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Preventing and challenging school exclusion webinar
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Re-opening of the NAS Cambridge Carers Support Group
Our monthly Carers Support Group is back!
Our monthly carers support group is a great chance to meet other parents and carers facing similar challenges, swap ideas, and find out about support and activities in the local area. Anyone caring for a child or adult with autism is very welcome to attend any of the meetings for a chat and a cuppa, no need to book.
Please note we are now in a new venue, at the Orchard Park Community Centre
The group runs at 7.30-9.00pm on the first Tuesday each month at the Orchard Park Community Centre, Central Avenue, Orchard Park, Cambridge CB4 2EZ. Upcoming dates for the group are:
Please note, with apologies, the Carer Support Meeting scheduled for Tuesday 5th October is CANCELLED.
- February 1, 2022
- March 1, 2022
NAS Cambridge Annual General Meeting
We are holding our branch AGM at 7.30pm on Wednesday 7th April. It will be an online event and anyone from Cambridgeshire with an interest in autism is welcome to attend.
Visits to the Cavendish School
The Cavendish School is Cambridgeshire’s new special free school for young people with autism, scheduled to open in September 2021.
If you are interested in finding out more about The Cavendish School, and would like to attend a socially distanced group visit at one of the following times, please email
jbickley@TMET.org.uk to book your place:
- 10am on Monday 14 September
- 5pm on Monday 21 or Wednesday 30 September
Back to School – a guide for parents
The NAS have produced a guide for parents to help you prepare your child for the transition back to school, following the easing of some of the Government’s Covid-19 lockdown measures. There will be a lot of changes for them to manage and the guide helps you talk to them about what to expect and ways to help reduce anxiety.
New National Autistic Society website
The National Autistic Society are updating their national website at www.autism.org.uk
It will be launched by the end of August and you can see a preview here. The website is a great resource with lots of information and a searchable directory of service providers.
Our website here at the Cambridge Branch will still be the same!
Education Advice Service in Fenland & East Cambs
The SEND Information Advice Support Service (SENDIASS) is expanding its service in Fenland and East Cambridgeshire. This service is available to provide support to parents/carers of young people with special education needs and disabilities. This support is currently available via telephone or Skype drop ins.
For more information and to contact the team see the Fenland & East Cambs Opportunity Area website
Caring Together free online course for parents & carers
Caring Together, a charity supporting carers, are offering a free online course for parents and carers of children with autism – the Hope programme.
The Hope Programme is a six-week online group peer-support course based on positive psychology, mindfulness and cognitive behavioural therapy originally developed by Coventry University. It covers topics such as mindfulness, goal setting, anxiety, fatigue and stress management, healthy eating, physical activity and working with health care teams.
For more information on the Hope programme and how to book see the Caring Together website
British Indian parents needed for ASC research
Fathima Kodakkadan at Anglia Ruskin University is carrying out a study comparing the factors influencing the stress and resilience among the British Indian parents of children with autism spectrum conditions (ASC).
If you are interested in taking part there is more information and contact details here. There is a chance for you to WIN £50 for participating in this survey.
Mental health support for children & young people
Is lockdown having a negative effect on your child? Or are you a young person struggling with high levels of anxiety and mental distress during lockdown?
Not sure how to access help? Two local sources of support are:
CHUMS Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing Service is for children & young people experiencing poor mental health. They are currently offering a phoneline service to replace their drop-ins.
KeepYourHead is Cambridgeshire & Peterborough’s Children & Young People’s mental health services site. It includes lots of information about mental health, things you can do to help yourself, and where to go to for more support.