Funding helps Autism Charity helpline

National Autistic Society Helpline

The National Autistic Society (NAS) increases number of staff on Autism Helpline.The new post is being funded through a three-year partnership with The Trafigura Foundation.

Kiran Rehal, who previously worked as a support and advocacy worker for people with dementia, will deal with a whole range of community care enquiries received by the Helpline. Her main focus of work will be social services provision including respite and care plans, funding for placements, direct payments and individual budgets and how to access Disabled Facilities Grants.

Caroline Hattersley, NAS Head of Information, Advice and Advocacy, said: “Autism is a serious, lifelong and disabling condition which can have a profound, sometimes devastating, effect on people’s lives. Of the 40,000 calls received by the Helpline last year, over 2,000 were from families struggling to get support from social services. This new post will enable us to offer case work support to individuals and families most in need. It’s very exciting and we’re incredibly grateful to Trafigura for all their support.”

Vincent Faber, Director of the Trafigura Foundation, said: “The Helpline already provides an invaluable service to its users and we are very proud that through our partnership the NAS has been able to recruit talented case workers like Kiran.”

Earlier this year the NAS announced its £1.5m partnership with the Trafigura Foundation which will enable the charity to meet its national Autism Helpline funding needs and make significant developments to the service. Along with Kiran’s post, the £1.5m partnership will fund two more helpline advisors, a bullying text line, a text information line, an instant messaging service and information web forums.

The NAS is campaigning to end the isolation of thousands of adults with autism in the UK who are not able to access support or lead the fulfilling lives they deserve. The NAS I Exist report was based on the largest ever survey on the experiences of adults with autism and their families. It revealed nearly two thirds (63%) of adults with autism in England do not have enough support to meet their needs.

14 Jan 2009

Filed under Call Centre News