What is your experience with NAS clubs for children with autism

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Cause I'm gobsmacked at the lack of understanding of problem behaviours in some of their staff.

Sorry to hear that. I'm not a huge fan of the NAS so probably woukdn't use their clubs.

What a shame for you though.

I haven't heard of NAS clubs but you would think if anywhere it would be there the children would have support/understanding.

Am trying to make sense of why the NAS is so crap. Anyone any insight because they could be a great force for good.

Well, my opinion is that they have very low expectations for behaviour and progress and assign themselves to a model of 'acceptance' rather than education, leading to a culture of non-educated staff too!?

Just an opinion.

Probably some staff might be volunteers trying to learn and maybe support their qualifications so not fully informed or knowledgeable.

tbf, I know of some people that find the NAS very helpful. I just didn't.

The best group for kids with ASD that I have ever come across was won run independently by an evangelical church. Their committment to the kids and to fundraising for them was outstanding, plus their never ceasing high expectations of the kids potential and behaviour whilst balancing that with being accepting, was something I have never seen anywhere else.

For a reason never disclosed to me, they have never sought funding or visits from the LA.

I don't think the national NAS run any clubs, its probably a local branch which is often just equivalent to a parent run PTA. Some parent groups will fundraise and then contract with the local council to run a group. So I suspect the staff have nothing to do with NAS at all. Which is not to say I disagree with what Star has said. National NAS does not offer any support to its branches at all. So a club in one area could be great and one in another rubbish depending on who has been brought in to run it.

No this club is run by an NAS 'advanced practitioner'. But it is heavily oversubscribed which means some weeks ds can go and some weeks not. And when I try to explain to them that this is very difficult for a child with autism to understand, I am met with blank looks. Also they seem to take hard sanctions on behaviour I would deem as just distressed autism behaviour. By that I mean banning people for a week for bad behaviour which I think doesn't teach anything except that 'you've been rejected again for having autism' .
Really I'm just surprised that an organisation that claims to speak up for people with autism doesn't have a greater understanding of the issues involved. We need a different central voice I think - one willing to stir the waters a bit more.