Forty Charities Attend Sarah Brown's Downing Street Autism Summit

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The UK Autism Foundation joined autism charities at Downing Street. The reception and discussion convened by Sarah Brown was to celebrate the work of the charities in the autism sector and discuss ways that the charity sector can work together to achieve a common aim. Sarah Brown focused on her experience of charitable work and the important role that the third sector can play.

Attending the reception were Phil Hope MP, Minister of State for Care Services at the Department of Health and Minister for the Third Sector, Angela Smith MP.

Ivan Corea of the UK Autism Foundation called for new ways of thinking and new ways of working, where autism is concerned. He also raised many issues concerning parents, carers, children and adults with autism and Asperger's Syndrome including the problems of obtaining blue badges for parents and carers of children and adults with autism and Asperger's Syndrome.

Among those who attended the function was the autism campaigner Kevin Healey, Chair of the Staffordshire Adults Autistic Society. UKAF has called for a national campaign backed by all the autism charities, to celebrate the success of people with autism and Asperger's Syndrome and using positive role models such as Kevin Healey, Stephen Wiltshire and others. 'Children and adults with autism and Asperger's Syndrome also need role models,' said Ivan Corea.