Ambitious about Autism
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| Founded | 1997 |
|---|---|
| Type | Registered Charity |
| Focus | Autism Spectrum |
| Location | |
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Area served
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United Kingdom |
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Key people
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Lord Tim Clement-Jones CBE, (President), Jolanta Lasota (Chief Executive) |
| Website | ambitiousaboutautism.org.uk |
Ambitious about Autism is a UK national charity dedicated to improving opportunities for young people on the Autistic Spectrum, including those with autism or Asperger Syndrome. Originally established in 1997 as the TreeHouse Trust, the charity was founded by a group of parents - including author Nick Hornby - whose first child had been diagnosed with autism.
Their mission has been described as being to "help children and young people with autism to learn, thrive and achieve – making the ordinary possible."
It is known for operating TreeHouse School in London, a special school which adheres to the Applied Behaviour Analysis method, and which was rated 'Outstanding' by Ofsted in its 2012 inspection.
The charity was originally known as the TreeHouse Trust and began the school, with five pupils, in a borrowed room in the Royal Free Hospital in London. In 2004 the school moved to Muswell Hill, also in London, and in October 2008 moved into a purpose designed building - the Pears National Centre for Autism Education.
Officially opened in 2009, the centre became home to both the TreeHouse School and the charity. It was designed by British architects Penoyre & Prasad who also designed the Richard Desmond Children's Eye Centre at Moorfields Eye Hospital. It was named for the Pears Foundation, a major supporter.
An event at the House of Lords on 10 February 2010 it was announced that TreeHouse Trust would be renamed Ambitious about Autism. Aside from a new identity, it marked a change in the strategy of the charity. The school - still to be known as TreeHouse School - had a permanent home, with pupils' places mainly funded by their Local Education Authority, but there was still much to achieve in raising awareness and understanding of autism, the provision of a wider range of services and the influencing of UK Government policy.
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Wikipedia