Fiona Cargius is in favour of the new unit

Benedict Cargius' mother Fiona blames his condition on the MMR vaccine which he had when he was 14-months-old.

At the moment Benedict is taught at home by therapists who use the Applied Behavioural Analysis technique (ABA), which concentrates on improving the communication skills while looking specifically at their environment.

It can include things like teaching children in five minute bursts before breaking off to play.

The proposed centre at Westwood CP School in Buckley will offer intensive, highly-individualised programmes for each child.

There's a massive difference in Benedict, the biggest difference is his behaviour and how calm he is Fiona Cargius

"The school's long overdue. Autism's on the increase so this is definitely a step forward," said Mrs Cargius, whose supports the project for other children because her son is now too old to go the new school.

The intensive programmes have been running for more than two years in the children's own homes.

However, 10 youngsters aged between three and six will now have the opportunity to be educated with other children.

Mrs Cargius said her son has improved greatly since he started the ABA programme.

"There's a massive difference in Benedict, the biggest difference is his behaviour and how calm he is," she said.

"This whole programme has made him realise that there's a whole world out there, that there's people around him and he can communicate even though he has no speech.

Support

"Integration is essential because people with autism do copy children so if they can learn from being with kids who are in mainstream school then that's really good."

The new centre, funded jointly by Wrexham and Flintshire County Councils, would be an important provision of a very high quality for children with autism.

It would mean that children could be educated with their mainstream peers and less children would have to be educated out of county.

Children over the age of six will have the opportunity to move into mainstream schools or other special schools within the two counties.

In addition, a new school for autistic children is already being built behind Denbigh High school.

The Brondyffryn Trust is raising �3.5m to build the new school and residential centre to replace the existing Ysgol Plas Brondyffryn.

The school currently educates 93 pupils, who are aged between three and 19, with autistic spectrum disorder - characteristics include language problems and social difficulties.