I
am delighted to introduce this celebratory book. It tells the story of
the first 10 years of TreeHouse in a series of landmark events and
pictures. TreeHouse started life as the inspiration of two mothers
whose sons had been recently diagnosed with autism. In just one
decade it has become the UK’s national charity for autism education.
Like any good story, TreeHouse’s narrative has several themes – a
central cast of brave and resourceful characters, a series of battles
against setbacks, some twists of plot and unexpected events.
At the heart is a quest to transform the opportunities for children
with autism – starting with a small group of children in a single
school and extending this to all children with autism, nationwide.
As the founding parents learned in their initial research, children with
autism can achieve a great deal when they are given the appropriate
education. Their families can thrive and look positively to the future
when they are given the right levels of support. Yet because too
often the right education is not available, and families are not given
the breaks and entitlements that they need, those affected by autism
experience the world as a hostile, depressing and exhausting place.
From the outset, the TreeHouse families refused to accept this view
of their fate. Their unwillingness to give in, and their desire to ‘raise
the bar’ of expectations about what society should and can offer
children with autism – and about what the children can achieve –
has characterised the TreeHouse spirit over the past 10 years.
It is this spirit that has enabled TreeHouse as an organisation
not just to survive but actively to grow and expand its remit.
And it has encouraged countless supporters, partners, families
and politicians to share the goal that remains so important and
so central to our vision: to transform through education the
lives of children with autism and the lives of their families.
Lord Tim Clement-Jones, CBE
Chair of the Trustees
Y
ou are planning a holiday to Paris and arrive in Amsterdam.
The holiday was not cancelled, just different! This is a story
often used to help parents see the positive within their child
after receiving a diagnosis of autism. Autism however, is a life-long
disability. Your lives have changed forever.
Professionals say that the impact of a child’s diagnosis on a parent is
often similar to the impact of losing a child. And whilst the unbearable
feelings felt by so many of us of pain, loss, anger and confusion
eventually subside, they are frequently replaced by anger at a system
that seemingly devalues you and your child, a system that cannot
cope with the sheer numbers of children with autism, a system that
has a total lack of understanding of your situation and your child’s
needs.
Your child is isolated by autism and you too feel very alone. There is
no medical intervention to help and so after diagnosis, even when
early, there is very little to give you hope.
When the two of us met in January 1997 we wanted a better answer
than what was being offered to our children. Waiting around was not
an option. All research indicated that early intervention was crucial
and, as our children somehow hadn’t ‘got osmosis’ (the thing that
enables other children to copy and mimic everything around them),
teaching them intensively how to copy was a first critical skill.
By the time we met, there were increasing numbers of parents in the
UK running home-based Lovaas or Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA)
programmes. This method of teaching is highly researched; it is
intensive, structured and very consistent. We could have joined them
but we wanted our children to attend a school, with all the support
structures and benefits that that can deliver. ABA schools existed in
the States, why not here? We enlisted more like-minded parents and
together proved to be a very strong and complementary founding
group with a vision not only to help our own children on their life
journey, but others like them.
When those who come after us as trustees in 20 or 30 years’ time
pause to look back at the history of TreeHouse, it will not be the
first one or two years that will be the beginning, it will be the first 10
years; the years the school was founded, the years we developed our
national programme, the moment when we knew we owned our own
land and of course 2008: the year our children first walked through
the doors of our wonderful new building.
Now we are turning the page and starting a new chapter. But we
must not forget that despite all of the success of the first 10 years
– the 54 children being taught by a highly trained and committed
teaching staff; the millions of pounds our fundraising team has
raised; the high profile and critical work of our national development
team; the 120 people we have working for us – we must not forget
that we are still at the beginning.
As the founders of TreeHouse we know that TreeHouse must do more
and it will do more because, despite our successes, we are merely
scratching the surface of what must be achieved for children with
autism.
As parents we look to society and to the government to do more. To
do more because TreeHouse will find more solutions, more answers,
more ways through education to enhance the life of children with
autism and the lives of their families.
