Childhood images of autism

Outside Looking In: Photographs from TreeHouse by Stefanie Hafner

Issue date: 18 September 2002

A photographic exhibition at the TwoTen Gallery
Date: 1 October–31 October 2002
Location: The Wellcome Trust, 210 Euston Road, London NW1 2BE
T 020 7611 8888
Open: Monday to Friday, 09.00–18.00
Admission free
Nearest tubes: Euston, Euston Square or Warren Street

A unique and moving set of images of the daily school life of young children with autism opens on 1 October at the Wellcome Trust's TwoTen Gallery. The photographic exhibition by the artist Stefanie Hafner portrays images of pupils benefiting from the pioneering education provided at TreeHouse, a parent-led charity for children with autism.

The exhibition presents a unique opportunity to learn about the lifelong condition of autism and the reality that underpins the beautiful images. The photographs comprise portraits of the children and their environment at the TreeHouse school.

Autism locks children into a world of their own, making it difficult for them to communicate and understand their social environment. A sense of aloneness dominates all their behaviour. Effective, early intervention provides the only hope if these children are to maximise their potential and lead semi-independent lives. Their remarkable progress at the TreeHouse educational centre is portrayed through the sensitive and beautiful images displayed in this exhibition. The event also marks 2002 as Autism Awareness Year.

On the day that he takes up his post in the first ever UK professorship in autism - created to undertake further research into the causes and potential cures for this condition - Anthony Bailey, the new Cheryl and Reece Scott Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Oxford, will present his research into autism at the launch.

Charlotte Moore, newspaper columnist, novelist and mother of two sons with autism, will also speak at the exhibition launch about her experiences of bringing up her children.

Professor Sir Michael Rutter, Deputy Chairman of the Wellcome Trust and leading expert in childhood psychiatric disorders, said: "As many as 3600 children born this year alone may go on to develop autism. It is vital that research and educational opportunities continue to target prevention and treatments for a condition that ten years, the Trust's funding for autism and related research totalled nearly £7 million.

Welcoming his involvement in the exhibition, Professor Bailey said "I have seen for myself the excellent education the children receive at TreeHouse. I am delighted that the public will have the opportunity to learn about the charity's work through these beautiful images. It is a fitting tribute that the Wellcome Trust is hosting this exhibition given their commitment in the field of autism, and in bringing together scientists and clinicians to understand the causes and potential treatments for this life long condition."

Novelist and former teacher Charlotte Moore, whose newspaper column describes vividly what it is like to live with autism, commented: "Both my boys have made substantial gains through treatments of the type used at TreeHouse, although they haven't been able to access it at their school. I hope that many other children around the country will eventually benefit from the dissemination of TreeHouse's work."

Photographer Stefanie Hafner's large-scale colour images, which are accompanied by text, came about after spending three months observing and patiently sitting in the classrooms and the playground of the TreeHouse school. She worked closely with the staff and children at the school.

Commenting on her work, Stefanie said: "I want to show the viewer that these are remarkable children, who I feel very close to. I was so inspired by the dedication of the staff at TreeHouse and the happiness of the children in their environment, that I wanted to share this experience with others."

Media contacts

Shaun Griffin, Wellcome Trust Media Office
T 0207 6118612
E s.griffin@wellcome.ac.uk

Jacqueline Page, The TreeHouse Trust
T 020 7692 2860 or 020 7681 9982
E JPage@treehouse.org.uk

