Autism Family Support Project

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Supporting Families, Carers and People on the Autism Spectrum

Developing Autism Services across Oxfordshire

This project is funded by the Big Lottery Fund

The Autism Family Support project  develops support services for people whose son/daughter/family member has been diagnosed with an autistic spectrum disorder. The post is funded by the ‘Big Lottery' Fund.

Services Offered to Families

We can:

• Offer you support if you have a family member who has just been diagnosed with an autistic spectrum disorder
• Give you information about autism and services in Oxfordshire & its borders
• Give you contact details of support groups
• Add your details to our database, so that you are kept informed of talks, training and developments in your area
• Show you resources which might be helpful
• Put you in contact with other parents
• Help you to access the other services listed on this page

We also:

• Work with support groups
• Respond to requests for training, workshops and events
• Work with local professionals to develop services for people with autism
• Work with agencies across Oxfordshire to develop coordinated services
• Aim to raise awareness of the needs of people with autistic spectrum disorders across Oxfordshire

Other Services Offered:

NAS Befriending Scheme- Trained volunteers who befriend a child or young person with autism or their family. This is a very popular scheme with befrienders linked to children and young people across Oxfordshire.

Youth Groups for young people with Asperger syndrome- semi-structured youth groups held in Oxford for people with Asperger syndrome, aged 10-21 years from across Oxfordshire

'Oxford Aspies' group- A monthly social group for people aged over 16 with Asperger syndrome.

Family Information Pack- free to parents who have just received a diagnosis for their son or daughter, individuals or families who are new to the area

Access to information programmes- for parent/carers of newly diagnosed sons/daughters

Database- to ensure that information about new developments, conferences reaches families and organisations

Services offered to organisations and people working with, or supporting someone who has an autistic spectrum disorder

• We can provide autism specific expertise to advise/help with future service planning
• We can add you to our mailing list so that you are kept informed of developments or training in the area
• We can help you to access to resources for people with autism
• We can answer queries- if we don't know the answer to your query, we normally know someone who does!
• We can organise training for you/your staff
• We can tell you about volunteering opportunities

The Autism Family Support Team is employed by ‘Children in Touch' and supported by OASIS. Funding comes from the ‘Big Lottery' fund

‘Children in Touch' aims to support the therapeutic education of children in Oxfordshire and surrounding areas. In particular it helps support the work of the Chinnor Units for children with autism, and helps to develop further therapeutic and educational services.

Contact Sheila Coates on 01844 351655 (Reg. Charity No. 276494)

OASIS is the Oxfordshire Autistic Society for Information and Support. It offers help to parents and carers of children and young people with ASD in Oxfordshire and the surrounding counties, as well as to professionals working in this field. OASIS holds monthly meetings and attracts nationally famous and respected speakers. There is a newsletter, a large library and the group runs play days in all school half-terms and every week during the summer holidays. Contact Voirrey Carr on 07900 144493, email chair@oasisonline.org.uk

(Reg. Charity No. 1033927 )

How to contact the Autism Family Support project:

Tel/Fax: 01844 338696

Thomley Hall Centre
Menmarsh Road
Worminghall
Bucks
HP18 9JZ