Autism Early Support Programme for Parents and Carers

Oxfordshire Neurodevelopmental Conditions Service (Oxon NDC)  has an exciting opportunity for 350 families who are registered with an Oxfordshire GP and who have a child or young person who is open to the CAMHS NDC Service to access a 10 week programme of support.

The programme includes a series of interactive online workshops and Parent Support Groups that are designed to help you:

• Gain a broader understanding of the ways you can support your child and advocate for their needs.
• Develop a profile of your child’s needs that you can then share with the people who work with them.
• Learn practical solutions to adopt with your child at home.
• Better understand and respond to their needs.
• Better understand neurodivergence and how it can impact family life.
• Gain access to a peer support network with other parents.

Dates

The next programme starts on 20 April 2026. The following two programmes will start in September 2026 and January 2027. Places are limited, so do register quickly if you believe this opportunity might be for you and you can commit to attending a 10 week programme.

Register by clicking on the link below and following the instructions:

https://autismearlysupport.org.uk/programmed-of-support-for-parents-carers/

FAQ

How do I access the support?

Any parents who are registered with a Oxfordshire GP and who have a child or young person who is open to the CAMHS NDC Service can access the service. That includes parents of children and young people who are waiting for an appointment and parents of children and young people with a diagnosis.

Follow the instructions to register and watch a short welcome video. Then you will be able to book onto the workshops.

What are the workshop titles?

Tier 1

• Introduction to Neurodiversity
• Understanding Emotional Regulation
• Understanding Sensory Processing
• Attention, understanding and communication
• Putting learning into practice: Building a profile

Tier 2

• Supporting sensory differences
• Interaction and social communication
• Supporting school distress
• Supporting shutdowns and meltdowns
• Supporting sleep
• Supporting meal times
• Putting learning into practice: Embedding support

Tier 3

• 1:1  drop-in clinic with an Autism Early Support (AES) practitioner.

When will the workshops be taking place?

Workshops will be available in the morning, across lunchtime and in the evening.

Are the workshops recorded?

No. They are live workshops.

Are the workshops in person or digital?

All workshops and the drop in clinics are digital and will be via Zoom. When you book onto a workshop a Zoom link will be shared and any advance handouts will shared, approximately 1 week before the start of the 10 week programme.

If I miss a workshop will any handouts be shared?

No. The handouts relate to the live sessions.

Can I attend and have my camera off?

Yes.

Do I need to attend all of the workshops?

We would encourage you to take advantage of the opportunity to attend as many sessions as you can. The more sessions that are attended, the more helpful the programme will be.

This is what families have said about the programme of support:

“I loved the support and understanding.”

“We have a lot of strategies to support my son while we await assessment.”

“I’m more confident about helping my son. I waste less energy fretting I’m getting things wrong.”

“It was good to meet other parents and know we’re not alone.”