NAS Tower Hamlets Family Support Service is a project that is being run by the National Autistic Society in partnership with the London Borough of Tower Hamlets (Integrated Services for Disabled Children) and PCT. We provide support to the parents or carers of children and young people with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) living in the borough.

We can give advice, information and suggestions to help with the behavioural, emotional and practical challenges of living with a child with an ASD.

Some of the services we offer include:

• A face to face appointment, as soon as requested after diagnosis, to meet families and discuss their needs and concerns

• Information and advice to help families learn more about ASD and gain confidence in meeting their child’s needs

• Signposting to local services appropriate to the needs of the family

• Support in accessing and making referrals to these services

• Ongoing telephone and email support if desired

• Seminars and workshops about ASD that are tailored to the expressed needs of families

• A small lending library of books on ASD and related topics

We can help support any family living in Tower Hamlets with a child or children (up to the age of 19 years) with a diagnosis of an ASD. Our aim is to help parents soon after diagnosis, but we can also offer support at other times of need. We would particularly like to help isolated parents and carers, such as those from minority ethnic communities and single parent families. We can provide interpreters where needed.