Autism is a developmental condition which affects around 1 in 100 people. It is a lifelong condition that affects how a person communicates with, and relates to other people, and how they experience the world around them. Autism is not an illness or disease and cannot be 'cured'. People often feel being autistic is a fundamental aspect of their identity.

Autistic children have persistent difficulties with:

• social interactions and communication
• restricted and repetitive patterns of behaviour

These difficulties can impact their ability to function every day.

Children with these difficulties are often said to have an autism spectrum condition (ASC). This is because there is a wide spectrum of ability among autistic children, ranging from children with severe needs to those with high ability..

All autistic children have complex needs and they and their families need help and support. There is no 'cure' for autism and therefore no medical ‘treatment’ as such exists, but children can develop and learn with the assistance of individualised strategies and approaches.

Support following diagnosis

West Kent multi-agency ‘drop-in’ sessions

These are regular term time sessions where you can meet professionals and other families. Dates are given out following diagnosis or you can contact:

Specialist Teaching and Learning Service

Broomhill Bank Outreach Services

01892 502466

Wendy Boorman; Family Liaison Officer

Kent Autistic Trust

01634 405168

wendy@kentautistic.com

Children’s Social Services

The Young People’s Team or the Disabled Children’s Team can provide advice and support, including an individual assessment of need, which may lead to a package of support for children with:

• severe and profound learning difficulties
• physical and sensory disabilities
• a combination of disabilities.

Phone: 03000 41 11 11

Email: social.services@kent.gov.uk

Website: www.kent.gov.uk/social-care-and-health/care-and-support/how-to-get-help

Early help

Support with parenting techniques, support for family and group sessions.

Website: www.kent.gov.uk/education-and-children/early-help-support-for-families

Speech and language therapist

Some autistic children can have particular difficulties with language and communication. You may be referred for speech and language therapy and will be informed of this at your diagnosis assessment.

Additional therapy input

Some autistic children have sensory processing difficulties. You may be referred to a sensory processing workshop and will be informed of this at your diagnosis assessment. This is a one session parent or carer only group, which provides information on sensory difficulties and strategies to manage these.

Dental service

Provides dental care for children who experience difficulty in accessing treatment in general practices. There are community dentists in the local area. Please phone 01634 334660 for more information.

Age specific support following diagnosis

Pre-school children

Early bird programme

This is a three-month autism-specific course which combines group training sessions for parents and carers with individual home visits. Please see separate information provided for further details.

Specialist nursery or help in community mainstream nursery

Some children require specialist nursery input or additional support in mainstream nurseries to enable them to learn and thrive. Further information can be found with regards to this at www.kent.gov.uk/education-and-children/special-educational-needs/children-under-5-with-send

Early years LIFT

A team of professionals, including your child’s teacher will discuss their learning needs and formulate a plan. Your child’s key worker will fill in the form with your consent.

Portage

Portage is an educational service for pre-school children with special educational needs and disabilities, offering bespoke packages of intervention to support a child’s development through pre-school learning groups and/or home learning sessions.

More information can be found at KELSI or from Kent County Council.

Visit: www.kelsi.org.uk/special-education-needs/kent-portage

Email: kentportal@kent.gov.uk

Phone: 03000 41 77 04

School-age children

The specific courses available differ depending on where you live. As of January 2019 the following courses are available but are subject to change. You will be informed of which courses you are eligible for upon diagnosis.

Cygnet course

Available for Dartford Gravesham and Swanley, Tunbridge Wells and Sevenoaks families.

This is a seven-week parenting support programme for those with five-to-18-year-olds. The programme is delivered over seven sessions, each between two-and-a-half and three hours. Please see separate information provided for further details.

Cygnet course

Available for Tonbridge and Malling families.

This is a seven-week parenting support programme for those with eight-to-18-year-olds. The programme is delivered over seven sessions, each between two-and-a-half and three hours. Please see separate information provided for further details.

