PICTOR Academy in Timperley and the Regional Diagnostic Centre in Gomel, Belarus, have got together to discuss the education of autistic children, of which Pictor teaches 73.

The Gomel Region’s director of education and leading psychiatrists came in May and, this month (July), the school welcomed Tatiana Usova, the head of the Regional Diagnostic and Rehabilitation Centre.

She was welcomed by Pictor’s deputy head, Jacqui Wheble.

Her colleague, Lynne Murphy, who is home hosting Tatiana and her interpreter, has been volunteering in Gomel for seven years.

Jacqui, who visited the Diagnostic Centre in February, along with Trafford's community paediatrician Rashad Nawaz said; “One of the latest approaches to autism – using all the childen’s senses to develop their potential -- is just beginning there.

“They use a medical diagnosis whereas we use a multi agency specialist approach.

“They are at an earlier stage of the process because, until comparatively recently, they had little awareness of the condition.”

When she visited, Jacqui was impressed by the wrap-around care given to their children.

“From 2 pm a carer takes over until late. Children living further away can stay there and go home at weekends.”

The visits are funded by the Chernobyl Children’s Project.

“Chernobyl happened next to the Gomel region. It was agricultural but the radiation meant they couldn’t grow crops. I wondered if this could have affected the number of autism cases?”

Tatiana disagreed. “In Belarus there hasn’t been research into the number of people with any disability. So nobody can prove if there was a connection with Chernobyl.

“We have a lot of children in our school and will try to introduce what is relevant to them.

“I’m impressed with the team work at Pictor.”

Tatiana returned at the end of the week for the Pictor Academy barbecue.