Learning Space

Parent Course: Understanding Autism

For any parent of a child waiting for a diagnosis or with a diagnosis.

In the form of a thirty-minute video on autism, including an overview of autism, PDA, autism in girls, anxiety, and strategies for families. This is followed up by an hour-long question-and-answer session for parents on Zoom.

One-to-one support

Alliance partner Learning Space offers a minimum of six one-to-one sessions for children and young people aged from 8 to 17 years, with staff trained in autism and solution-focused practice. These sessions are aimed at exploring strengths, helping to understand behaviours, managing emotions, and strategies to achieve goals. Various approaches including play, drama, and creative work are incorporated. They also work with parents, offering a bespoke and tailored approach to each family. Children below 8 years are triaged followed by a maximum of three 1:1 sessions with parents if required. 

We also offer group work as an alternative to one-to-one sessions. These take place at the Patchworking Gardens in Dorking for primary school-aged children and focus on the transition to secondary school for year six children. Other groups focus on self-esteem, managing emotions, and building relationships.

We offer a Super Skills for Life group work in collaboration with Surrey and Borders Partnership for secondary-aged young people.

Where requested Learning Space also liaises with the child's school to share strategies. This is done both virtually and face-to-face. In some instances, a community mentor will continue working with a child in school to 'hand over' agreed strategies in a more holistic way.

Autism activity evenings and days

These events are for children and young people (including parents) with autism or awaiting an ASC assessment.

• The aim is to enable children and parents to build up a network of support and to provide a safe space to achieve a sense of ‘belonging’
• A monthly, two-hour evening club for children and their parents at the Phoenix Centre in Tadworth
• Two separate clubs running fortnightly
• Activity days in the Phoenix Centre Tadworth and out in the wider community to be offered on selected days during the school holidays.

Training for schools 

This training supports schools in their understanding of autism and offers practical classroom strategies to help support children and young people in their care. Open to all Surrey schools in the form of a thirty-minute video on autism, including an overview of autism, PDA, autism in girls, anxiety, and strategies for the classroom. This is followed up by an hour-long question-and-answer session with groups of staff via Teams or Zoom.

A child or young person does not need to have a diagnosis of autism for them or their family to be able to access these services; they may instead have social and communication difficulties or autism traits identified by the child, parent or supporting professionals.