Early bird plus

Available for Tonbridge and Malling families.

This is a 10-week programme for those with four-to-nine-year-olds. The programme is delivered in eight sessions, each two-and-a-half hours, as well as two home visits. Please see separate information provided for further details.

All school-age children

Your child’s school will be informed with your consent, of your child’s diagnosis. We encourage parents and carers to work closely with their child’s teacher and SENCO. Teachers and SENCOs will assess whether your child has special educational needs. There are different stages for helping children with special educational needs depending on an individual needs.

These stages include:

• SEN (specialist educational need) support
• assessment (education, health and care assessment)
• education, health and care plans (EHCPs). These have replaced statements of special educational needs.

Further information can be found at www.kent.gov.uk/education-and-children/special-educational-needs/assessments-and-statements-of-special-educational-needs

LIFT

As with pre-schoolers, if additional needs are identified the SENCO will fill in the form with your consent.

Local support

The Kent Autistic Trust

Wendy Boorman is a Family Support Officer who can provide telephone support, home visits, information and advice in addition to running a local parents/carers group. She and her colleagues can help families work with education, health and Social Services, and can provide information about local support groups.

Phone: 01634 405168

Email: wendy@kentautistic.com

Website: www.kentautistic.com

Address: 14 High St Bromptom, Gillingham, ME7 5AE

Ifield SMILE Centre

This is a parents’ education support group, run by Ifield Special Needs School in Gravesend. The SMILE Centre also runs the Cygnet Programme and other educational sessions on sleep, dyslexia etc.

Phone: 01474 536924

Email: smile@ifield.kent.sch.uk

Address: Ifield School, Cedar Ave, Gravesend, DA12 5JT

BEAMS

A family support service, providing confidential advice and group support. They also help with short breaks, after-school clubs and holiday activities for autistic children and their families.

They provide help with educational support and educational health care plan (EHCP) applications, and other benefits and disability allowances advice.

Phone: 01322 668501

Website: www.wearebeams.org.uk

Email: admin@wearebeams.org.uk

Address: 38-40 St David’s Road, Hextable, BR8 7RJ

Kent County Council

The council provides support through funding the special need schools, approve the EHCP, and providing social care support if needed. It can also provide educational psychology assessment for learning difficulties. The website has a lot of information regarding school placement, support, free transport and allowances and benefits.

Website: www.kent.gov.uk/autism

Autism Support Group

Facilitated by the Helen Allison School and NAS Dartford and Gravesham Branch.

This group is for any parent or carer of autistic children and young people, and meets regularly to discuss autism and share information in an informal and supportive environment.

Meets during term time on Friday mornings from 10 to 11.30am at Emmanuel Baptist Church, Windmill Street, Gravesend DA12 1BB

For further information, please contact Tim Cook at timcook@nas.org.uk or on 07990 742081.

Father’s club

This group supports fathers and grandfathers of children with autism. It is informal and meets to talk about any issues or problems members may face. They have a north Kent and a Maidstone and mid-Kent group which meet monthly.

For further details, please email fathersclubkent@outlook.com or phone 01634 405168.

UK support

The National Autistic Society

This is a UK charity that provides education, treatment, welfare and care to autistic people. It is an excellent resource that additionally provides a helpline service.

Phone: 0202 7833 2299

Helpline: 0845 070 4004

Email: www.autism.org.uk

Address: 393 City Road, London, ECV1 1NE

Autism Spectrum Database UK (ASD-UK)

Upon diagnosis you will be provided with information from ASD-UK. This is a UK research family database of autistic children. The aim of ASD-UK is to provide accurate data about autistic childrengive families the opportunity to take part in research studies. The project is funded by Autistica - www.autistica.org.uk.  Autistica is a charity that is committed to ensuring that increased understanding and new scientific knowledge will improve the lives of autistic individuals and their families.

Your decision to include your child’s details on ASD-UK is entirely voluntary. The services you and your child receive will not be affected in any way by not being included on the database.

