ABSTRACT
Psychoanalytic work with children on the autistic spectrum has seen some of the most exciting advances in child psychotherapy that have taken place within the past thirty-odd years. When things go well, treatment can bring great bene®t to the children and their families; it can also shed light on fundamental areas of human experience. In spite of this, it remains a controversial intervention. In many parts of the United Kingdom, children and families who might be helped are not referred for psychotherapy.
