Parents who use a Bradford project for young children with autism have been left devastated after hearing the service may be scrapped.

The Social Communication Interaction Play (Scip) scheme, which provides intensive support to families of autistic children younger than five, is set to lose its funding amid spending cuts.

The service runs two sessions a week for parents and children at the Mayfield Community Centre in Marshfields. Its staff also carry out home visits and train teachers at schools and playgroups in the city attended by youngsters taking part in the scheme.

Nita Pallister, of Horton Bank Top, has been taking her three-year-old son Cain to sessions since January after he was referred by St Luke’s Hospital.

She said: “Autism’s what they call the invisible disability. Scip helps them face the outside world. He had no confidence whatsoever before taking part. He was lost in his own little world and they have taught him to be confident and obviously that’s key to any child.”

Sahdia Ashraf, of Great Horton, said her son Rayhan Ahmed had benefited considerably after receiving help from the service for a year.

She said: “The staff have come to school and explained to the teachers how to deal with him. They have really helped me understand what he’s going through, what he’s seeing and understanding.

“This is the future for our children. There are a lot of children who are autistic and they have not had this benefit. My child is going to do well and he’s only come on because of this group.”

  • Read the full story in Tuesday's T&A