Further information including a newsletter can be found at www.asd-uk.com

Other useful organisations and contacts

Association for all speech-impaired children (AFASIC)

Offers advice on all speech and language difficulties.

Phone: 03020 666 9410

Website: www.afasic.org.uk

Address: Lower Ground Floor of ‘Contact’ Offices, 209-211 City Road, London EC1V 1JN

Contact a family

Gives advice, support and information to local parents’ groups and to individual parents anywhere in the UK.

Phone: 07910 795960

Email: London&southeast@cafamily.org.uk

Website: www.cafamily.org.uk

Address: 209 City Road, London EC1V 1JN

Information, Advice and Support Kent (IASK)

Provides support to parents and families when dealing with education issues related to their child’s health and social needs.

Website: www.kent.gov.uk/education-and-children/special-educational-needs/who-to-contact/kent-parent-partnership-service

Carers First

Aims to give comprehensive help to all carers through access to information and resources, discussion, advocacy, one-to-one support and groups where they can meet other carers. They also offer short breaks or respite to adult carers including parent carers of children with learning difficulties.

Phone: 03003 03 1555

Email: hello@CarersFIRST.org.uk

Website: www.carersfirst.org.uk/kent

DSUK South East Group

DSUK South East Group is a local branch of Disability Snow Sport UK. This group gives people with all disabilities, including autism from across the South East, the opportunity to share in the joys and freedom that skiing offers, with the help of others and through the use of adaptive equipment and techniques.

Website: www.dsuksoutheastgroup.org.uk

SPACE 2 BE ME

SPACE 2 BE ME provides support to disabled children through a range of clubs for six-to-25-year-olds. They also provide support to parents and families.

Phone: 01622 764566

Email: info@space2beme.org.uk

Walk Tall

Local drama group for five-to-19-year-olds to build self-esteem.

Phone: 0845 270 8130

Disability Sportslink

For information about sporting activities for young people with disability living in the local area

Phone: 01474 536254

Website: www.gcll.co.uk

IPSEA

Organisation that gives independent advice on special educational matters, law, appeals etc.

Website: www.ipsea.org.uk

Benefits

D.I.A.L North West Kent

Free confidential advice, including welfare benefits, leisure, housing, equipment and motoring.

Phone: 01474356962

Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

This is tax free benefit for adults or children with an illness or disability who need help with:

• getting around and/or
• with personal care.

Many autistic children are entitled to Disability Living Allowance. Further information can be found at www.nas.org.uk

Personal Independence Payment (PIP)

If you are aged 16-to-64 you may be able to claim PIP. For more information visit www.gov.uk/benefitsadvisor or contact  Carers First on 0300 303 1555 or DIAL North West Kent on 01474 356962.

Carers Allowance

If you care for a child who receives the care component of DLA at the middle or higher rate and if you earn less than £84 a week, you may be entitled to Carers Allowance. Further information can be found at www.gov.uk/carers-allowance

Family fund

The family fund helps families caring for a severely disabled child under the age of 15. They give grants, related to a child’s disability, for items that are not provided by statutory agencies. Further information can be found at www.familyfund.org.uk

Useful books

Autism: The Facts

ISBN 0 192623 27 3: P Bolton and Simon Baron-Cohen

The Autistic Spectrum: A guide for parents and professionals

ISBN 0 094751 60 9: Lorna Wing

Autism: An inside-out approach

ISBN 1 853023 87 6: Donna Williams

This book is written by a person with ASD and provides a picture of the world from their own perspective.

It Can Get Better

ISBN 1 899280 03 0: Paul Dickinson and Liz Hannah

Published by the National Autistic Society, this provides information on dealing with common behaviour problems in young autistic children.

