cohen
The Churches are taking seriously the need to adopt a more understanding and friendly approach to people with autistic spectrum disorders and other life-long developmental disabilities. One in every hundred people in the UK suffer from these conditions which inhibit the way a person communicates and relates to other people.
As part our Ely 900 celebrations, we are staging a conference aimed at helping parishes and local communities to offer a warm welcome and a supportive, inclusive environment for these vulnerable people and their families.
Speakers include:
- Simon Baron-Cohen, one of the foremost authorities on autism - Professor of Developmental Psychopathology at the University of Cambridge and Director of the Autism Research Centre
- Dr David Thomson, Bishop of Huntingdon
- Dr Jeremy Morris, Graduate Mentor and Dean of Trinity Hall, Cambridge
- Yvonne Quirk, Diocesan Child Protection Officer
Much has already been done to make church and community events more accessible to people with physical disabilities. However, when people cannot see a disability, such as autism or Asperger’s Syndrome, they often fail to understand what may be dismissed as withdrawn, bizarre or deliberately difficult behaviour.
The conference, hosted by James Blandford-Baker at Histon Parish Church on Saturday 6th June from 10.00 am until 3.30 pm, will be of particular interest to Church and local leaders who wish to extend a welcome to people who in the past may have felt alienated from community activities.
For further details contact Owen Spencer-Thomas, tel 01223 358448