Katharine Doré & Karen Edwards
Founders of TreeHouse
This book maps an outline of the first 10 years of the TreeHouse
journey. Something made possible only by the coming together of
all those who have helped to grow and move this vision forward:
children, parents, staff, volunteers, advisors, donors and sponsors.
The beginning of our TreeHouse journey seems a long way off now
although the strong bonds of the founding parents remain as firm
as ever.
6
7
1997
‘Frank Skinner launched
an appeal… for autistic
children’ Ham & High 18 July 1997
‘In all things, the beginning is
the most important part…’ Plato
I
n the autumn of 1996 Katharine Doré’s son
Toby was diagnosed with autism. Realising that Toby will need
very specialist help to reach his potential in life, Katharine visits
her Local Educational Authority to learn that there is no school place
available for children like Toby. She is told that she has to find him a
school place as there is no such provision available locally.
‘It seemed to me the
answer was to start a
school. You start with a
clean piece of paper and
you think ‘what do we
need to get this show
on?’ And you make a list
and you do it somehow.’
Katharine Doré,
TreeHouse founding parent
Thinking over the advice she had been given by the LEA ‘go and
find a place and come back and see us’ it strikes Katharine that the
answer to ‘find a school place’ is going to mean ‘start a school!’
Katharine visits Toby’s consultant at the Royal Free Hospital, Andrew
Lloyd Evans, and asks if there is another parent in North London in a
similar position – he points at his filing cabinets and says ‘how many
would you like?’
Next comes the fundraising. Katharine sets
about engaging local and national press and
celebrity supporters. TreeHouse’s launch at
Hamiltons gallery is a star-studded affair,
with the parents telling their guests ‘the
groundbreaking work of TreeHouse is of
national significance. It will change the face
of education for children with autism in the UK
in the next 10 years.’
Wed 9 July 1997
h
TreeHouse launc
at Hamiltons
Gallery
And so, in 1997, the TreeHouse Pilot Project opens
in a room in the Royal Free Hospital.
On meeting Karen Edwards in early 1997, Katharine says ‘We’re
going to start a school for our kids and those like them’ and the everresourceful Karen replies ‘OK let’s do it’. TreeHouse is born. They put
the word out to other parents and soon meet Alex and Richard Hatter,
parents of James, and Carey and Sid Wells, parents of Francesca.
The parents spend many hours and travel far and wide researching
this new world of autism. One approach keeps coming up: Applied
Behaviour Analysis (ABA). Karen reads about its success in Norway
and the US. Katharine flies to the States and witnesses first hand how
ABA is unlocking the potential in children with autism. The Hatters
have already employed Kevin Conallen, qualified and experienced in
ABA, to work with James.
Toby’s story
The Daily Telegraph
Tues 1 July 1997
8
In the UK, ABA is being used in home programmes but no-one is
offering this approach in a school setting. Rather than accept the
situation, the parents decide to start a school themselves.
Top of the endless shopping list is someone who can help to develop
a programme for the pupils, based on the principles of ABA. Kevin
Conallen steps in to become TreeHouse School’s first staff member.
Weekly meetings begin with Karen, Katharine, Peter Carroll, Sonny’s
dad, and Virginia Bovell, Danny’s mum. Sid and Carey Wells, Alex
and Richard Hatter and Nick Hornby, Danny’s dad, all contribute to
the huge task ahead. Karen is appointed the first Chair of TreeHouse
Trustees.
Kevin Conallen,
TreeHouse School’s
first member
of staff
9
1998 1999
At the C
ora
Family C m
ampus w
it
Christin
e & Simo h
n
(top lef
t
1
998 brings the first of TreeHouse’s many moves, first to a room in
Swiss Cottage Library and then, as the number of pupils rises to
8, to a town house in nearby Huson Close.
Professor Doug Greer, a leading ABA educationalist from the
University of Columbia, New York, and colleague Dolleen Keohane,
move to the UK to work full-time at TreeHouse. They stay for most of
the first year, working with Kevin Conallen, new staff and the school’s
first pupils.
& right)
At the start of TreeHouse’s second academic year, the founders
advertise for a Director of Development. They find the perfect
candidate in Christine Asbury.
