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Making friends - developing your child's social skills

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Making friends - developing your child's social skills

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Helpful advice for activities that can be done at home to support your child to make friends and feel confident in social situations.

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Your autistic child might find social situations difficult. Other children may appear to know, intuitively, how to communicate and interact with each other. Many parents of autistic children find it hard to explain why their children find interaction difficult when they can have strong skills in other areas.

Autism and social interaction

The characteristics of autism vary from one person to another, but in order for a diagnosis to be made, a person will usually be assessed as having, along with other issues, persistent and significant difficulties with social interaction and social communication.

"It's as if everybody is playing some complicated game and I am the only one who hasn't been told the rules."

Martian in the playground, C Sainsbury, p8

Autistic children may:

appear withdrawn

appear indifferent to other people

prefer to play alone

accept contact if initiated by others but not initiate contact

be difficult to comfort

approach other children but in an unusual way

use overly formal language and be 'rule-bound.'

Trying to understand what others mean and how to behave can be bewildering, exhausting and stressful for autistic children. You can help with this by:

carrying, or giving your child, an autism alert card

using our communication tips

asking your child's schools to teach autism awareness and acceptance

suggesting things your child's school can do to support your child during unstructured times, as these can be harder for autistic children to cope with.

looking for social groups and leisure activities in your local community that are more autism-friendly.

Teaching social skills

Top Tips

reduce social stressors or triggers where possible

start with the basics, and progress in stages

practise any new social skills with your child in a number of different places, and with different people. Autistic children can find it hard to apply new skills in different contexts.

link skills to real tangible situations, refer to examples, and use people's names.

ask school staff, or others involved with your child, what particular social difficulties they have observed your child experiencing.

pick the time carefully when introducing new social skills. Avoid stressful times, or times when your child is distracted by a favourite activity.

find apps to support your child's communication and read app reviews.

get extra help in school  with what you are doing at home and ask them to reinforce the learning. This will help your child to generalise the skills.

You could also ask the school to discuss things like:

buddy programmes

circle of friends

structured social skills lessons

self-esteem and self-awareness lessons

disability awareness lessons

a specific class talk on autism to increase peers' awareness and acceptance of differences.

Does your child have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), statement, Coordinated Support Plan or Individual Education Plan?

It may be possible to add to the plan that your child needs extra support with social skills development, especially if your child's social skills are preventing them from learning.

Plans should also include how the child can express themselves appropriately if they are disappointed or upset during a social situation.

Practical ideas for developing different social skills at home

Understanding emotions

Many autistic children will have an emotional vocabulary of happy, sad and angry. Start with those and then branch out to other feelings such as surprised, confused.

Children on the autism spectrum often respond to tangible concepts, so once you've come up with a list of feelings, you could categorise and colour code the list. Write negative feelings in red and positive ones in green.  This concept is used in Comic Strip ConversationsTM but it can be done with a list of words too. As their understanding broadens, so can the number of categories.

Make biscuits with faces on them using icing/sweets/dried fruit. Discuss the different parts of the face, make different expressions, copy them, mirror to each other, talk about situations where you have made that expression or seen your child make that expression. The same kind of thing can be done with an art activity - making faces on paper plates, puppets, masks, face painting, drawing faces on flat surfaces using finger paints or shaving foam.

Cartoons are a great resource when it comes to teaching facial expressions as they are very over-exaggerated. Watch an episode of a cartoon together and pause at appropriate spots, talk through, copy facial expressions, see if you can predict what will happen next.

Take photos of you and your child or other people making a certain facial expression and get them to see the similarities in how their faces work. This will help with generalisation. Or print off photos and use them in a matching card game such as snap.

Entering games/situations

Make sure your child actually knows what a 'game' is. It is important they understand that in many games there will be a winner and a loser. Many autistic children will not understand this unless it is discussed with them first.

After establishing observational skills, teach your child how to choose children who might be compatible playmates with similar interests. For example, if your child wants to talk about football - choose a child playing football, rather than a child who is reading a book or playing with a computer game. Some autistic children will just assume everyone is interested in what they have to say, so by helping them guess what children are interested it might narrow this search down.

Teach your child a script that they can say if they want to play with someone and rehearse it with them. Make sure you practise alternative endings. eg what to do if they say no. Also explain that it's ok to spend time alone. Having a cue card with the key phrases on it that they can have in their pocket if they get nervous can be a good backup visual support too.

