Support, information and resources

It is not uncommon for children/young people to feel anxious and worried at times, especially those with autism. There are several types of anxiety which are normally seen in children/young people such as separation anxiety, general anxiety, social anxiety and phobias. The degree to which these anxieties may affect a young person will differ as will the way in which they present. More information on childhood anxiety can be found below:

Useful websites and resources

• NHS UK - Anxiety in children

• Young Minds - A guide for parents: Supporting your child with anxiety

• National Autistic Society (NAS) - Anxiety

• Open Up Directory by Chilypep
  Chilypep and Compass have created the Open Up Interactive Map which lists well-being and youth work organisations in Barnsley for young people under the age of 25

Services

HEY!

HEY! Offers a range of mental health services for young people aged 5 to 25. They can offer counselling, play therapy and well-being sessions. The may be able to offer support to young people facing anxiety, depression, stress bereavement or PTSD.

CAMHS Barnsley

Barnsley child and adolescent mental health services (CAMS) is a NHS service that offers support and treatment for children and young people, aged up to 18 years old, who are experiencing difficulties with their mental health and well-being.

Are you worried about your own mental health or your child's?

If you have concerns around a child/young person’s emotional wellbeing, please contact your GP for advice. In some cases, they may consider a referral to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) for further assessment and support. More details can be found on CAMHS Barnsley's website or by calling: 01226 644829

In need of urgent help?

• If you feel your child or young person is at immediate risk of harm or they have physically harmed themselves, then you should always seek immediate support by attending the hospital’s emergency department or contact 999. Otherwise, you may consider contacting:
  • The Samaritans are available 365 days a week, 24 hours a week on T:116 123
  • NHS urgent mental health helplines
  • Shout provide 24/7 test support for young people experiencing a mental health crisis.

If you would like more information about autism including what autism is, how it may present and what strategies may help, please take a look at the following websites:

Useful websites and resources

• NHS UK : Autism

• The National Autistic Society (NAS)

• Ambitious about Autism

• Cerebra

Courses

Parents are able to access workshops and courses to develop their own knowledge and understanding of autism. Courses we recommend are listed below.

The Cygnet Programme

The Cygnet Programme is a parenting support programme for parents and carers of children with autism. This includes children currently in the process of an assessment.

This is currently offered by:

• Barnado's at The Priory Centre, Lundwood (for children upto and including Year 7)

          Call: (01226) 770619 or visit the Barnardo's website for more information.

The Social communication and Interaction Team (ages 5 to 18)

This is an online programme. Visit Barnsley Council's website for more information on these courses.

‘First Steps’ autism parent and carer workshops

First Step workshops give parents of newly diagnosed children an introductory look at autism and some of the simple strategies which can be used to support them – this workshop is accessed through the local Community & Interaction Team by contacting melaniebooth@barnsley.gov.uk.

Autism Alert Cards 
Autism alert cards are available to download or order from the following places:

• National Autism Socierty (NAS)
• South Yorkshire Police

It is natural to worry if your child displays unusual behaviour, or behaviour you find difficult (often known as ‘challenging behaviour’). Parents and carers can feel under a lot of pressure, especially in public, when their child behaves in a way that is considered inappropriate.

Many of you will be familiar with the ‘supermarket tantrum’ when it can feel like everyone is staring and making judgments. This might make you dread going out with your child, which can impact on the freedom of the whole family.

If your child has additional needs, you may find that you need different rules and techniques to help your child.

Useful websites and resources

• The Challenging Behaviour Foundation
• Action for children: Behaviour
• Autism Behaviour Problems: What’s triggering your child’s outbursts?

Courses

Some school offer courses such as Webster-Stratton: Incredible Years and Solihull Programme – please check with your school SENDCo.

Parents are able to access workshops and courses to develop their own knowledge and understanding of autism. Courses we recommend are listed below.

The Cygnet Programme

The Cygnet Programme is a parenting support programme for parents and carers of children with autism.

This is currently offered by:

• Barnado's at Priory Campus, Lundwood (under 11 years old only)

          Call: (01226) 770619 or visit the Barnardo's website for more information.

The Social communication and Interaction Team (ages 5 to 18)

This is an online programme. Visit Barnsley Council's website for more information on these courses.

‘First Steps’ autism parent and carer workshops

First Step workshops give parents of newly diagnosed children an introductory look at autism and some of the simple strategies which can be used to support them – this workshop is accessed through the local Community & Interaction Team by contacting melaniebooth@barnsley.gov.uk.

If you have any concerns around your child’s education, their ability to access education or are looking for extra support from their setting, we recommend contacting your schools Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) first. All settings are required to have an appointed SENCO who is responsible for coordinating the people, processes and plans needed to support children’s needs in school.

• Barnsley SENDIASS
  Barnsley SENDIASS is a statutory service provided by the local authority; Barnsley Council. They provide information advice and support on SEND related issues and work with children, young people and parents and carers of children with SEND.

How can Barnsley SENDIASS help me?

• Do you or your child need help to learn?

• Do you have concerns or questions relating to SEND?

• Do you want to know how your nursery, school or college can help?

• Do you want to understand how Barnsley Council, social care or the NHS can help?

We can talk to you about your concerns and questions and guide you to relevant information. We can also support and help you to put your thoughts, wishes, feelings and aspirations forward.

Email: sendiass@barnsley.gov.uk or call: 01226 787234

Useful websites and resources

• Unique
  Discovering that you or your child has a rare chromosome disorder, copy number variant or single gene disorder causing your child’s learning disability, developmental delay and maybe other symptoms can come as a great shock. You might be feeling a mixture of emotions; sadness, confusion, numbness, anger, guilt, “why me?”, isolation, bewilderment and very often a sense of grief for the child you had anticipated. You might despair at the lack of information about your own or your child’s disorder or that the disorder hasn’t even got a ‘proper’ name. Whatever your feelings and emotions, Unique knows how much it can help to talk to people who understand what you are going through and who even know what you are talking about.
   
