We work in partnership with Autism Early Support (AES), a local specialist organisation offering a 10‑week online programme for parents and carers.

Despite the name, AES supports families of children with Autism and/or ADHD.

You do not need a diagnosis to attend, and the programme is open to all Buckinghamshire families.

The programme includes:

• Access to a free online portal with blogs, resources and webinars
• Workshops and Family Support Groups to help you:
  • understand and support your child
  • develop a profile of your child’s needs to share with schools or professionals
  • find practical strategies to use at home
  • understand and respond to your child’s behaviours
  • connect with other parents for peer support
  • learn more about neurodiversity and its impact on family life

Autism Early Support (AES) – Parent Portal

The Autism Early Support Parent Portal is free to all families living in Buckinghamshire. It is an interactive 24/7 community of support, resources, and guidance. Wherever you are on your journey, the portal will help you with what you need to know and when you need to know it. It gives unlimited access to a huge bank of resources for parents with children aged 2-17 years.

These resources and links provide further information and strategies on ADHD:

• ADHD UK is a charity set up to help those affected by ADHD – either those that have the condition or people close to them: family, friends, employers, and co-workers.
• All things ADHD has self help workbooks and videos aimed at parents and carers
• Parent Guide to ADHD & Autism –an animated series of videos that reflect the real-life experiences of children, young people and families who use the service. Real-life practical strategies are mentioned in an animated story format to help parents of children with ADHD or autism manage common experiences they face at home.
• The National Attention Deficit Disorder Information and Support Service (ADDIS) provide information and resources about ADHD to anyone who needs assistance.

These resources and links provide further information and strategies on Autism:

• National Autistic Society are the UK’s leading charity for autistic people and their families providing support, guidance and advice.
• Autism fact sheets are a collection of information sheets that maybe helpful families
• Ambitious about Autism are a charity who seek to empower and support autistic young people. They work with autistic young people, their families, employers, and professionals to increase autism confidence and create opportunities.
• Childline – What is autism and living with it has information and support for young people.
• Autism can be different for different people. In this video Youtuber Connor joins us to speak about his experiences and gives some tips on how to cope

There are resources and organisations that can explain what support is available in schools:

• Ordinarily Available Provision outlines the provision that the local authority expects to be made available for all Early Years children and children with special educational needs and or disabilities.
• Bucks SENDIAS service are a Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support Service that provides free, confidential, impartial information, advice and support on all matters relating to special educational needs and disability for children and young people aged 0 to 25 and their parents/carers.
• IPSEA are an independent provider of Special Education advice.
• Autism Toolbox for Parents and Carers outlines the support for children and young people with autism who may struggle at school.
• Bucks SEND Local Offer is a guide to the education, health, and social care support available for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.
• The experiences portrayed in the animated video reflect the real-life experiences of children, young people and families who use the service. Real-life practical strategies are mentioned in an animated story format to help parents of children with ADHD or autism manage common experiences they face at home.

Our team have developed these resources to help explain and support families by providing information, practical exercises and techniques to work through:

• Strategies for Emotional Regulation and Managing Everyday Demands
• Autism Strategies – Communication, Anxiety and Behaviour
• Feel Good box
• Sibling support
• Box Breathing Boys
• Box Breathing Girls

Changes in routine such as coming home from the highly structured, busy, and sensory demanding environment of school or college to the calmer, less structured more familiar environment of home can often be one of the most common and biggest challenges for young people. Our team have developed these resources to help explain and support families with these transitions:

• Transitions – Older Children
• Transitions – Younger Children

For parents of children and young people with ADHD, sleep often feels difficult to manage. Here are some helpful links and resources to support better sleep routines and make nights feel a little easier.

• Understanding ADHD and Sleep
• Sleep Resource sheet
• Sleep Advice Service

The Speech and language therapy team assess and treat children and young people with specific speech, language, communication, eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties. This helps them to communicate and participate in daily activities to the best of their ability.

The Occupational therapy team help children and young people to overcome challenges with daily activities such as dressing, washing, eating and moving.

There are groups and organisations that support Buckinghamshire families:

• Walking with You is a parent led support group for anyone supporting children and young people, up to the age of 25, with neurodivergence or experiencing mental health difficulties.
• FACT Bucks, short for Families and Carers Together in Buckinghamshire, is a group of parents and professionals who meet to discuss real issues that affect children and young people with additional needs and disabilities in Buckinghamshire.
• SPACE Chesham and South Bucks is a support group for parents and carers of children with ADHD, Autistic Spectrum Disorder and Challenging Behaviour. They aim to provide a space where you can find advice, support and information.
• The South Buckinghamshire branch of the National Autistic Society is a support group for people with autism. The service includes parent support group, social group for young adults over 16 years, speaker evenings, newsletter, Rainbow Club for 5 to 11 year olds as well as family activities including Autism friendly cinema screenings, swimming, bowling, indoor play centre and other days out
• Greater Resources for Autism Supporting Parents and Siblings  is a voluntary-run, inclusive support group for families, young adults, and adults, affected by Autism in Buckinghamshire.
• Bucks and Beyond Adult ADHD Support Group is a support group for adults with ADHD and parents of children with ADHD who meet in High Wycombe every month. Contact the group leader Sarah Templeton by email headstuff.therapy@yahoo.com.

• The Buckinghamshire Family Information Service is a central hub that helps parents and carers find local childcare, activities, and support services for children and young people aged 0-19 or up to 25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

Reading about autism and ADHD in books can be beneficial as they can often provide deeper, more detailed explanations as well as deeper personal insights compared to watching short videos or visiting websites. We have also included some fictional novels and books series for young people:

ADHD

• Too Much!: An Overwhelming Day
• Percy Jackson and The Olympians
• Supporting reading for children with ADHD
• Hank Zipzer Series
• How to ADHD Book.
• All Dogs Have ADHD by Kathy Hoopman

Autism

• Not an Autism Mom Book Lists
• Avoiding Anxiety in Autistic Children by Luke Beardon
• Autistic Girls Network Book Recommendations
• Unmasking Autism by Devon Price
• All Cats Are On The Autism Spectrum by Kathy Hoopman
• A Friend Like Simon