About Cape Autism Charity Trust

The Hubers family relocated to South Africa in 2007. They settled in Somerset West, in the Cape Winelands. Thom was in the privileged position of being able to join an intensive one-on-one programme in Somerset West. Paul and Henriette felt the need to give Thom the opportunity to be part of a social school environment and realised that the facilities in the area were not able to accommodate their son and address his unique needs. 
Again their passion and determination motivated them to raise funds to build a school for children with Autism. They founded the Cape Autism Charity Trust (CACT) as a vehicle to realise this dream. By means of this Non Profit Organisation, registered number IT859/2009, they want to raise awareness for and raise funds to provide for the needs of the children in The Western Cape who have been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Our Vision:

Our main focus is to create and ensure a secure, Autism-friendly school environment. Please go to our website (www.thedreamtreeschool.co.za) 

• Serve as a resource centre for any parent or educational facility that needs support
• Establishing a parent support group and will have regular meetings and on-line forums
• We have a wonderful relationship with the University of Cape Town and Stellenbosch University and we welcome Autism-related research at our school as well as student teachers, who wish to gain practical experience
• We associate ourselves with Autism Western Cape and Autism South Africa in order to build a broader network and to raise awareness for Autism in South Africa
• By building and growing our DreamTree School, we hope to become an example that can be duplicated across South Africa, so that we can reach as many children as possible

A scary fact:
On March 30th 2012, the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta USA released the results of extensive research that shows that 1 in 88 children will develop an Autism Spectrum Disorder. This raises the question of what facilities are currently available to educate these special children? As we are in the Western Cape, let's focus on the region.

• At present, there are 2 purpose specific state schools for learners with Autism in the Western Cape
• There are also 3 state schools for learners with special educational needs, which have Autism specific units

To be placed in any of these schools your child would be put on a waiting list with over 200 names on it at any given time and you could wait for up to 6 years to get a placement.
The only other private facility in the Western Cape that offers primary school classes is in Durbanville.

Trustees:

• Paul & Henriette Hubers (Founders of the DreamTree School and Cape Autism Charity Trust)
• Lindy Labuschagne (Attorney at Morkel & De Villiers)
• Christy Christiaans (Child and Clinical Psychologist and education and coaching specialist.