Do you know of anyone with Autistic children?

We would like to introduce the Autistic Support Group or ASG.

Our ASG is a support service was  created to meet the needs of Parent/Carers in the church and community who care or support those on the Autistic Spectrum.

A part of DICM’s vision it is to meet the needs of the community and touch lives with encouragement and compassion.  We recognise the need for support services, which our volunteers have personal experience of autism and the impact it has on their own families. They can give other parents the opportunity to talk through challenges and feelings, suggest helpful strategies and provide a non-judgemental environment.

What is autism? Autism is a developmental disability that affects how people interact with others.  It is a spectrum condition which affects the individual in different ways.

Some also have learning disabilities, mental health issues or other conditions resulting in different levels of support.  People on the spectrum can learn and develop with the right support. Understanding and relating to other people, and taking part in everyday family, school, work and social life, can be harder for them.  The characteristics of autism vary from one person to another, difficulties with social communication and interaction due to challenges with interpreting both verbal and non-verbal language. The different types of autism are; autism spectrum disorder (ASD), autism spectrum condition (ASC) classic autism, kanner autism, pervasive development disorder (PDD), high-functioning autism (HFA), Asperser syndrome and Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA)

This ASG service is offered to the parents/carers who has this need in the community, providing a much needed respite/time out allowing parents, carers, friends and family time to come together talk or take a couple of hours to relax from what is at times an experience of certain difficulties and challenging events or circumstances.

The attendees also have the opportunity to talk and share their experiences with tea, coffee and biscuits, in a warm welcoming relaxed confidential environment giving them time for themselves. Information packs are available on different types of support services available.

We at DICM would like to offer this free support service to your members, associates, friends or colleagues who are parents/carers in the community. The meetings take place on the last Friday of each month starting at 12 noon until 2 O’clock at The Diamond Centre, 2 Grecian Crescent London SE19 3HH.

For your information please feel free to contact me at the Diamond Centre office on Tel: 0208 670 9318 should you have any questions.