Autism Care and Support

Understanding autism

Autism affects how a person communicates with, and relates to, other people and the world around them. Every autistic person is different, so we never take a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, we get to know each person and build support around their strengths, interests and goals.

Social interaction

Engaging with other people can be difficult — reading a situation, forming new relationships or picking up non-verbal cues. We support people to understand verbal and non-verbal communication, and encourage them to take part in conversations where they can practise both expressing themselves and interpreting how others respond.

Communication

Talking can be challenging, which can make it hard to get ideas across. Our staff are trained to adapt to a wide range of communication needs so that nobody has to lose confidence in making themselves understood. We encourage communication in whatever form works for the person, because sharing views, concerns and feelings matters.

How we help

We support people who need help carrying out day-to-day tasks, with packages covering different aspects of life — education, social life or vocational skills — so that people can work towards a more secure and independent future.

Every autistic person is different, so we work together with each person to find what helps them cope with the challenges they meet. Taking control of your own life can be hard, and our aim is that each person receives support that is genuinely tailored to them: support that helps them learn new skills, work with fewer barriers and interact comfortably, so they can live more independently in their community.

Residential and supported living

For people who need more intensive, longer-term support, our specialists carry out an assessment to identify what facilities and support matter most to that person’s wellbeing. In a residential setting we encourage people to take part in activities and to spend time with peers and staff, in surroundings that stay as close as possible to the life they are used to.

Education

We support people to learn new skills and track progress over time. That includes support within our accommodation and help to access education outside it — researching the courses best suited to someone so they can build their skills and work towards their own goals, with the same chances as anyone else.

Employment opportunities

We help autistic people look for and stay in work, using our network of contacts. The focus is on independence: guiding someone towards roles where they can use their strengths, set targets and achieve them.

One-to-one support

Where interaction and socialising are difficult, one-to-one time helps. Our staff have face-to-face conversations in which people are encouraged to talk about what they want and how they would like their life to look — which, over time, makes communicating with others feel far less daunting.