CHESHIRE Autism Practical Support (ChAPS) has urged the government to increase funding for specialist services in the Parliamentary Review.

The charity, whose office is based in Runcorn, supports people on the autism spectrum and their families, and has made rapid strides since being formed by managing director Jo Garner as a parent group back in 2010.

As well as providing activities across Cheshire, it has introduced an attention card which alerts others to people's condition in the event of a difficult situation or emergency.

Now, ChAPS has been selected to highlight best practice in the Parliamentary Review, an independent publication which includes contributions from the worlds of business, education and politics, including a foreword from Prime Minister Theresa May.

In the publication Jo explains how the goal of ChAPS is to inspire families to achieve more through a range of collaborative activities and services across the region, and also calls on central government to increase funding for autism and specialist services.

She said: "We recognise what an honour it is to have been chosen to ‘highlight best practice’ in The Parliamentary Review this year, and we couldn’t be more delighted to have taken part.

"Hopefully our comments around central government needing to increase funding for autism and specialist services will be acted upon and help the local authorities and health trusts to obtain the necessary funds they desperately need for the fastest growing disability in the world.

"Taking our ground-roots small charity to the national view has been an extraordinary experience, and we are extremely grateful."

The full article from Jo, on behalf of ChAPS, can be viewed here.