Notes to editors

The launch event for the exhibition is on 1 October 2002 at 17.00. If you would like to attend please contact Verena Collins at the Wellcome Trust on 020 7611 8229.
Electronic images are available from Shaun Griffin.
Autism is a serious lifelong neurological condition, marked by difficulties in communicating with people and in understanding the social world. It is a 'spectrum' disorder, where the most severe cases are marked by extremely repetitive, unusual, self-injurious and aggressive behaviour. This behaviour may persist over time and prove very difficult to change, posing a tremendous challenge to those who must live with, treat and teach these individuals. In its mildest form, autism resembles a personality disorder associated with a perceived learning difficulty.
Autism sets in during the early years. No one knows exactly what causes it and there is currently no cure. The numbers being diagnosed are rising. While exact prevalence estimates are not available, according to the MRC Review of Autism Research: Epidemiology and Causes, published in December 2001, around six in 1000 young children have an autism spectrum disorder. The National Autistic Society suggests that it now affects one in 110 children in the UK. Furthermore, the Society recently concluded from a school survey that as many as one in 86 children in primary schools have an autistic spectrum disorder.
The Wellcome Trust is an independent research-funding charity, established under the will of Sir Henry Wellcome in 1936. It is funded from a private endowment which is managed with long-term stability and growth in mind. The Trust's mission is to foster and promote research with the aim of improving human and animal health. The Wellcome Trust has provided nearly £7 million over the last ten years for autism-related research.
The TreeHouse Trust (referred to as TreeHouse) is a London-based UK charity, established in 1997 to provide an educational Centre of Excellence for children with autism. It was set up by North London parents whose children had recently been diagnosed with autism. TreeHouse has pioneered the use of an intensive educational approach called Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA), and was the first UK school to use it not only in classrooms but also during all parts of a child's day.
The charity's aim is to address the significant under-provision in education for children with autism in the UK, and to lead by example in pioneering well-researched educational methods. Recent figures suggest there are only approximately 4000 places for more than 26 000 children who require specialist provision.
One of the founding parents of TreeHouse is leading author Nick Hornby, whose son Danny attends the school. All the royalties from his international best selling book 'Speaking with the Angel' have been pledged to support TreeHouse.

Speakers' details

Professor Anthony Bailey will take up his position as the Cheryl and Reece Scott Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Oxford on 1 October 2002.
Posts previously held by Professor Bailey have included MRC Clinical Scientist and Head of the Autism Section at the MRC Child Psychiatry Unit, London, as well as an Honorary Senior Lectureship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at The Institute of Psychiatry. The main focus of Professor Bailey's research to date has been in establishing the genetic and neurobiological basis of autism spectrum disorders. He was a member of the physiology board of the recent MRC review into the causes and epidemiology of autism. Professor Bailey is also currently an Honorary Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist at the Maudsley Hospital and a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, the Association for Child Psychology, Psychiatry and Allied Professions, and the Child Psychiatry Research Society. He is currently an editor of the Biological Child and Adolescent Psychiatry section of the 'Journal of Neural Transmission'. Professor Bailey is a Professional Advisor to The TreeHouse Trust.
Professor Bailey can be contacted via Oxford University on 01865 270000 or via the Institute of Psychiatry on 020 7848 0352.
Charlotte Moore is a novelist, newspaper columnist, journalist, former teacher and mother of three sons, two of whom have autism. They attend a local unit for children with autistic spectrum disorder, and benefit from ABA at home, in out-of-school hours.
Charlotte Moore can be contacted on 01424 870027.
Stefanie Hafner was born and raised in Munich, Germany. She came to London in 1993 and studied for a BA in Photographic Arts at the University of Westminster from 1994-97. She has worked as an art and commercial photographer ever since. Stefanie has been involved in various group shows and awards, including the John Kobal Portrait Award at the National Portrait Gallery, the Fujifilm Association of Photographers' Assistant Awards and the Samaritans Competition. She works commercially as an advertising and editorial photographer through her London-based agent Jo Clark. 'Outside Looking In' Photographs from TreeHouse by Stefanie Hafner is her first major solo show in this country.
Stefanie Hafner can be contacted via email – stefaniehafner@hotmail.com – or by telephone on 07958 920664. She can also be contacted through her agent Jo Clark, on 020 7267 7267.

Also available for comment/interview:

Professor Sir Michael Rutter and Clare Matterson can be contacted via Shaun Griffin in the Wellcome Trust Media Office.
Virginia Bovell, Vice-Chair, Trustees and founding parent of the TreeHouse Trust. Mother of Danny Hornby (aged 9 years). Co-founder and Trustee of Parents' Autism Campaign for Education (PACE). Lay member of the MRC Review into the Causes and Epidemiology of Autism (2001) and participant on the DfES Autism Working Group. For interviews telephone 020 7681 9982.
Christine Asbury, Chief Executive, TreeHouse Trust. For interviews telephone 020 7681 9982.