Children at the unit will be given individual tasks aimed at developing their specific strengths

Fereje working on the fidel

A teacher together with a teaching assistant will teach the class a variety of activities designed specifically for children living with autism

Many of the children currently using the day service have autism but no learning disability and therefore have the capacity for academic studies. The OHWC will open a separate classroom to accommodate such children where they can learn comfortably at their own pace, where they can abscond to a safe place should they feel the need and where they will learn, using equipment specially designed to support autistic children, to be the best that they can be. 

They will be joined by several other children living with autism who have been excluded from mainstream education because of their need to abscond. Children living with autism are generally misunderstood and treated as if they lack intelligence but many such children are savants; great artists and great musicians able to master skills almost immediately after witnessing the skill being displayed. 

The classroom will be designed to allow each child access to the door should they need to leave. Ear defenders will be available to enable the children to block out unwanted noise should the environment become over stimulating. The class will be run by a qualified Special Needs teacher and a fully trained teaching assistant.  Specialized equipment for children living with autism has been donated by Layidou , a French organisation committed to supporting the project by donating equipment for use during therapy sessions.