Helping young people with Asperger syndrome

In Ireland, services for people with intellectual disabilities are increasingly being provided in community-based settings. This article discusses a project in which the social needs of children with Asperger syndrome are addressed by the formation of a local sleepover club that is regulated mainly by the children themselves. Run by a community based learning disability nursing service in County Clare, Ireland, this family- and person-centred form of care is yet to be evaluated fully, but interim outcomes indicate that it has been a success and the initiative is being extended to cover more people with intellectual disabilities in County Clare.