Parents are invited to put forward the names of professionals who they rank highly for helping children with autism. The professionals could receive a prestigious national award.
The National Autistic Society has launched a set of accolades to recognise cross-discipline professionals who are leading the way in innovative autism practice.
The Autism Professional Awards have six categories, two of them celebrating individual professional achievement and four recognising good practice by teams or organisations. They are:
• The Individual Lifetime Achievement Award
• The Axcis Award for Individual Achievement by an Education Professional
• The Award for Inspirational Education Provision
• The Award for Outstanding Adult Services
• The Award for Clinical Excellence
• The Award for Innovative Family Support
The judging panel will consist of experts in autism from a variety of professional backgrounds across the UK.
The awards will be presented at the NAS’s annual Professionals Conference on 5 March next year at The Majestic Hotel in Harrogate.
Carol Povey, director of the Centre for Autism at the NAS, said: “With yet another year of cutbacks in funding and resources, we wanted to focus on the positives of what is being done to improve the lives of people with autism. By celebrating the creative and innovative work that’s happening across the UK and worldwide, we can gain the inspiration and motivation to keep multiplying our efforts and ensure that people with autism get to live the life they choose.”
Parents as well as professionals are encouraged to vote, with nominations closing on 16 November. More information and entry forms are on the awards’ website: http://www.autismprofessionalsawards.org.uk/
Published: 2 November 2012
