Autistic Spectrum Disorder

Further Autism signposting (PDF)

Autism specific support

  • The National Autistic Society

    The National Autistic Society has a very informative website and offer support and champion the Autistic community in this country. Information, advice and support for people with autism, their families and professionals.

    Phone
    020 7833 2299

    Autism Helpline
    0808 800 4104

    Website
    National Autistic Society

  • Autism Alliance

    Autism Alliance is collaboration between 16 UK autism charities that collectively strive to support, raise awareness and increase understanding of Autism Spectrum Conditions throughout the UK to allow all affected by autism to lead productive and fulfilling lives.

    Website
    Autism Alliance UK

  • Aspens

    Aspens offer a free on-line facility called LIVE CHAT.  Conversations are completely confidential.  Advisors are online: Every Wednesday, 7pm to 9pm for adults with ASC, ADHD or associated traits and characteristics. Every Monday, 9:30am to 11:30am and every Friday, midday to 2pm they are available to speak with parents, carers and professionals living or working with ASC, ADHD or associated traits and characteristics.
     
    Aspens also offer a range of support services including community outreach and supported living schemes. This might include developing structured and meaningful activities throughout the week, gaining skills for work which will contribute to a pathway to employment, support with enrolling into further education, developing social interaction and communication skills, developing essential life skills and household management abilities and accessing the local community. 
     
    These interventions are usually funded by the local authority if a person has met the eligibility criteria for ‘funded support’.

    Website
    ASPENS CHARITIES

Funded support

  • Adult Social Care Act assessment

    The Autism Act 2009 was designed to ensure the unique individual support needs of  autistic people and their families are considered.  Every autistic adult has the right to a needs assessment which must consider their autism, carried out by a trained individual with the skills, competency and knowledge to determine the support required. 
     
    Struggles with aspects of everyday life such as accessing the community, maintaining a safe environment, overseeing laundry, meal planning and preparation, and attending to personal affairs such as form filling, telephone calls and bill paying are commonly reported in within our specialist clinic.  If you, or those close to you feel that further assistance is required to ensure your needs are adequately met we would advise you to request an Adult Social Care Assessment via the Local Authority to explore whether you might qualify for funded support.
     
    Whilst there are no guarantees that an ASC diagnosis will qualify an applicant to be eligible for funded support, under the Care Act 2014 anyone who requests an assessment is entitled by law for this to be carried out by their local authority.  In East Sussex if people want to apply for funded support they have to access the ESCC website and follow the link to Social Care Direct, they will then be guided through the application process.

    Website
    Contact Adult Social Care and Health

    Prior to the assessment, we would encourage you to be aware of your legal rights.  You may wish to consult this page on the autism-alliance website which offers easy read guides, as well as an overview of services you might receive, Autism Alliance UK.

Advocacy

  • POhWER’s

    People who are vulnerable due to a disability, illness or their age may find it difficult to put their views across or feel they aren’t being listened to. Our advocates can support people to deal with an issue they are facing.

    POhWER’s community advocacy services are free and confidential; our advocates are independent and only take actions they have agreed with the person they are working with.

    Our advocates can help you to understand your rights and choices and get your voice heard.
    We can support you if you:
    · Need help to speak up for yourself or give your views
    · Have problems getting people to listen to you
    · Feel vulnerable or think you are at risk of abuse or being discriminated against
    · Need help to access services that can support you with your health, wellbeing or independence

    An advocate can help you with writing letters, making phone calls, arranging and going to meetings.
    Generally community advocacy is for adults who are 18 or over and we work with anyone who needs our support.

    Phone
    0300 456 2370

    Website
    Community Advocacy – POhWER

Housing

  • Home Works

    The organization is for you if you are aged 16 to 64 (a single person, a couple or a family), homeless or at risk of losing of your home, and need support to live independently. It is a free service which provides tailored support to help you keep or access safe and affordable housing that you can call home. A referral via the local authority is required in order to access the service.

    Website
    Housing Support – Southdown

Mental health support

For many Autistic people anxiety and stress can be overwhelming emotions and this can lead to mental and physical exhaustion. It is important that you try to look after yourself as best you can and take time to recover from social and sensory demands.

  • Costal Wellbeing

    If you want to draw up a ‘Wellness and Recovery Plan (WRAP) which helps you to identify how to best cope in relation to sustaining stable mental wellbeing you can self-refer to Coastal Wellbeing, who offer a range of sessions locally.

    Website
    Coastal Wellbeing

  • Health in Mind

    If you would like to access talking therapies for anxiety, stress, low mood you can self-refer to Health in Mind, which offers mental health support across East Sussex.

    Website
    Health in Mind

  • Recovery College

    The Sussex Recovery College offers educational courses that focus on mental health and recovery. They design their courses specially to increase your knowledge and skills and help promote self-management. The aim is to enable you to take control by becoming an expert in your own wellbeing, so you can get on with your life despite mental health challenges – whether yours or those of someone close to you.

    Website
    Sussex Recovery College

  • Community connectors

    Community Connectors is a free service for adults 16+ who are experiencing social issues that are impacting on their mental, emotional or physical health and wellbeing. The service offers walk-in clinics at participating GP surgeries, in addition to community clinics.
     
