News / Autism Independence
Video: Overcoming Barriers: autism in the Somali community
Nura Aabe met with rapturous applause in the Watershed for the premiere of Overcoming Barriers: Autism in the Somali community.
“I really hope this is an eye opener,” she tells the audience of professionals, academics and families gathered in the cinema on Wednesday morning.
“I live with autism every day and it’s a daily challenge. This is really an opportunity to reflect on how we can do things differently and we need to do these things now, not in ten years’ time.”
is needed now More than ever
Nura founded St Paul’s-based charity Autism Independence to help other families after facing her own struggles accessing services and support when her son, Zak, was diagnosed with autism.
She has since been working with researchers at the University of Bristol and NIHR CLAHRC West to forge better understanding of the condition and seek solutions to existing barriers facing migrant communities.
Nura hopes the work will help instigate change in the way services operate
A panel of people involved in the film took questions and answers after it was shown
The film, produced in collaboration with the Therapeutic Media Company, is aimed at raising awareness, educating and encouraging professionals to think about a different way of working, that does not exclude families in desperate need of support.
For Nura, it is essential that a sustainable model is put in place because she is unable to provide one-to-one support for all the families that need it in Bristol.
Speaking after the film, she says: “The council, health and social services: it’s time these institutions start taking their responsibility back because these children have the same rights as every other child in the city.
“I just hope that all this work will be enough to ensure that all these children access what they need.”
Read more: Overcoming barriers: autism in the Somali community
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