Encourage your child to go to a teacher if they don't get the response they are looking for and talk it over with them, rather than with the child themselves. Explain why having an argument may affect any future attempts to play with this child. Perhaps provide them with a card they can hand to a teacher asking for space when they are upset rather than having to talk through the issue.

Theory of mind

Autistic children can find it difficult to understand how others may be feeling and that their beliefs, interests and experiences may be different to their own. This is where a lot of children can face conflict and may behave inappropriately. Many autistic people can struggle with others coming to different conclusions or 'agreeing to disagree'. It may not be possible to teach your child to actually understand another person's point of view - the main goal early on is to get them to recognise that it may just be different and accept that.

You could do this by asking your child to compare a picture of a sibling or other family member with themselves and talking about how the two are different. You can discuss the physical differences then gradually move on to more abstract differences in line with how much the child understands.

Discuss everyday experiences that show people making choices and highlight them to your child. eg when picking out clothes, food preferences, choice of film/TV programme.

Conversational skills/turn taking

Conversations are not predictable and involve an immediate response. This is why many autistic people avoid conversations with their peers and will often talk to adults or children much older or younger than themselves.

To help your child with this, you could:

use a 'talking stick' that someone must be holding to have their turn at speaking, and timers to indicate the end of their turn

play board games. These help to teach your child turn-taking, as they are visual, and have real things that show that it's your turn (eg dice, counters)

use pictures of people and draw blank speech bubbles. The child needs to use their observation skills to establish what the context is and work out what they might be saying or thinking

play the 'never ending story' game. One person starts and says one word only, such as "one". The next person says another word such as "day", and you keep going between yourselves adding one word at a time. This requires the both of you to listen to what the other person has said and tailor your response to keep the story going. These stories can end up being very silly and fun - but they can help to develop listening skills.

Making mistakes, coping with losing, and conflict resolution

When it comes to making mistakes, autistic children might run away rather than asking for help or screw up a whole piece of work rather than put a line through a mistake.

You could:

dramatise your own mistakes so they can see it happens to others, and that it can be fixed

help them to identify emotions

label any feeling which they don't recognise for them and direct them to a calming activity

give them a tangible 'HELP' card if they cannot verbalise their feelings themselves

talk about publicly scrutinised wins/losses in the news, eg sports, awards, etc. Pointing out the mistakes of a person your child admires might help them to accept their own

keep conflict resolution factual. Emotional pleading will not work with autistic children. Stick to the facts if you are debriefing a child about an incident and help them address different parts of the argument that they may have missed, such as the other person's point of view and misinterpretations of words

draw an incident with speech and thought bubbles. If two children have had a disagreement, draw them and their thoughts/feelings/actions/speech. Having something visually to refer to can help reinforce recognition it can be done as a comic strip conversationTM, movie script, cartoon or story

work on boosting their self-esteem and creating more predictability in the general environment to help minimise the impact of mistakes

talk through a game or an activity before it starts. If they are about to get involved with something where the goal is winning, talk them through 'being a good loser' and the nature of the game they are playing. They might be surprised to find out someone has to lose.

Your next steps

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Making friends - supporting your autistic child

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Your autistic child might find social situations difficult. Other children may appear to know, intuitively, how to communicate and interact with each other. Many parents of autistic children find it hard to explain why their children find interaction difficult when they can have strong skills in other areas.

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Welcome to the Parent Portal, our award-winning speech and language support website for parents, carers and families.

At Speech and Language Link, we understand that supporting your child's language learning, alongside everything else that life demands from you, can be challenging. The Parent Portal provides ideas and advice, information and activities for developing your child's understanding, talking and listening in a way that works for all of your family.

How to use the site? Visit the development tab to help you work out what the next steps are for your child's learning and then go to the stage-appropriate activities section. You don't always need to create a special time for working on listening and talking, use our everyday activities turn many routine tasks into support activities.

Our speech and language therapists have devised support videos for you. Check out the 'Can I have your attention please?' series to help get your child in the right frame of mind for learning and access super fun games and ideas to encourage a range of language skills.

Our activities are designed to fit around normal family life and by implementing some of them every day you can make a real difference to your child's language development.

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Supporting Parents and Carers who support children with SLCN - Speech and Language resources, information and activities

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Buckinghamshire SENDIAS provide impartial and confidential advice to parents on all matters relating to SEN.