    A Community Navigator will work with you to create a personalised wellbeing plan to help you improve your health and wellbeing, which means that you only need to see one person to connect to specialist agencies and community activities.
    They can help you find practical solutions to everyday issues including:
    · Health/wellbeing
    · Social networks
    · Education/training
    · Leisure activities
    · Finance/debt
    · Housing
    · Employment
    · Volunteering

    They accept self-referrals. To refer yourself, please download and complete a self-referral form via their website.

    Website
    Community Connectors

    Phone
    01323 340 151

    *Please note Community Connectors are available in Hastings and Rother and Eastbourne, Seaford and Hailsham. 

  • Assessment and treatment service (secondary mental health service)

    If you are currently under the care of the assessment and treatment service you may already be aware of much of the more general support available to you. They will have already thought with you about
    ·  your mental health needs
    ·  whether you need an Adult Social Care assessment
    ·  your physical health needs
    ·  your benefit entitlements
    ·  access to relevant services and activities
     
    You may want to review these with your lead practitioner at your next appointment now that your neurodevelopmental assessment is complete.

Crisis prevention support

  • The Staying Well Space (SWS)

    The Staying Well Space (SWS) is an out-of-hours mental health crisis prevention service, provided at Preston Park Recovery Centre in Brighton and our Eastbourne and Hastings (St Leonards-On-Sea) Wellbeing Centres.
     
    Open 7 days a week, 365 days a year, the Staying Well service provides psychosocial support and crisis prevention planning. This includes proactively contacting clients who have been referred or self-referred to the service to build crisis plans together, increasing resilience and coping skills.
     
    Individuals can also phone the service directly to self-refer for support when they feel they aren’t able to cope or feel they are headed towards a crisis point.

    Website
    Staying Well

Urgent support

In the event of feeling actively at risk to yourself, you are encouraged to consider making an urgent GP appointment, or attending the A and E department where mental health assessment / support is always available.

  • Mental health line

    Mental health support in East Sussex.

    Phone
    0300 5000 101

  • Mental Health Rapid Response Service (MHRRS)

    Mental health support in Brighton and Hove.

    Phone
    0300 304 0076

  • Crisis textline

    In crisis and need to talk to someone?

    Website
    Crisis Text Line

  • Samaritans

    Offer a safe place for you to talk any time you like- 24 hours a day, 365 days per year – about whatever’s getting to you. You don’t have to be suicidal.

    Phone
    116 123

Educational and occupational support

  • Having a diagnosis of autism entitles you to support in areas of your life related to public services (e.g. education, employment, healthcare, housing) under the Equality Act 2010

    The Equality Act 2010
    Equality Act 2010
     
    The Citizens’ Advice Bureau provide additional information and support around the Equality Act and discrimination
    Check if you’ve experienced discrimination – Citizens Advice
     
    You can find out more about reasonable adjustments here:
    – Reasonable adjustments for workers with disabilities or health conditions – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)  
    – In employment: EHRC

  • National Autistic Society (NAS)

    NAS offers advice relating to job seeking and retention, including work place adaptions.

    Website
    autistic adults

  • Employment Autism

    Employment Autism is a website offering practical guidance around being autistic in the workplace. This includes information on reasonable adjustments and navigating the work place.

    Website
    Employment Autism

  • The Trade Union Congress (TUC)

    TUC has launched a guide to autism in the workplace.
    This document was put together by Janine Booth, member of the TUC Disabled Workers Committee, and the committee of Autistic-UK. It informs trade union officers, representatives and members about autism, discrimination faced at work by autistic workers and provides advice on how to support members who are autistic to secure the adjustments they need and are legally entitled.

    Booklet
    TUC Autism in the workplace (PDF)

Employment support services

  • Shutdown

    Employment support in secondary care services, and also Preston Park Wellbeing primary care service (can self-refer for this).

    Website
    Southdown

  • ACAS

    National employment support service which provides free, impartial advice on workplace rights, rules and best practice. Also provides dispute resolution services.

    Website
    Acas

  • Access to work

    is a government grant which can cover the cost of work place adaptions to ensure you can access /remain in work.

    Booklet
    Get help from Access to Work (Easy Read)

    You may benefit from sharing your ASC diagnostic report so that your employment advisor is fully aware of the nature of your difficulties and how these might be best supported within your chosen work field successfully.

Further/ higher education

Leisure

  • CEA card

    If you have a diagnosis of autism and are in receipt of Disabled Living Allowance (DLA) or Personal Independence Payment (PIP) you can apply for a CEA card which entitles you to take someone to the cinema with you for free. The CEA card is accepted in over 90 percent of UK cinemas.

    Website
    www.ceacard.co.uk

  • Gig Buddies

    Pairs autistic individuals who enjoy music with a regular volunteer, in order to go to gigs together.

    Website
    www.stayuplate.org/our-projects/gig-buddies/

  • Befriending/ Buddy

    We are a loneliness charity that creates connections to change lives.

    Website
    Loneliness Charity

  • The Gateway service

    The Gateway Service part of the organisation offers information, advice and support on a range of issues, and acts as the first point of contact for all their other services. Gateway staff will listen to you.  They can arrange for a support worker to meet with you, book places on their training courses and activities, refer you to their counselling service, and refer you to services provided by their partner services
     
    This is a list provided be SPFT of up to date resources for carers.

    Website
    Information for Family & Friend Carers

    • Older people