Word starts to get out about the pioneering young school. The
founders of what became Jigsaw School approach TreeHouse
for advice on how to get started – the first example of what will
develop into TreeHouse consultancy. Interest in TreeHouse’s success
re-affirms what its founders already know: there is a huge shortfall in
educational provision for children with autism in the UK.
The Parents Autism Campaign for Education (PACE) is
established by the TreeHouse founders as a registered charity
independent of TreeHouse, but closely affiliated. PACE has the
objective of harnessing the drive of parents to campaign for
better educational provision for their children nationwide.
During the year, Richard Katz takes up the reins as Chair of the
TreeHouse Trustees.
A
nother year and another move for TreeHouse. Everyone is
learning fast and it is still very much a case of ‘all hands on
deck’.
Christine Asbury becomes Chief Executive and Simon Eccles joins
TreeHouse to lead the school into the next phase.
TreeHouse is growing in size and in stature. The number of pupils
rises to 10 and the new school premises, portacabins on the Coram
Family Campus, are officially opened by Cherie Booth QC.
1999 sees the parliamentary launch of PACE, which like TreeHouse,
is also starting to make a name for itself.
Prof Doug Greer
joins us from
the University of
Columbia
10
‘Virginia Bovell, wife of writer
Nick Hornby, speaks for the
first time about her campaign to
educate their autistic son Danny.’
The Express Tues 27 April 1999
11
2000 2001
L
eading from the front, TreeHouse introduces the UK’s first
course to accredit autism practitioners working in the field of
ABA and, as a school, achieves Autism Accreditation for the
first time.
The year doesn’t pass without another move either, this time to
another temporary building on the same site. Pupil numbers reach 25.
This is also the year that the current Chair of Trustees, Lord Tim
Clement-Jones, takes up office at TreeHouse. Lord Clement-Jones is
already well-known in the autism world for his work on the All Party
Parliamentary Group on Autism.
B
y 2000, TreeHouse has achieved a level of stability. The number
of pupils continues to rise, from 15 to 20.
It is through the ever-resourceful parent network that TreeHouse finds
out about some land in Muswell Hill. Determined to continue
growing the school, TreeHouse manages to secure an option to
buy it. This is the first step on the road to building the National
Centre for Autism Education.
As TreeHouse continues to consolidate its own work, the
demand to help others to follow its inspiring example continues.
TreeHouse provides consultancy to Rainbow, another parentfounded school for children with autism. TreeHouse also makes
links with other fledgling schools in the North West of England
and in Ireland.
n of
o
i
t
i
d
e
t
Firs
ews
N
e
s
u
o
H
the Tree
12
The need for extra funds to pay for the vital services that TreeHouse
is offering above and beyond those covered by fees is greater than
ever. A group of leading authors all donate a short story published
in Speaking with the Angel, an anthology edited by Nick Hornby,
Danny’s dad. The proceeds support TreeHouse’s fundraising effort,
and the launch involves a musical event at Hammersmith Palais.
‘TreeHouse is a good news story
for all those who are involved
in the education of children
with autism. Most of all, it is a
happy place where this group of
children can learn and develop
the skills they need for life.’
Lord Clement-Jones – Ham & High
13
2002 2003
I
nterest in TreeHouse continues to grow and in 2002, the school
is visited by The Princess Royal. TreeHouse is named ‘Education
and Training Charity of the Year’ at the Charity Awards and is
commended for ‘leading by example’. The school receives a positive
inspection from OFSTED. Within a few years, the founding parents
have built their own viable school for children with autism.
‘Welcome to Haringey’
Chair of the Haringey Planning Committee
A
bumper year for TreeHouse,
featuring a warm welcome
from Haringey Council’s
Planning Committee: they give
planning permission for TreeHouse
to build on the land in Muswell Hill.
The site has been purchased thanks
to the kind donations of a number of
TreeHouse supporters.
In the same week, TreeHouse is the
lucky beneficiary of funds raised at
the October Club Dinner, attended
by some of the biggest names in the
City. The proceeds of the evening
reach almost half a million pounds.