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Buckinghamshire Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support (SENDIAS) service (formerly Parent Partnership).

All local authorities, by law, have to provide children and young people with SEN or disabilities, and their parents, with information, advice and support. Buckinghamshire SENDIAS Service is the information, advice and support service here. Our service is free, confidential, impartial and at arm's length from Buckinghamshire Council.

We offer accurate and up to date resources and information about the law on special educational needs and disability, covering:

education, health and social care

national and local policy

the Local Offer

your rights and choices

your opportunities to participate

where you can find help and advice

how you can access this support.

Sometimes information alone is not enough. You may want help to gather information, make sense of it and apply it to your own situation. We call this advice and we offer this service by email, on the telephone, face to face and through work with groups or in training.

We can also offer more intensive support if you need it. This can include helping with letters, attending meetings with you or supporting you in discussions with the local authority, school or other setting. We work closely with the Independent Support team, who can offer you help with Education, Health and Care Plans.

Legal principles

Buckinghamshire SENDIAS Service is a statutory service provided by Buckinghamshire Council in response to the Children and Families Act 2014:

Local authorities must arrange for children with SEN or disabilities for whom they are responsible, and their parents, and young people with SEN or disabilities for whom they are responsible. To be provided with information and advice about matters relating to their SEN or disabilities, including matters relating to health and social care.

SEND Code of Practice 2014, DfE

Section 19 of the Children and Families Act 2014 makes clear that local authorities, in carrying out their functions under the Act in relation to disabled children and young people and those with special educational needs (SEN), must have regard to:

theviews, wishes and feelingsof the child or young person, and the child's parents

the importance of the child or young person, and the child's parents,participatingas fully as possible indecisions, and being provided with theinformation and supportnecessary to enable participation in those decisions

the need to support the child or young person, and the child's parents, in order to facilitate thedevelopmentof the child or young person and to help them achieve the best possible educational and otheroutcomes, preparing them effectively for adulthood

SEND Code of Practice 2014
What is a disability?

You're disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a 'substantial' and 'long-term' negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities.

What is a special educational need?

Children and young people with SEN all have learning difficulties or disabilities that make it harder for them to learn than most children and young people of the same age. These children and young people may need extra or different help from that given to others.

How we help

directing children, young people and parents to other and additional sources of advice, information and support that may be available locally or nationally

Individual casework and representation for those who need it, which may include:

support in attending meetings, contributing to assessments and reviews and participating in decisions about outcomes for the child or young person

directing children, young people, parents and those who support and work with them to additional support services where needed

Help when things go wrong, which includes:

supporting children, young people and parents in arranging or attending early disagreement resolution meetings

supporting children, young people and parents in managing mediation, appeals to the First-tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability), exclusions and complaints on matters related to SEN and disability

making children, young people and parents aware of the local authority's services. For resolving disagreements and for mediation, and on the routes of appeal and complaint on matters related to SEN and disability

Provision of advice through individual casework and through work with parent carer support groups, local SEN youth forums or disability groups, or training events

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SEND Information Advice and Support Service | Buckinghamshire Council

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Buckinghamshire Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support (SENDIAS) service (formerly Parent Partnership). All local authorities, by law, have to provide children and young people with SEN or disabilities, and their parents, with information, advice and support. Buckinghamshire SENDIAS Service is the information, advice and support service here.

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This site offers tips on how to support your child with reading, spelling, handwriting and homework.

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How can I support my child? - British Dyslexia Association

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The British Dyslexia Association is the voice for the 10% of the population that are dyslexic

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This weblink gives parents signs to look out for along with some useful advice on how to help a child who is feeling anxious.

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Just like adults, children and young people feel worried and anxious at times.
But if your child's anxiety is starting to affect their wellbeing, they may need some help.

What makes children anxious?

Children can feel anxious about different things at different ages. Many of these worries are a normal part of growing up.

From the age of around 6 months to 3 years it's very common for young children to have separation anxiety. They may become clingy and cry when separated from their parents or carers. This is a normal stage in a child's development and should stop at around age 2 to 3.

It's also common for preschool-age children to develop specific fears or phobias. Common fears in early childhood include animals, insects, storms, heights, water, blood and the dark. These fears usually go away gradually on their own.

