We know that waiting for an assessment or diagnosis can be a really worrying time, but it’s important to know you can access support while you are waiting. If your child is diagnosed, understanding autism and helping to change the way we interact with someone with autism will support them to reach their potential.
Your child does not need a diagnosis of autism for you to receive this support.
Support online
- The National Autistic Society: For information relating to a diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorder.
- Kent Autistic Trust: For information about the diagnosis of autism and the local area. It provides support services for families that are tailored to individual needs.
- NHS conditions: For information about autism.
- Watch this short clip by the National Autistic Society about ASC.
Help at home
Health Visiting Service (0 to 5 years)
The Health Visiting Team provides support and confidential health advice. They can advise you on:
- your child’s growth and development
- behaviour difficulties, such as sleeping, eating, potty training and temper tantrums
- healthy eating, hygiene, safety and exercise.
Visit our Health Visiting Service to find out more.
School Health Service
The School Health Service provides support for primary and secondary-aged children with a variety of health issues and will refer to specialist services, when needed.
These include:
- daytime and night time wetting and soiling
- behaviour management
- healthy eating and lifestyle
- emotional health and wellbeing
- puberty and growing up
- sexual health
- stopping smoking
- drug and alcohol misuse
- sleep
- complex health needs.
There are a number of school health teams across Kent. Referring to one of the teams is easy:
0300 123 4496
kchft.schoolhealth@nhs.net
Online referral form
Early Help Service
Early Help Triage Team
Email: earlyhelp@kent.gov.uk
Phone 03000 41 92 22.
This service can offer support if:
- you are worried about your child’s behaviour
- you are struggling to cope
- you are worried about your family finances
- your child is struggling to cope with bereavement
- your child is being bullied
- your child refuses to go to school or college
- you or your child want to develop new friends and have new experiences,
- you are having difficulties with family relationships.
For example, we can offer support if:
- you are worried about your child’s behaviour
- you are struggling to cope
- you are worried about your family finances
- your child is struggling to cope with bereavement
- your child is being bullied
- your child refuses to go to school or college
- you or your child want to develop new friends and have new experiences
- you are having difficulties with family relationships.
Your child’s GP or preschool/school can make a referral on your behalf. More information about can be found at www.kelsi.org.uk/earlyhelp.
Extra help at preschool or school
If your child is at a preschool or school then you can talk to your child’s key person (in preschool) or teacher about any concerns you may have.
If there are concerns about your child’s development or progress then the keyworker/teacher or possibly the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo) should speak to you about this.
They will share with you what strategies they have already put in place to support your child and talk to you about the impact of this on their progress.
Local Inclusion Forum Team
If the staff at your child’s preschool or school need additional advice, training or support to help your child, then the SENCo can make a referral to the Local Inclusion Forum Team (LIFT). You will need to give consent for this to happen.
At the Early Years LIFT meeting the SENCo will share the needs of your child and explain what has been tried to date to enable progress. Other settings/schools and professionals, for example, an educational psychologist or specialist teacher may suggest further strategies that can be tried.
The outcomes of the LIFT meeting should be shared with you by the SENCo. This will then enable targets to be set for your child and a plan to be prepared with you.
More help
- Read about the LIFT process
- Talk to the SENCo at your child’s preschool or school.
Supporting challenging behaviour
If you need help with supporting challenging behaviour, you may find the advice here useful.