STAFF at Specsavers have completed a course to support customers with autism.
The scheme, developed with The National Autistic Society, aims to build knowledge about the condition, while helping to improve the customer experience for people with autism, and their carers.
It covers understanding autism; communicating with people on the spectrum; how autism can impact the senses, and adjustments that stores can make.
Tom Lowry, St Helens store director, said: "Autism affects more than one in 100 people and as our store is such a big part of the community, it is vital that we are able to communicate and support someone with the condition in the most effective way possible.’
Sharlene Wright, business development manager at The National Autistic Society, added: "This has been a great opportunity for us to increase awareness of autism in partnership with an organisation that is proactively seeking to enable autistic people to have a positive experience in its stores.
"It has been an inspiring collaboration and The National Autistic Society welcomes the open attitudes and minds with which Specsavers is seeking to enhance the lives of people on the autism spectrum."
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