TreeHouse continues to be instrumental in promoting good autism
practice more widely in the UK, sharing the experiences at TreeHouse
so that others can benefit.
As part of the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) Autism
Working Group, through PACE, TreeHouse also contributes to the
production of government guidance on Autism Good Practice.
In the school, Neil Martin becomes
TreeHouse’s first permanent, UK-based Senior
Behaviour Analyst. Virginia Bovell becomes
a member of the Ministerial Special Schools
Working Group, established to define the future
role of special schools. PACE contributes to the
government-sponsored Early Support pack for
parents of children with autism, designed to
support families through the first years of their
children’s lives.
At the Labour Party Conference, TreeHouse joins forces with the
National Autistic Society to represent the autism education movement
and a speech by Nick Hornby attracts a large media audience.
14
The story so far
…
from the Annua
l
Report 2002
g for
Original drawin
re for
t
n
e
C
l
a
n
io
t
a
N
the
n
Autism Educatio
15
2004 2005
P
upil numbers reach 50. Children from the secondary classes
spend a night away from home at the local Scout Park: for some
pupils it is the first night they have ever had away from their
parents.
T
reeHouse packs for the biggest move yet, to its new home
in Muswell Hill. It’s a seamless operation, thanks to the
organisational skills of TreeHouse staff and a wide team of
volunteers. Gill Bierschenk joins as new Headteacher.
As TreeHouse gets older, so do the pupils. The children of the
founding parents are reaching secondary school age and autumn
sees the opening of TreeHouse’s secondary classes.
On th
e mov
e aga
in!
TreeHouse staff are
eager to follow the latest
developments in autism
education and school
designs, and make a visit
to the US to observe good
practice there.
TreeHouse sets its sights on making the National Centre for Autism
Education a reality. It secures a significant investment from the
government–backed Futurebuilders fund. November sees the launch
of the Ambitious about Autism appeal to raise the remaining £6.5
million needed to complete the build.
‘TreeHouse and PACE
are delighted to have
concluded a merger
that will build on the
achievements of both
charities in addressing
the needs of children and
families affected by autism.’
The TreeHouse Trust/PACE merger
– a briefing
TreeHouse merges with
PACE, consolidating its role in
influencing government and
supporting parents nationwide.
The publication of the PACE
Handbook allows
TreeHouse to
disseminate
the principles
of constructive
campaigning for
improved autism
services to a wider
audience.
TreeHouse and the National Autistic Society jointly
establish ‘Autism Counts!’ – the first internet-based
autism campaign to coincide with the General Election.
This leads to a major boost in the number of MPs
supporting the work of the All Party Parliamentary Group
on Autism (APPGA), with over half the total number of
parliamentarians signed up to the APPGA Manifesto.
Gill arrives in April 2004
16
Our first
summer fair
17
2006 2007
Lord Adonis tells the press, ‘It’s the
needs of the child that come first
and the right of their parents to
exercise choice to ensure that those
needs are properly met.’
Schools Minister, Lord Adonis
T
T
With the Futurebuilders funding in place, TreeHouse
is able to appoint Linda Redford to the key post of
Director of National Development.
TreeHouse starts the year with 54 pupils
and 120 members of staff across the
organisation. The DfES gives the school
permission to expand to 65 pupils in its
temporary building, in advance of completion of the permanent
National Centre for Autism Education.
reeHouse is chosen by Schools Minister, Lord
Adonis, and Economic Secretary to the Treasury,
Ed Balls MP, to launch the Joint Review into
Services for Disabled Children. Lord Adonis tells the
press, ‘It’s the needs of the child that come first and
the right of their parents to exercise choice to ensure
that those needs are properly met’.
By now, TreeHouse is receiving hundreds of phone calls and
emails every year from parents of children with autism, asking for
information, advice and support on different aspects of autism
education. TreeHouse launches a new Parent Support Project.
Working with 10 parent groups across England who are devising their
own local campaigns, it is based on the principles of constructive
campaigning.
