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Support for parents (Autism Specialist Teacher Team)

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National Autistic Society EarlyBird Plus 

EarlyBird Plus is an eight-week programme designed for the families and settings of primary school-aged children:

  • with a diagnosis of Autism,
  • or those with needs identified as Autism where a diagnostic assessment has not been undertaken.

Sessions are designed for settings to attend alongside parents. They are based on a group learning approach. Parents, professionals and trainers share experiences and strategies in the sessions. The course aims to:

  • Equip parents and carers to develop a greater understanding of their child’s needs.
  • Develop a consistent approach across settings (home and school).
  • Empower parents and professionals to understand more about autism and the needs of the children they support.

The course includes topics such as:

  • Understanding and supporting sensory differences
  • Understanding and supporting communication differences
  • Understanding and interpreting behaviour

There are also two individual family sessions for parents. This allows them to discuss any particular issues and enable approaches for their child with the course leaders.

Cohorts will run every term starting in September, January and April. Cohort sizes are limited. Families not allocated to a particular cohort will be offered future dates. Families are not charged for attending the course.  

More information can be found on the National Autistic Society website.

Referrals

With parental agreement, School SENCos can make referrals to this programme. Schools can download the EarlyBird Plus Parent Information Leaflet [PDF, 192KB].

For further information please do not hesitate to contact the Autism team by

National Autistic Society Teen Life

Teen Life is a six-week programme designed for the families and settings of secondary-aged children:

  • with a diagnosis of autism
  • or those with needs identified as autism where a diagnostic assessment has not been undertaken.

Sessions are for settings to attend alongside parents. They are based on a group learning approach whereby parents, professionals and trainers share experiences and strategies. The course aims to: 

  • Bring parents together to share information, experiences and ideas in a structured way.
  • Equip parents and carers to develop a greater understanding of their teen’s needs.
  • Develop a consistent approach across settings (home and school).
  • Empower parents and professionals to understand more about autism and the needs of the autistic teens they support.

The course includes topics such as:

  • Self-esteem
  • Stress and anxiety
  • Understanding your diagnosis
  • Puberty
  • Education- planning for the future

Cohorts will run every term starting in September, January and April. Cohort sizes are limited. Families not allocated to a particular cohort will be offered future dates. Families are not charged for attending the course.  

More information can be found on the National Autistic Society website. 

Referrals

With parental agreement, School SENCos can make referrals to this programme. Schools can download the Teen Life parent information leaflet [PDF, 156KB]. 

For further information please do not hesitate to contact the Autism team by

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