Helping young people with Asperger syndrome O’Halloran, M. and Doody, O Abstract In Ireland, services for people with intellectual disabilities are increasingly being provided in community-based settings. This article discusses a project in which the social needs of children with Asperger syndrome are addressed by the formation of a local sleepover club that is regulated mainly by the children themselves. Run by a community based learning disability nursing service in County Clare, Ireland, this family- and person-centred form of care is yet to be evaluated fully, but interim outcomes indicate that it has been a success and the initiative is being extended to cover more people with intellectual disabilities in County Clare. Keywords Asperger syndrome, autism, community-based service Introduction Asperger syndrome (AS) is an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) characterised by impairments to communication, imagination and social interaction, and in some cases motor function (Cummins et al 2005). Some people with AS are denied services simply because they are articulate or academically successful (Carter 2009). They may lack social skills, however, which affects their ability to make and sustain friendships, and recognise and cope with bullying (Stichter et al 2010). In addition, they may be abnormally sensitive to sights, smells, sounds, tastes, and textures, which leads them to, for example, wear only specific types of clothing or eat only specific types of food (Lemer 2011). Other features of AS, such as a good command of language and an interest in making friends, distinguish it from other forms of autism, yet are not part of its diagnostic criteria Woodbury- Smith and Volkmar 2009). In general, children with AS frequently want to make friends but lack the social skills to engage appropriately, whereas those with autism tend to isolate themselves. Many children and teenagers with AS have marked abilities in unconnected areas, which can sometimes mask the true nature of their impairments, and their parents are often concerned about their children’s social survival, inability to make and sustain friendships, and their lack of understanding about the normal rules of social engagement (Stichter et al 2010). The worldwide prevalence of ASD remained stable until the early 1990s, when an increase in the prevalence of this and all pervasive developmental disorders was recorded (Lauritsen et al