The National Autistic Society has developed the Keeping Safe programme with the help of 45,000 funding from the Co-operative Bank. The pilot, which is aimed at 11- to 16-year-olds, aims to raise awareness of how young people with Asperger's syndrome can avoid getting involved in crime unwittingly, either as a victim or a perpetrator.
The project will reach about 80 young people during the trial, which runs until April, and will provide materials to teachers.
Asperger's syndrome is at the high end of the autism spectrum, where young people often have high IQs and good learning ability. However, the syndrome means sufferers lack the necessary imagination, social and communication skills, and the ability to transfer information. The National Autistic Society said young people with Asperger's syndrome are seven times more likely to come into contact with the criminal justice system than their peers.
Anja Rutten, head of social programmes and befriending at the charity, said: "Young people with Asperger's syndrome often need to be given several different examples to show what can happen. The programme is trying to make them less vulnerable to becoming a victim of crime and also less likely to become involved in the criminal justice system inadvertently."
The programme will include additional research to evaluate how successful the approach has actually been, and other resources may continue to be available after the trial ends.
- www.nas.org.uk.
