THE Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) programme helps young autistic children of pre-school age to communicate more effectively with the world around them.

In so doing, they can understand and interact within society, providing them the opportunity to reach their true potential.

In addition to bringing ABA to families, The Playhouse Foundation also provide a range of advocacy services.

These services recognise autism affects the whole family and so support is tailored to the individual within the family unit who may need emotional or practical support as they journey through their child’s often complicated diagnosis.

The charity was established after founders Giles and Vicky Stanley saw the impact of the ABA programme for their own autistic son.

They funded the cost of the programme themselves and became acutely aware that the cost of the intensive programme is just too prohibitive for some many- especially when parents/carers have to give up work.

The Playhouse Foundation is launching a Community Engagement programme and is looking for volunteers to support with fundraising and awareness events in the Basingstoke area. The foundation acknowledges ABA can sometimes be contentious and therefore it is looking to work with communities to ensure that it raises the profile of the work and highlight the benefits that the programme offers to families in need.

The foundation also acknowledges that ABA may not be the right programme for every family with a young autistic child, however it wants to give people the choice and the chance to understand the transformational impact that the programme can have for young children and their families who are isolated by impact of living with autism on a daily basis.

To date, 100 per cent of the families the foundation has helped have cited participation in the ABA programme as helping to improve their autistic child’s communication and wellbeing.

Fun fact: Incredible Decca records artist Shaun Escoffery, also the world’s longest serving King Mufasa in London’s west end Lion King, is a Playhouse ambassador.

For more information, go to theplayhousefoundation.co.uk or facebook.com/theplayhousefoundation.co.uk.

To find out more about how to support the Playhouse Foundation, contact: Caroline Thwaites on 07961001710 or email fundraising@theplayhousefoundation.co.uk.