• Unique: Rare Chromosome & Gene Disorder Guide

Without a doubt we now live in a digital world where we rely more and more on our mobile devices. Due to the portability of these devices, it becomes hard to monitor what our children and young people are accessing, who they are making contact with and what they are being exposed to and this is a common worry for most parents. Children and young people can often be exposed to images of an adult nature, videos that contain violence or swearing and general things which they don’t truly understand.

Below, we have listed a few links that will help parents understand what apps/sites/games are currently trending amongst our your people, help to identify any risks that are associated with these and give you ways of protecting them online.

Useful websites and resources

• NetAware
  NetAware brings together the  NSPCC’s expertise in protecting children and with O2’s tech know-how they’ve got everything you need to help you keep your kids safe online. Packed full of information, advice and resources this is a recommended read for all parents.
   
• CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection command)
  Led by the National Crime Agency, CEOP is a law enforcement agency who help to keep children and young people safe from sexual abuse and grooming online. They help thousands of children and young people every year who have been in a similar situation. CEOP are unable to respond to reports about bullying, fake accounts or account hacking. They can help and give you advice, and you can make a report directly to them if something has happened online which has made you feel unsafe, scared or worried. This might be from someone you know in real life, or someone you have only ever met online.
   
• UK Safer Internet Centre
  UK Safer Internet Centre is a partnership of three leading charities with a mission to make the internet a better place for children and young people. The UK Safer Internet Centre, where you can find online safety tips, advice and resources to help children and young people stay safe online.

The local Children’s Occupational Therapy service provide advice regarding sensory concerns via a sensory workshop. The workshop has been developed by the team to provide information on sensory processing along with advice & strategies for families (& schools) to implement. Access to the sensory workshop and supporting leaflets can be found on the Barnsley Children’s Health website.

It is common for children to have difficulties around sleep. These could be difficulties falling to sleep (delayed sleep onset), difficulties staying asleep (sleep maintenance) or in some cases, both. These difficulties may have been present since early childhood or may have started suddenly.

We do know that some children/young people’s sleep difficulties are related to medical conditions but more often than not, they are behaviours (habits) that a child has got into often contributed to by environmental, domestic routines.

We do know that exposure to screen time such as TVs, phones and iPads can have a significant impacts on a child’s ability to fall to sleep, especially when used around bedtime. A good, clear and predictable routine is crucial to support sleep.

Prolonged sleep difficulties can have a negative impact on a child’s mood, emotions, behaviours and their ability to concentrate, therefore seeking support and putting strategies in place can benefit children/young people’s behaviours and learning.

Useful websites and resources

• NHS UK – Sleep
• The Sleep Charity 
• The Sleep Council
• The Sleep Hub
• Autism and Sleep - Flynn Pharma
• Helping you and your child sleep - Contact (for families with disabled children)
• PDA and Sleep 
• Slenyto®: Child Autism and Insomnia
• SNappD App
  The SnappD App is available to download from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store and is a simple to use sleep and nap app that allows parents to record the child’s sleep patterns - a bit like a sleep diary.

Support and advice

If you would like further support around sleep, we would suggest contacting:

• The National Sleep Help Line
  Call: 03303 530541
• 0-19 Public Health Nursing Service  
• Early Help & Family Centres
• Cerebra

Mastering the use of a toilet (or potty) is a developmental milestone that every child has to face during their early years. We know that all children develop differently meaning that some may be ahead of their peers and siblings whilst others may be slightly delayed – this is normal.

It is important that we don’t push children into this too early as this could have an impact on their emotions, confidence and in some cases could delay the securing of this mile stone. We should wait until a child starts showing a readiness, interest or awareness of needing to use the toilet.

More information on potty training is available on the NHS website: How to potty train

Should you have any concerns or require further support around toileting, then contact your health visitor via the:

0 to 19 team on 01226 774 411

Useful websites and resources

• Bladder & Bowel UK
• ERIC: The children’s bowel & bladder charity
• National Autistic Society
• Toilet training children with ASD: Information for parents 

For those who like to read, below is a collection of books that have been recommended by colleagues and parents. We are not endorsing these books, simply suggesting that parents are carers may find them interesting and useful:

• Aspergirls: Empowering Females with Asperger Syndrome
  By: Rudy Simone and Liane Holliday Willey – ISBN: 9781849058261

• Everybody Poos
  By: Taro Gomi – ISBN: 9781849058339

• I am an Aspie Girl: A book for young girls with autism spectrum conditions
  By: Danuta Bulhak-Paterson – ISBN: 9781849056342

• My Hidden Chimp
  By: Professor Steve Peters – ISBN: 9781787413719

• Ready, Set, Potty!: Toilet Training for Children with Autism and Other Developmental Disorders
  By Brenda Batts – ISBN:9781849058339

• Survival Guide for Kids with Autism Spectrum Disorders
  By: Elizabeth Verdick – ISBN: 9781575423852

• Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew:
  by Ellen Notbohm – ISBN: 9781941765883

• The Autism-Friendly Guide to Periods
  by Robyn Steward – ISBN: 9781785923241

• The New Social Story Book: Over 150 Social Stories That Teach Everyday Social Skills to Children and Adults with Autism and Their Peers
  By: Carol Gray – ISBN: 9781941765166

• Thriving with Autism: 90 Activities to Encourage Your Child’s Communication, Engagement, and Play
  By Katie Cook – ISBN: 9781646114801