D’s Story

“D is a beautiful fun loving boy who is 6 years old. He has been at The Ark Centre since he was 4 and has made a tremendous amount of progress in this time.

Receiving a diagnosis of Autism was devastating as all our hopes and dreams for our little boy were snatched from us. We were left in limbo by the Local Authority and didn’t know where to turn. Then we found The Ark Centre. This amazing and unique facility has transformed our son.

I stumbled across the Ark Centre through an advert in a local magazine and contacted them to see what they could offer my son. From the first time they met him, I knew we had made the right choice and he joined The Ark Centre in February 2016.

Before he started at The Ark Centre, he was unable to communicate effectively. He would babble, become extremely distressed over what appeared to us to be nothing. He didn’t interact with his peers and was only comfortable being around me and his Dad. He didn’t understand the world around him and we didn’t understand how to help him.

My son now talks and has gained vital skills to help him cope in a world that is not designed for children with Autism. He is in a mainstream school and he certainly would not be there if it wasn’t for the early intervention he has received over the last 2 years. He has started to read and can write his own name; something we thought we would never see!

He has a dedicated team around him that help him every step of the way. It is clear to see that they love what they do and seeing my son achieve a goal is just as important to them as it is to us. As his parents, the support The Ark have given us has been outstanding. They are there for us as much as our son and help and guide us too. We would be lost without them.

Living with a child with Autism can be challenging at times but The Ark Centre have not only helped my son become the boy he is today, but given us the confidence that with help, there is no reason why D cannot lead a fulfilling life.”