The A Word: fact or fiction?

The A Word is a BBC One drama about a family struggling to come to terms with 5 year old Joe being diagnosed with autism. We asked Autism Spectrum Disorder Nurse Consultant Jacqueline Dziewanowska, who works with adults with autism, what she thought to the programme.

Feeling on the outside

I often hear stories of childhood experiences very similar to those shown in the programme. The parent’s experience of inviting the whole class to a birthday party and their child never being invited to other children’s parties. The experience of other adults judging when the child has a meltdown, people staring in supermarkets and the parent feeling a failure because their child is different.

What was portrayed sensitively was when Joe’s mum stays outside and watches Joe in the playground. The pain she feels as Joe stands by himself against the wall in the playground is a scene that both parents and the person with autism can often remember well.

That winning feeling

Trevor arriving at the awards

Trevor Clower is an active member of the Trust and our Involvement Centre, as a volunteer and parent carer. Trevor won the Unsung Hero Award at our staff awards, the Outstanding Service Contribution and Recognition Scheme (OSCARS), in March. Here’s how he felt to be a winner.

Getting a phone call to say I had been nominated for an OSCAR completely floored me. It was amazing to find out that so many people had written about me to put me forward for an award.

Being nominated was the most overwhelming experience I have had in my life, short of seeing my two children being born, that would always take precedence I feel.

I didn’t think the feeling of being nominated would ever be topped, until I arrived at the awards ceremony.