There may also be other times in a child's life when they feel anxious. For example, many children feel anxious when going to a new school or before tests and exams. Some children feel shy in social situations and may need support with this.

When is anxiety a problem for children?

Anxiety becomes a problem for children when it starts to get in the way of their everyday life.

If you go into any school at exam time, all the children will be anxious, but some may be so anxious that they do not manage to get to school that morning.

Severe anxiety like this can harm children's mental and emotional wellbeing, affecting their self-esteem and confidence. They may become withdrawn and go to great lengths to avoid things or situations that make them feel anxious.

What are the signs of anxiety in children?

When young children feel anxious, they cannot always understand or express what they are feeling. You may notice that they:

become irritable, tearful or clingy

have difficulty sleeping

wake in the night

start wetting the bed

have bad dreams

In older children you may notice that they:

lack confidence to try new things or seem unable to face simple, everyday challenges

find it hard to concentrate

have problems with sleeping or eating

have angry outbursts

have a lot of negative thoughts, or keep thinking that bad things are going to happen

start avoiding everyday activities, such as seeing friends, going out in public or going to school

Find out more about the symptoms of anxiety on our page about anxiety disorders in children.

Why is my child anxious?

Some children are more likely to have worries and anxiety than others.

Children often find change difficult and may become anxious following a house move or when starting a new school.

Children who have had a distressing or traumatic experience, such as a car accident or house fire, may have anxiety afterwards.

Family arguments and conflict can also make children feel insecure and anxious.

Teenagers are more likely to have social anxiety than other age groups, avoiding social gatherings or making excuses to get out of them.

Find out more about social anxiety.

How to help an anxious child

If a child is experiencing anxiety, there are things that parents and carers can do to help.

First and foremost, it's important to talk to your child about their anxiety or worries. Reassure them and show them you understand how they feel.

If your child is old enough, it may help to explain what anxiety is and the physical effects it has on our bodies. It may be helpful to describe anxiety as being like a wave that builds up and then ebbs away again.

As well as talking to your child about their worries and anxiety, it's important to help them find solutions.

For example, if your child is worried about going to a sleepover, it is natural to want to tell them not to go. However, this could mean your child feels that their anxiety will stop them from doing things.

It's better to recognise their anxiety and suggest solutions to help them, so they can go to the sleepover with a plan in place.

Other ways to ease anxiety in children

teach your child to recognise signs of anxiety in themselves

encourage your child to manage their anxiety and ask for help when they need it

children of all ages find routines reassuring, so try to stick to regular daily routines where possible

if your child is anxious because of distressing events, such as a bereavement or separation, look for books or films that will help them to understand their feelings

if you know a change, such as a house move, is coming up, prepare your child by talking to them about what is going to happen and why

try not to become overprotective or anxious yourself

practise simple relaxation techniques with your child, such as taking 3 deep, slow breaths, breathing in for a count of 3 and out for 3.

distraction can be helpful for young children. For example, if they are anxious about going to nursery, play games on the way there, such as seeing who can spot the most red cars

turn an empty tissue box into a "worry" box. Get your child to write about or draw their worries and "post" them into the box. Then you can sort through the box together at the end of the day or week

Find out more

When should we get help?

If your child's anxiety is severe, persists and interferes with their everyday life, it's a good idea to get some help.

A visit to a GP is a good place to start. If your child's anxiety is affecting their school life, it's a good idea to talk to their school as well.

Parents and carers can get help and advice about children's mental health from Young Minds' free parent helpline on 0808 802 5544, from Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 4pm.

Find out more about treatments on our page about anxiety disorders in children.

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How to help your child deal with anxiety about things such as going to school or socialising with friends. Also, how to tell when it's time to get medical help.

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Sensory Processing Disorder Poster Pack 

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Sensory Processing Disorder Poster Pack 

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Full of information and hints and tips for parents.

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Useful information and resources helpfully divided into separate pages specific to each individual need.

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Resource library for families - Speech and Language UK: Changing young lives

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Our team of speech and language therapists have written these helpful info pages, based on our most frequently asked questions from families.

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Dyslexia help, children, video clips, scribe, spellings, maths

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Cards that can be repositioned to support with sentence building.

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The past few months have been challenging, particularly for children and young people. With children now back at school, parents and carers may be looking for activities to try at home with their children after school or at the weekend.