In partnership with the Disability Rights Commission and the National
Autistic Society, TreeHouse holds fringe events focusing on autism
education at all three party conferences.
Christine Asbury leaves TreeHouse and Ian Wylie is appointed as new
Chief Executive.
All roads lead to TreeHouse, or so it seems as there is a succession
of visitors to the organisation. As well as high profile visitors such as
the Commissioner for Children, Sir Al Aynsley-Green and MPs and
Peers, TreeHouse regularly hosts tours for parents and professionals
from the UK and all over the world.
This year sees the launch of the new and improved TreeHouse
website – brought about due to the ever increasing number of
visits to the site. There will be well in excess of 100,000 visits to the
TreeHouse website in 2007.
Lord Adonis and Ed Balls launch the
Joint Review at TreeHouse
‘TreeHouse has given
(Joseph) the building blocks
of how to learn and how to
enjoy learning… this has
been a huge breakthrough.’
Joseph’s father – FT Weekend 17/18 Feb 2007
This year also sees our local football team Arsenal select TreeHouse
as their charity of the season for 2007/08.
And finally, a landmark moment as construction starts on TreeHouse’s
first ever permanent home; our National Centre for Autism Education.
TreeHouse’s founding parents always wanted to be able to change
the world for all children with autism, and their families. The new
centre, due for completion early in summer 2008, will help TreeHouse
do just this.
Ian Wylie
appointed new
Chief Executive
18
reeHouse prepares to celebrate
its 10th birthday and a decade of
progress in education for children with
autism.
www.tre
ehouse.o
rg.uk
Sir Al and pupils
on the playground
slide
19
Our vision… to transform
through education the lives
of children with autism and
the lives of their families.
A
s this book goes to press, the
bulldozers have levelled the ground
and the pile-drivers have been
pounding at what will be the foundations
for the new National Centre for Autism
Education.
A lot of emphasis has inevitably been
placed on the building. The lack of a
permanent home has consumed a huge
amount of energy in the first 10 years of
TreeHouse. Time, effort, and financial expenditure have been required
to research, plan and implement a series of premises moves. So we
are all looking forward to the time when – secure in our new base
– our energies will be consumed 100% by our vision: to transform
through education the lives of children with autism and the lives of
their families.
TreeHouse began with a philosophy and a belief, that every child is
unique and equally important and that, through education, people
with autism can lead happy, active and fulfilled lives. We hope that 10
years on TreeHouse remains true to these founding principles and
that in another decade they will be self-evidently true. We will only
succeed if everyone connected with us continues in whatever way
they can to contribute to the work of TreeHouse.
Ian Wylie, Chief Executive
The building is an enormous achievement. It will be a place where
researchers and practitioners, parents and policy-makers come
together to discuss the realities of teaching children with autism.
We will build the expertise that is necessary to continually improve
practice, and identify the concrete solutions that are needed to
address the massive gap between what is needed and what is
available. We will also encourage children and young people with
autism, however severe their communication difficulties, to participate
fully in school and community life, and make their own choices in life,
as well as to express their own perspectives and aspirations.
It is a very great privilege to join TreeHouse at such an exciting time
in its development. We will need to ensure that the spirit of aspiration
that got us this far will continue to drive us forward. There is still an
enormous amount to learn from the children, families and from our
professional partners in autism education. There remain people who
need to be persuaded of the significance of the challenge posed by
autism, the positive scope for intervening early and effectively, and
the transformational effect this can have for individuals, families and
society as a whole. The next decade will see us redoubling our efforts
to develop and improve our own services, and influence others to do
the same, because there is still so much to learn and so much to do.
20
21
One workman visited TreeHouse
to equip our dentist room and
enjoyed his day so much, he
Ten years of TreeHouse,
thousands of acts of
generosity…
donated his fee
TreeHouse would not exist, never mind
be the successful organisation that it is
today, were it not for our supporters. There
are too many individuals, companies and
trusts to mention in this limited space, but here are some examples
of the extraordinary ways that some of our many, very special friends
have helped TreeHouse. To all of you, we give our heartfelt thanks.
One premiership football club
donated a humble laminator in
1997, and made TreeHouse its
charity of the season in 2007!
