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"Don't ask a person with Aspergers 'Does my bum look big in this?' unless you really want to know the answer!"

Wise words and sound advice from keynote speaker Kieran Pentland, at Real Life Options' conference on 'Communication', in Glenrothes, Fife on 31^st October 2008. Kieran, seen here with Dierdre O'Kane, entertained and informed the audience in his own inimitable style, drawing on his own experience to suggest positive approaches and coping strategies for people with Aspergers.

150 people from across Scotland were welcomed to the Rothes Halls by Real Life Options' Chief Executive, David Wandless, to share and learn from each other's experience of living and working with people on the autistic spectrum.

Lilias Nichols, Head of Speech and Language Therapy at the Daldorch School, Ayrshire, got the day off to a flying start, relating her experiences of working with children with high support needs; and Dierdre O'Kane (pictured left) spoke movingly about living with a child with autism.

Workshops focused on intensive interaction, visual communications, PECS (picture exchange communication system), autism accreditation and housing that meets people's aspirations. And Chris Cimini of Creative Inspirations led a tribal drumming workshop that was great fun and very popular.

Thanks also to Nick Harris of Strategic Property Solutions, Nicola Murray and Mary Gilhooley of NHS Fife, and to the many staff from Real Life Options' Fife services, who worked hard to make the conference so enjoyable and a great success.