We've pulled together a list of recommended resources for families from some of our trusted partner organisations.

Some of these ideas will help you start conversations with your child, keep them entertained and inspired, and encourage you to enjoy quality time together as a family. All of which are important for your wellbeing.

Please visit our Coronavirus: Updates page for our latest advice and guidance for parents, carers and schools on supporting children and young people's mental health.

News & blogs

A statement from Place2Be on the UK government's new mental health and wellbeing plan

Place2Be welcomes the chance to submit evidence to inform the Government's new 10-year plan to improve mental health.

READ MORE

Schools white paper - a missed opportunity

Our Policy and Public Affairs Manager reflects on the government's recently published white paper on schools.

Read more

A statement from Place2Be on the UK conversion therapy ban

Place2Be responds to the UK government's announcement that it will proceed with a legislative ban on conversion therapy.

READ MORE

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Coronavirus: wellbeing activity ideas for families

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With children now back at school, parents and carers may be looking for activities to try at home with their children after school or at the weekend. We've pulled together a list of recommended resources for families from some of our trusted partner organisations.

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This webpage provides information on Local services that are available to parents/children with SEN.

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Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND Local Offer)

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Our local offer advice and support for children and young people aged 0 to 25 years

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Helping families do maths together | Family Maths Toolkit

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Ideas and resources from National Numeracy to help families and children under 13 enjoy learning and doing maths together. Discover more on our website.

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Support and Helpline for concerns about Mental Health

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Support and Helpline for concerns about Mental Health

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YoungMinds | Mental Health Charity For Children And Young People

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YoungMinds are a mental health charity for children, young people and their parents, making sure all young people can get the mental health support they need.

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Supporting your child with spellings at home

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To help break work down into smaller chunks.

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Thank you for visiting. We have recently moved this page. Please <CLICK HERE> to view our most recent Fine Motor Play Ideas and Activities

Printable Dot to Dot Alphabet Letter Charts : The Dot-to-Dot Alphabet Letter Charts are a re-usable printable that can be used part of learning centres, small group activities or independently to learn the correct formation of writing alphabet letters. Read more...

Pipe Cleaner Maze: Exploring and playing with pipe cleaners and beads with the Styrofoam while exercising the fine motor muscles. Read more.....

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Thank you for visiting. We have recently moved this page. Please to view our most recent Fine Motor Play Ideas and Activities Printable Dot to Dot Alphabet Letter Charts : The Dot-to-Dot Alphabet Letter Charts are a re-usable printable that can be used part of learning centres, small group activities or independently to learn the correct formation of writing alphabet letters.

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Learn how to touch type with the BBC Dance Mat Typing game. It’s a fun introduction to touch typing game for kids and covers levels 1, 2, 3, 4.

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Strategies that may help with engagement in learning whilst your child is working from home.

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[Engagement in Learning] - PowerPoint Slide Show - [Engagement in Learning]

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Your mental health | Mental Health Foundation

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Our 'your mental health' section includes practical advice for looking after your mental health, along with statistics, information about what mental health is, podcasts, videos and your stories.

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Hello and welcome to Singing Hands! We are Suzanne and Tracy and we would like to introduce you to the amazing world of signing with Makaton. Our unique and enthusiastic approach is designed to help develop someone's communication potential through music, songs, games & activities. We focus on learning language in a way that it is motivating, engaging and most of all, fun!

To find out more about 'What We Do' - please see the information about our classes, our resources, our educational concerts and our work in schools, nurseries, with young adults and our training workshops for professionals. Join us and learn how to sign the 'Singing Hands' way!

Suzanne & Tracy

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Hello and welcome to Singing Hands! We are Suzanne and Tracy and we would like to introduce you to the amazing world of signing with Makaton. Our unique and enthusiastic approach is designed to help develop someone's communication potential through music, songs, games & activities.

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Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service

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The videos below are directed at parents, carers, young people and professionals, and consist of an explanatory video, accompanying worksheets and an information booklet that can be downloaded. These resources will help you understand some of the common mental health problems young people experience and what you can do to help.

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Self-help resources | Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service

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The videos below are directed at parents, carers, young people and professionals, and consist of an explanatory video, accompanying worksheets and an information booklet that can be downloaded. These resources will help you understand some of the common mental health problems young people experience and what you can do to help.