Local supporters have made
over 500 jars of jam to be sold
in aid of TreeHouse
Over 200 donors believed in the
founding parents and donated
nearly £100,000 in our first
year of existence
146 schools have raised funds
for TreeHouse and many have
enjoyed assemblies to learn
about autism
Thousands of supporters
have made tax effective
donations to TreeHouse,
One company trust donated
£1 million,
to fund the training centre
a spectacular gift of
in our National Centre for Autism
Education
Later in 2007, 240 drivers will
take part in a rally and drive over
380,000 kilometres to raise
funds for TreeHouse
enabling us to reclaim over a
quarter of a million pounds from
the tax man!
One supporter donated the
film rights to his book, How To
Be Good
953 donors have visited
TreeHouse, to see first hand
One statutory funder
to paint murals, clean play
equipment, make teaching
resources and help the children
grow vegetables
Four donors donated a total
of £1.1 million which enabled
TreeHouse to buy a piece of land,
on which to build our first
believed in our idea to provide
an innovative Parents Support
Project, and gave £220,000 to
enable TreeHouse to support
parents across the country
Two students
travelled around
the world, using 80
different modes of
transport, to raise
sponsorship for
TreeHouse
Nearly 11.5 million people
have
called the 118 111 directory
enquiry service raising 1p
for
TreeHouse from each call
permanent home
12 authors wrote stories for the
book Speaking with the Angel
Nearly 300,000 people across
the world have bought copies
of Speaking with the Angel
22
raised funds for TreeHouse
One company released a single
from one of its adverts, to raise
funds for TreeHouse
years
how their support has made a
difference
volunteers have
donated a total of 268 days
Corporate
Individuals have run a total of
1,200 kilometres (just over the
length of the United Kingdom!)
through taking part in
sponsored marathons and runs
for TreeHouse
680 people have attended
film premiere events that have
One trust funded our very
first minibus, then funded
our first PE Teacher, and is
now supporting a Speech and
Language Therapist over three
People have taken part in Tandem
for TreeHouse, falling a total of
200,000 metres through the sky
Guests at one ga
la dinner
raised over £50
0,000 for
TreeHouse
23
Thank you
TalkTalk is thrilled
to congratulate
TreeHouse on its
tenth birthday.
Many happy returns!
TreeHouse would like to thank so many people who have contributed
time, commitment, resources and energy to making the first
10 years such a great success. It is impossible to list everyone
here. But there are some people who need a special mention.
The founding parents – without whom TreeHouse would not exist
Trustees – past and present
Judith Barnard, Keith Bovair, Virginia Bovell, Tristia Clarke,
Lord Tim Clement-Jones, Clare Coombe-Tennant, Katharine Doré,
Karen Edwards, Bruce Fraser, Richard Katz, Simon Lewis,
Jonathan Meth, Matthew Punshon, Rosie Seth-Smith, Rowie
Shaw, Christine Swabey, Richard Townley, and Sid Wells
Chief Executives – past and present
Christine Asbury and Ian Wylie
Members of the current Executive Leadership Team
Martin Atkinson, Susan Beck, Gill Bierschenk and Linda Redford
Our advisors and honorary committee
members – past and present
Professor Anthony Bailey, Steve Broach, Professor Tony Charman,
Rodney Clark OBE, Philip Cullum, Professor Simon Baron-Cohen,
Diana Courtney, Professor Richard Hastings, Julia Hobsbawm,
Professor Patricia Howlin, Robert Hubbard OBE, Jane Hurry,
Cris Lewis, Dr Oliver Mudford, Dr James Partridge, Nick
Peacey, Professor Bob Remington, Anne Sofer, Dr Cathy Tissot,
Su Thomas, Hilarie Williams, Mandy Williams, Gaby Zein
All staff at TreeHouse, both past and present
Volunteers who have given up their time to help
TreeHouse in a whole range of ways
All of the TreeHouse parents past and present
And of course finally a big thank you to the
children, from whom we learn so much
From The Carphone Warehouse
www.treehouse.org.uk