Who you gonna call in an autism emergency? AASS, that’s who

It’s Wednesday morning and there’s an emergency inside the nerve centre of Autism Advisory and Support Service in Memorial Avenue, Liverpool.

A local mother has brought in her 15 year old autistic son, who has been suspended – again – from school.

Like everyone else across the entire south west of Sydney, from Fairfield to Liverpool and the Macarthur region, if you care for an autistic person and you suddenly have a problem there’s just one place to call for help: the organization founded almost 10 years ago by Grace Fava and a group of parents: Autism Advisory and Support Service or AASS.

There are no celebrities here as Grace Fava, the humble but energetic CEO of AASS, interviews the mother who has just come through the door in Memorial Avenue.

A journalist sits patiently in the CEO’s office and Grace tells him that “hopefully next year we will take on a case worker to help out with the demand for our services’’.

Grace calmly alternates between talking to the distraught mother, returning to her office – where her desk is squeezed in the only corner not taken up by storage – and making phone calls about the boy.

She speaks to the Department of Education, then a doctor, then another autism expert, and eventually she smiles because she has found a solution to the problem of what to do with this autistic child who is suspended by his school.

“I know, I know,’’ replies Grace Fava when the journalist suggests she needs both a decent office and some case workers to ease the load off her own shoulders.

[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]“But this is also what inspires me and keeps me going, helping out when somebody says they need our help.’’[/social_quote]

What AASS also needs going forward, what would be a game changer for this incredible organization, is if they could own the land they are on in Memorial Avenue.

In front of their tiny brick building they have just erected three demountable rooms, which will be used for autistic therapy classes.

“But that’s not going to be enough,’’ says Grace.

“What is required is for us to build a new place right here, up the front of the site’’ – they’re currently at the rear of the property – “that will have the space we need to look after people with autism,’’ she says.

The land is owned by Liverpool Council and Grace hopes that they can show generosity of spirit on this issue.

[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]“This is really, really critical for us,’’ Grace says.[/social_quote]

A stumbling block is the fact the land is part of a site where council hope to build a huge sport and entertainment facility, with State Government funding.

Until the council finds out if its bid is successful it will be unable to deal with the AASS issue.

But Liverpool Council, which has been generous with other worthwhile local causes in the past, is expected to be sympathetic to the needs of AASS.

As well as emergency cases like the one on Wednesday, AASS assists families, carers and professionals from NSW, around Australia and overseas every day of the year;

It also runs autism support groups and respite programs and a sensory toy and resource shop with affordable prices.

AASS runs a parent library and toy library and organises and run workshops, seminars and other autism awareness programs;

And finally, AASS runs Australia’s only 24 hour Autism Hotline – 1300 222 777.

It sounds huge, but the reality is that it is a small organisation with a huge heart.

For an hour last Wednesday I was fortunate enough to see how big a heart with my own eyes.

♦ For more information go the AASS website.