Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Support

Caring for a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be stressful for parents and siblings. As a parent, you may be concerned about your child’s future and feel stress related to managing your child’s developmental delays.

You may feel isolated from friends and family members who do not understand your family’s special challenges, but parent support groups and parent-child interaction therapy can help decrease your stress and ease your worries. Support groups also give you opportunities to connect with other caregivers in similar situations.

Learning about ASD and how it affects children and impacts families can help you adjust to the diagnosis, learn effective coping and parenting strategies, and optimize your child’s growth and development.

Below is a list of organisations offering advice and support available in the Borough of Barking and Dagenham and nationally that is available for families with children who have autism or similar developmental delays/disorders.

Organisations offering advice and support

The Local Offer

Visit website: https://www.lbbd.gov.uk/local-offer

Who is it for?

The Local Offer is for children and young people with SEN and/or disabilities from birth to 25, their parents and carers, and other practitioners and professionals. The Local Offer should make it easier to find out what you need to know, give you information about what is available, and tell you where you can get further information.

National Autistic Society

Visit website

A national organisation providing information about autism and how it effects people, including some information about strategies and approaches.

Tel: 020 7833 2299
Email: nas@nas.org.uk           

Sycamore Trust

Visit website: http://www.sycamoretrust.org.uk/

27-29 Woodward Road, Dagenham RM9 4SJ, Tel: 020 8262 5330

Supporting the needs of individuals and families/carers for whom ASD and/or Learning Difficulties are a part of daily life.

Email: enquiries@sycamoretrust.org.uk

Carers of Barking and Dagenham

Visit website: http://www.carerscentre.org.uk/

Run by parents and offers training and support for parents and help with Educational Health Care Plans. Contact Susan Harper on 0208 593 4422

Information about education for children with Special Educational needs -https://www.lbbd.gov.uk/sen-in-schools

Information about education after primary school -

https://www.lbbd.gov.uk/education-5-25

CAMHS Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Resources

https://www.nelft.nhs.uk/camhs-autism-spectrum-disorder-asd-resources 

IPSEA Visit website: https://www.ipsea.org.uk/

Independent Provider of Special Education Advice (known as IPSEA) offers free, independent legally based information, advice, training, and support to help get the right education for children and young people with all kinds of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Carol Gray

Social Stories https://carolgraysocialstories.com/

After your child's diagnosis

Helpful resources and information for after your child's diagnosis.

Useful information and resources:

Autism West Midlands:

Autism leaflets in different languages:

Information videos

Information videos, which have been created by a partnership between the University of Leicester, Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, and was funded by Carlton Hayes Charity, will be helpful in learning about autism. Visit the website here.

Other useful websites and links on transport and holidays and accessing places

Oasis

Visit website: http://oasisonline.org.uk/local-support/

Oasis is a support group, run by parents of ASD children and volunteers (not health professionals). Information given is based on personal experience only and we always recommend contacting professionals for advice / support.

Other useful websites about charities for disabled children

Sleep management and support for parents with SEN children is accessible via

  • SCOPE
  • Cerebra  https://cerebra.org.uk/

Toilet training advice and information links

Links to website for sensory items and ideas

After your child's diagnosis

Social communication support services and resources

Information and activities

If you would like more information around social communication difficulties and would like to find out different ways to support your children you can also look at the following websites for videos and ideas: For pre school children you can access: https://www.bbc.co.uk/tiny-happy-people or https://hungrylittleminds.campaign.gov.uk/

For school aged children you can look at information from the charity ‘I CAN’ and look at information on their ‘talking point’ link: https://ican.org.uk/i-cans-talking-point/