This Autism Acceptance Week we're marking the week and our Family Support team's 10 year anniversary with our Au-Some 10 for 10 Virtual Challenge and Appeal. The event is raising funds to enable the team to provide their much needed services to more families desperately in need of help. 

As an example of the kind of support we provide and the difference our team makes to families, we hear how a family have been helped since they reached out to us 5 years ago, for support with issues they were experiencing connected to their son Georgie, who is on the autism spectrum, who was not attending school full-time. Georgie, now 12, lives at home with his 3 siblings and his mum and dad.

When Georgie was referred to us we had just employed our first Family Engagement Officer, Tasha Brabon. An assessment of need for the family was carried out and our Behaviour Specialist Lucy Russell undertook a behaviour assessment and wrote the positive behaviour support plan to be implemented by Kelsey Hutchinson from our team, Georgie's family and the school. 

Tasha got to work straight away and met the family and school. To begin with she helped the family with persisting with the diagnosis pathway after being turned away so many times. Tasha worked with the school and introduced a reduced timetable for Georgie to allow him to build up trust with the adults supporting him and also implemented strategies within in the home.

As well as supporting Georgie's education and homelife for the family, Tasha began exploring the additional support the family could access such as Disability Living allowance, Carers allowance and even supporting the family in applying for a house move.

As things began to settle, Tasha moved away from the family until in 2020, when the family and school contacted us again as it was time to look for a secondary school for Georgie. At this point he had his diagnosis and the application for an EHCP had been made, unfortunately this had also been turned down- it was time to appeal!

Georgie’s attendance had also reduced but the school were working with him and the family to support him in accessing what he could. In swooped Tasha! By working with the family and school and presenting the extra evidence we won the appeal and Georgie was awarded an EHCP.

Unfortunately, COVID hit and delayed us being able to visit schools and Georgie was offered the local mainstream school. We supported the family to appeal this and have just found out the wonderful news that the appeal has been won so Georgie is off to a specialist school!

Georgie's mum, Hailey says: "We wouldn’t have had a diagnosis for our son Georgie if Tasha didn’t help us push for it and never give up. Aspens, and especially Tasha, have helped our family with so much the last 5 years, I don’t know what we would have done without them. Tasha has come to school meetings and helped us with all the paperwork and admin to benefit our family. The list is endless from the support we have received and are still receiving. We are truly grateful to the team, thank you so much.’

Aspens, and especially Tasha, have helped our family with so much. I don’t know what we would have done without them. Tasha has come to school meetings and helped us with all the paperwork and admin to benefit our family. The list is endless from the support we have received and are still receiving. We are truly grateful to the team.

Tasha says: "Family support isn’t just about the young person who is receiving the support, it’s about supporting the family as a whole. It’s about adapting your approach to the situation and making it fit for the family, not the family fitting the situation.

There is so much that comes with having a child with additional needs - paperwork to navigate, appeals to make, appointments to understand and much, much more. By supporting Georgie’s family we have been able to ensure the correct agencies are involved and empowered the parents to ask questions and fight for what they believe he needs and they want. The work hasn’t always been around supporting just Georgie’s needs, when the family moved I was delighted to be able to present them with a Christmas box to enable them to have a wonderful day in their new home. When their second youngest started school I was able to support with the paperwork and ensure they had all the things they needed in place.

Often parents and carers say we are the ones that do the work, but really, we are just there to plant the seed, they are the ones watering and it watching it grow.

Sometimes I just pop in for a cuppa and to see how things are going. It’s always lovely seeing and hearing our families progress and move forward. Often parents and carers say we are the ones that do the work, but really, we are just there to plant the seed, they are the ones watering and it watching it grow."

Help our Family Support Team reach more families like Georgie's by signing up to our Au-Some 10 for 10 Challenge or making a donation. 

Here’s how your donation could help:

£10.00 – Can help fund a Parent Support Group

£25.00 – Can provide a Sibling Group Place

£40.00 – Can pay for a Parent Workshop

Thank you so much for your support. 

Sign up or donate here