The following resources have been identified as potentially beneficial for parents/carers of children and young people either with a diagnosis of autism:
The Local Offer lets parents and young people know what special educational needs and disabilities services are available in Hertfordshire, and who can access them. You can access the Local Offer here or to find out more about what the Local Offer is, you can click here.
The National Autistic Society have produced a short guide for parents and carers of autistic children. You can access this by clicking here.
Alternatively the NAS website contains lots of useful information on topics such as explanation of autism, behaviour management, communication strategies, and supporting someone with autism during holiday periods (e.g. Christmas time). There is also an online shop that has books and resources for parents, which can be found here.
The Hanen Centre is a Canada-based organisation that has specific programmes and resources designed for children with AUTISM and their parents.
The Hanen Center has put together information for parents to support their children to learn language, communication and social skills. These can be accessed by going to: http://www.hanen.org/Helpful-Info/Parent-Tips.aspx
The Hanen Centre also produces purchasable resources for parents to use with their children to help them build their language, social, and early literacy skills. These can be found by going to: http://www.hanen.org/Guidebooks---DVDs/Parents.aspx
Ambitious about Autism is the national charity for children and young people with autism. Their Right from the Start Toolkit is a free downloadable resources for parents/carers who think their child has autism, or whose child has recently been diagnosed. It contains a wealth of straightforward information in one place to guide parents and carers through their child’s journey in the early years. From the autism assessment process to the first day of school, this toolkit is packed with practical tips and checklists to support parents during the earliest years of their child’s life. It also provides signposts to sources of support or additional information.
Neurotribes by Steve Silberman:
Playing, laughing and learning with Children on the Autistic Spectrum by Julia Moor:
The Autistic Spectrum: A Guide for Parents and Professionals by Lorna Wing:
Thinking in Pictures by Temple Grandin:
The Reason I Jump: one boy’s voice from the silence of autism by Naoki Higashida:
Autism Education Trust’s “Working together with your Child’s school” – a free guide produced by the Autism Education Trust for parents and carers to identify what is important in the education of their child with autism.
IPSEA offers free and independent legally based information, advice and support to help get the right education for children and young people with all kinds of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). As well as offering online information pages on topics such as “Education, Health and Care Plans”, “Exclusion and children out of school”, and “Choosing a school or college”, IPSEA offers the following free services run by legally-trained volunteers:
SENDIASS provides free impartial, confidential and accurate information, advice and support about education, health and social care for children, young people and their parents on matters relating to special educational needs and disability. There is a short video on their website introducing their Information Advice and Support Service, which you can view here (https://www.kids.org.uk/sendiass).
The National Association for Special Educational Needs (NASEN) has put together a guide to supporting girls with autism spectrum conditions.
Article written by Tania Tirraoro, founder and co-director of Special Needs Jungle (also parent to two children with autism diagnoses).
The Autism in Pink project was an EU Lifelong Learning Programme funded partnership between four European organisations to research and educate about autism (including Asperger syndrome) in women. The project gathered a group of women with autism in each country. In this film made for the project by Uppercut Films, the women talk about their lives - the challenges they've faced and their personal achievements.
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