Autism: How to Help Your Young Child

ISBN 1 899280 65 0

Asperger’s Syndrome: A guide for parents and professionals

ISBN 1 978 1 84310 669 2: Tony Attwood

The Complete Guide to Asperger’s Syndrome

ISBN 978 1 843 10 669 2: Tony Attwood

I Am Special

ISBN 978 1 849052 665: Peter Vermeulen

I have Autism - What’s That?

Kate Doherty, Paddy McNally and Eileen Sherrad

No ISBN: Down Lisburn Trust, Code NAS 482

What is Asperger’s Syndrome and How Will it Affect Me?

ISBN 1 899280 14 6: National Autistic Trust

Everybody is Different

ISBN 1 899280 14 6

Published by the National Autistic Society, this is aimed for young people who have brothers or sisters with ASD.

Freaks, Geeks and Asperger’s Syndrome

ISBN 1 843100 98 3: Luke Jackson

Autism specific community library

This service is free of charge.  It is available at Helen Allison School.  For further information or to arrange a visit to browse please contact cathy.riggs@nas.org.uk or phone 01474 814878 or 07425 624456.

Beams library

Beams have a lending library of books about ASD for members to borrow. Phone 01322 668501 for more information.

Useful additional resources

Autism alert card

This plastic card, same size as a credit card, alerts the emergency services that the holder has an autism spectrum diagnosis. It is available free of charge from the Kent Autistic Trust to anyone with autism in Kent.

For an application form please contact The Kent Autistic Trust by visiting www.katfamilysupport.co.uk/autism-alert-cards or phoning 01634 405168.

Medic alert

Wristbands have been designed by people who are autistic.

They provide vital personal and medical details in an emergency or if a person with autism wanders off or goes missing.

Phone: 01908 951045

Access to public toilets

A personal RADAR key for access to an accessible toilet can be purchased for a small charge. You will need proof of disability.

Gravesend: Box office, Woodville Halls Windmill Street, Gravesend DA12 1AU

Dartford: Cash office, Main Reception, Civic Centre, Home Gardens, Dartford DA1 1DR

Kartouche: Social skills (key stages one, two and three)

Visit http://creativeedutech.com

Black Sheep Press

Speech and language resources that can be viewed and purchased on-line at www.blacksheeppress.co.uk

CBBC

Video: My Autism and Me.

Educational toys, games and resources

For emotional awareness, traffic light timers and motor skills etc.

Website: www.learningresources.co.uk

Ready laminated social stories, reward charts, PECs support

eBay shop - ‘extra-special-friends’

Useful daily tips for parents

Facebook - ‘Autism Sparks’

Cinema card

Carers go free. Visit www.ceacard.co.uk

Merlin’s magic wand

www.merlinsmagicwand.org

Bus pass

www.kent.gov.uk/roads_and_transport/getting_around/travel_by_bus/bus_services/bus_passes_for_the_elderly.aspx

iPhone and iPad apps for communication

www.mashley.net

Concessions for the Orchard Theatre

Contact Dartford Borough Council.

Quotes from parents

• “When your child is first diagnosed with autism it’s a great shock and very upsetting.”
• “After the diagnosis our feelings were mixed. There was some relief - the fact that our son’s difficulties weren’t simply due to bad parenting! There was also of course, enormous anxiety.”
• “Having a diagnostic label has helped; without it our son would have been seen as a naughty or disturbed child. As it is, his teachers regard his presence in the school as a challenge, and have gone out of their way to help him integrate with others.”
• “Be easy on yourself and help your child by giving them tools to manage themselves-don’t do it all for them. Give your child opportunities to relax and yourself too-you both have to work hard to understand and cope.”
• “The most important thing for me has been meeting with other parents. It’s been very valuable-you realise other people are facing the same things. You don’t feel alone anymore.  We can learn from each other.”
• “I understand the reason my child sometimes act the way he does is his frustration at not being able to communicate with us, but also when he finds things frightening and doesn’t understand what is happening.”
• “Since diagnosis, the outlook has changed dramatically – Jack is a different child from the depressed, angry, intimidated little boy he was last year.”