AN action plan aimed at helping Bury's autistic schoolchildren has been given the backing of education chiefs.

The main thrust is to build two six-place classrooms at Millwood School and Elms Bank High School specifically for autistic children and to spend £180,000 to provide additional teachers and special support assistants (SSAs) at schools.

By doing so the LEA could cater for some of the 14 autistic children currently placed in special schools outside the borough at a cost of £473,000.

With autism, the earlier a diagnosis is made, the better, because appropriate intervention can then be implemented. To this end it is hoped funding can be found to provide three additional SSAs at Hoyle Nursery School.

Other plans put forward include creating a database to provide information to ensure an informed balance of provision, resource one or more primary schools to meet the needs of autistic children in mainstream schools and, in the long term, provide an outreach worker to support and co-ordinate provision throughout the LEA.

Staff would receive training to develop their skills and parents would be encouraged to develop their knowledge and skills so that they can provide the most effective support for their children.

Members of Bury Council's education and community services committee have approved the proposal but agreed that further consultation was needed before implementing them.

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