THE father of a little boy with autism is releasing a charity single to help raise awareness of the condition.

Poole-based songwriter and producer Martin Crowley is working with around ten families linked to the Coping With Chaos charity, part of Diverse Abilities Plus, to release a song on iTunes together with a video as part of the Child Like You project.

The initiative aims to highlight what it can be like to take children with additional needs, often less visible conditions such as autism, into public place or social settings such as going out for a meal, due to the potential public reaction.

Child Like You, to be released on iTunes on December 1, is based around the scenario of a mum and daughter going out for a meal and all profits will go to support the Coping With Chaos project, which funds activities for disabled children and their families.

Around 10 families linked to the charity are helping to make a YouTube video to accompany the song, edited by 14-year-old Poole teenager Skye Petto, and a Facebook page, featuring trailers and promotional information, has also been set up.

Martin, from Branksome, said: “I myself have a nine-year-old boy with autism and my wife and I know how difficult it can be to access social places/situations due to the reaction of some members of the public.

“I have been told to ‘get my child under control’ more than once and I know it can be much worse for mums, especially when on their own with their child.”

  •  To find out more, visit facebook.com/childlikeyouproject. For more information on Coping with Chaos, or Diverse Abilities Plus, visit diverse abilitiesplus.org.uk.