A University of Birmingham autism expert will illustrate how ground-breaking work in Britain could help improve life for millions of Chinese children. 

Ryan Bradley will introduce a prestigious international conference in Beijing to an innovative project in Oxfordshire, which could hold the key to unlocking the solution to problems of autistic children in China. 

He will address the Second China Autism Rehabilitation Forum on how best practice guidance developed through the University’s evaluation of the project, could help to tackle autism in China. 

The University’s Autism Centre for Education and Research (ACER) has played a key role in developing the Early Years Autism Project in Oxfordshire, which helps meet the needs of early years children with autism. 

Mr Bradley, an ACER research fellow, said: “This is a great opportunity for the University of Birmingham to continue our work with health professionals in China and highlight ways in which our research can benefit millions of Chinese children with autism. 

“I was delighted to be invited to speak at the conference and hope that our research will help children in China. I’ll be talking about how a robust evidence-based framework can help to assess, understand and meet the needs of children with autism.” 

The conference, which runs from 15 to 18 April is organised by the China Rehabilitation Research Center and China Association of Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons.  It will see Mr Bradley showcase the work of ACER, which is led by his colleague Dr. Karen Guldberg. 

The University of Birmingham and Beijing GTOG Education Science and Technology Ltd signed an agreement on autism education in August 2015. 

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Mr Bradley’s invitation to speak at the event follows a visit to GTOG and related institutions in Beijing China in November 2015. This saw him and Dr Guldberg - pictured above on the visit - advise experts how the English model could help Chinese children with autism. As strategic partners in China, GTOG and the University of Birmingham are working together to help more and more autism children in China. 

Oxfordshire County Council’s Early Years Autism Project uses a model known as SCERTS (Social Communication Educational Regulation and Transactional Support) to help autistic children and their families cope with the condition.

Dr Guldberg led on evaluating the 18-month project, using ‘action research’ to produce guidelines for best practice. By applying specific research to situations and problems found in the project, her team was able to develop best practice which could now be used in China. 

Mr Bradley will address the conference on the importance of early social interactions for babies and young children in developing language and thought processes, as well as educational approaches that allow children with autism to develop friendships and interact with other people.

ENDS

Notes to Editors                      

  • The University of Birmingham is ranked amongst the world’s top 100 institutions, its work brings people from across the world to Birmingham, including researchers and teachers and more than 5,000 international students from over 150 countries.
  • The Autism Centre for Education and Research (ACER) leads the way in research and teaching in education and care for individuals on the autism spectrum. It is part of the University’s School of Education.
  • The China Rehabilitation Research Center and China Association of Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons are  part  of China Disabled Persons’ Federation,  which is commissioned by the Central Government of China to supervise the administration of disability-related matters. They are national umbrella organisations helping people with a range of disabilities. It
  • GTOG Education is a leading provider of autism educational establishments in China. GTOG has founded three institutions providing rehabilitation services for children with autism. Some 3,000 children with autism have accepted rehabilitation by GTOG.

For more information or interviews, please contact Tony Moran, International Communications Manager, University of Birmingham on +44 (0) 121 414 8254 or  +44 (0)782 783 2312 or t.moran@bham.ac.uk

For more information about GTOG, please contact Na Ji, Manager, Beijing GTOG Education Science & Technology Ltd on +86 (10) 60603198 or +86 (10) 82888268