CARDIFF, Wales:  One of America's foremost experts on autistic social skills provided a sharp insight into the everyday problems autistic people face when he held a seminar at Beechwood College's Training and Lifeling Learning Centre in Cardiff.

Jim Sinclair was speaking at the first event to be jointly hosted by Sully's Beechwood College, Wales's first purpose-built residential college for young opeople with autistic spectrum disorder or Asperger's syndrome and Autism Cymru, Wales' National Charity for Autism.

Jim Sinclair, who is himself autistiv and has a Masters degree in Rehabilitation Counselling, has worked professionally with chilodren and adults with autism.

He described many of the day-to-day problems autistic people face and how those around them can help with a basic understanding of their needs. He discussed the nature and functions of boundaries and emphasised that autistic young people needed to be taught to make decisions but they could handle making only one decision at a time.

He added that it was wrong to dictate how autistic people should feel, as they did not make the same emotional attachments as other people.

Richard Jones, director of Beechwood College, said: "Hosting this seminar was an important first step more aware of what can be done for autistic young people. The provision for education and care for autistic young adults in Wales is very limited and we feel we can help raise awareness of this."

(Source: Penarth Times, November 16, 2006)