ASD POST DIAGNOSIS WORKSHOPS

Following diagnosis, parent/carers have many feelings and thoughts and conflicting emotions. No two people are the same, but some of the common themes we often hear include:

• Relief that this is not something we parents/carers have done wrong.
• Relief, that there may be some help for you and or your child.
• Questions about what it will mean for your child.
• Questions about what it will mean for you as parents and any other children
• Sadness, at the loss of the future you may not even have been aware you expected for your child.
• Anger, about people who thought your parenting was causing your child’s behaviour or people who have treated you, or your child, badly.
• Fear for the future
• Vindication – people did not take your concerns seriously.
• Confusion about what to do next.
• There must be some mistake.

We understand that parents and carers need a period of adjustment, but also that there is a need for support, as early as possible, after diagnosis. We are therefore offering parents with a recently diagnosed child the opportunity to attend a workshop. This short session is intended to help those who need it, to understand a little more about the autism spectrum and to sign post you to support that is available locally and on line, if and when you feel you need it. 
In The first part, Karen explains some terms you may have heard and gives some practical strategies to help communicate with your child, and in the second part Juli shares information about resouces and support you can get, local to Bexley and also Nationally. 
This workshop has been designed for parent/carers who live in Bexley. If you live in a neighbouring borough, please contact your local National Autistic Society branch and or your local Parent Carer Forum to find out what is available for you - this information should be available on your area's Local Offer. This should be searchable on the internet. You can find links to some of Bexley's neighbouring Local Offers on the Bexley Local Offer home page.
Who are we?

• Juli Atkinson is Treasurer for Bexley NAS (the local branch of the National Autistic Society), Parent Participation Coordinator for Bexley Voice and who has a son on the Autism spectrum.
• Karen Upton is a retired Bexley GP with family and friends on the autistic spectrum . 
• Together, we have been providing these sessions for 3 years now.  

When and where?
Update - 15 May 2020
Given the current situation, we have introduced a Zoom session for parent/carers - whilst not the same as a face to face workshop,it does at least enable us to share some information and answer questions you may have.
It also enables us to offer a more age focused session - please see suggested age range on some dates - this is not hard and fast - please use your understanding of your child's needs to decide which session may be best for you.
The workshops are held in various locations and we offer both day and evening workshops.
Refer to the booking form below for dates, times and venues for each workshop.​​​
Please arrive 10 - 15 minutes prior to the start time to allow for registration and refreshments.
Location/Venues:

• Christ Church, Main Road, Sidcup. DA15 7HE
• BVSC, Crayford Manor House, Mayplace Road East. DA1 4HB
• Zoom sessions - from your home, you will need to download the app to your laptop or phone.

​What happens next?
If you would like to attend our workshop, complete the on-line form below.
If you would like more information about the workshop, email Karen at kracken@btinternet. com.

​​CORONOVIRUS UPDATE 18.6.20
We now have dates listed for the rest of 2020. These will all be via Zoom - we will add in face to face sessions when we are able.
Please note there are a couple of dates  suggesting an age focus.
CORONOVIRUS UPDATE 15.5.20
We have now added x2 Zoom sessions.
They each have an age range guide, to help us deliver more focused information, where possible. Please note this is a guide only - choose the session you feel will be best for you.
CORONOVIRUS UPDATE 7.5.20
We are going to move to a Zoom session for the moment - the first will be for those booked onto 14 May.
If this proves successful, we may be able to offer some additional dates - watch this space.
CORONOVIRUS UPDATE 20.3.20
Unfortunately, our venues have advised they are closing for the foreseeable future, so we are not able to offer our planned workshops.
If you book onto a workshop date, I will contact you the week before to confirm if it is going ahead or not - realistically, unlikely before July :(.
Otherwise, please complete the form to say you would like more information and I will advise new dates, when we are able to get going again. 
In the meantime, please see the message on the home page of this website. I would strongly recommend you join Bexley Voice and request access to their closed Facebook to keep up to date with local discussions.
Karen and I are so sorry, not to be able to offer this workshop when you need it, but we are looking at other ways we may be able to make key information available to you.
Please take care, Juli

THE FOLLOWING WILL BE REFERRED TO IN THE ZOOM SESSIONS AND CAN BE DOWNLOADED IN ADVANCE IF YOU WISH

Karen's Slide presentation click here
Karen's ASD Mind Map click here
Karen's Adrenaline Mind Map click here
Karen's Resources List May 2020 - click here

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Self Regulatory Measures that may be helpful in school click here
ABC Behaviour Chart Click here