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Welcome to ictgames. Here you'll find free to play educational games aimed at children between 5 and 8 years old; written by a UK teacher with 20 years experience. The games are linked to the UK KS 1 and 2 curricula. Here are some help videos to get you started.

&nbsp Number - number and place value

&nbsp Number - addition & subtraction

&nbsp Number - multiplication & division

&nbsp Geometry - properties of shapes

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Free educational games aimed at children between 5 and 8 years old. Made by a UK teacher with 20 years of experience in education.

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Free educational games aimed at children between 5 and 8 years old. Made by a UK teacher with 20 years of experience in education.

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Printable social stories for kids, including free social stories & social story templates

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Supporting children to understand and manage their feelings.

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THE ZONES OF REGULATION: A CONCEPT TO FOSTER SELF-REGULATION & EMOTIONAL CONTROL

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Partnering with our publishing company, Social Thinking , i n an effort to help you get the Zones up and running with your population, we're pleased to now provide digital versions of three widely...

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To support with reading online.

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ColorVeil: Reduce eye strain, help with Dyslexia and Visual Stress

A screen color filter over any application you are using

Helps users with Dyslexia and Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome

Reduce eye strain along with screen brightness

Easily customize the color and opacity of the filter

Match the prescription from the optometrist

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Dim screen brightness, reduce eye strain, and save energy. It helps with eye strain, Dyslexia, Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome, or Visual Stress.

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sensory processing disorder parent support

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Sensory Processing Disorder Parent Support

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Sensory Processing Disorder Parent Support Welcome To Our Website The purpose of this website is to share with others what I have learned in 18 years of working with my two children who have special needs and have been diagnosed with multiple diagnosis that include Sensory Processing Disorder.

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A fun way to help to develop fine motor skills.

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"early years learning" "playdough disco" "early years" "teacher resources" "spread the happiness" literacy numeracy "dough disco" "squiggle while you wiggle"...

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This channel is dedicated to spreading happiness and positivity throughout education, improving the lives of children with our positive community. There are a whole host of resources here for parents and teachers alike that will help improve your children's skills in all areas of the curriculum, while having fun doing it!

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Parent Zone - Breakthrough Therapy Solutions Ltd

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This is an area for us to share advice and support with you, we will be sharing case studies and answering Frequently asked Questions on our blog. Please comment on them or share with someone if you think it may help them.

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Support and advice for parents.

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Supporting Success For Children With Hearing Loss |

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Most parents and family members of children with hearing loss never expected that their child would be hard of hearing or deaf. You may have many questions. Just when you feel like you understand how to help your child, he or she grows into new challenges or needs and you may have more questions. Select the age of your child and you will be directed to those resources. 'I am the mother of a 4.5 year old little girl who listens with bi-lateral cochlear implants. She has had a very positive experience in her mainstream school setting, but the tools on your site are easy to use and understand and will help me to effectively communicate her needs with teachers unfamiliar with having a deaf child in the classroom. I am also a clinical social worker on a cochlear implant team. While not new to medical social work, I have not worked with this population, professionally, prior to this job. The more I learn, the better able I will be to support the families with whom I work. I will suggest these resources to some of our parents. Thank you.'
QUESTIONS YOU MAY ASK:
Infants and Toddlers with Hearing Loss (select the link above to be directed to these questions)

What does it mean to have a baby with hearing loss?

Why can't we just wait awhile? We JUST found out!

What should I be doing to help my baby?

Are hearing aids really needed? How much will they help?

What do people mean by Communication Choices? What do we need to decide?

What's the big deal about unilateral hearing loss (hearing loss in only one ear)?

Will having ear infections impact learning?

School-Aged Children with Hearing Loss (select the link above to be directed to these questions)

What are the possible effects the hearing loss can cause at school?

How can my child learn to be responsible for his hearing devi ces? What should I expect, when?

What information can I share with the school as my child starts a new school year or in a new school?

Will having many ear infections impact my child's learning?

As my child with hearing loss has gotten older, he doesn't want to wear his hearing aids. Why? What can I do?

Can hearing loss be caused by noise? Is this a big deal?

Speaking with other parents of children with hearing loss can provide you with strong support and real-life information as you seek ways to support your child.

If you have not received parent-to-parent support yet, or if you haven't experienced parent connections in awhile, I strongly recommend that you connect with www.handsandvoices.org. Hands and Voices also has many resources for parents and can connect you with other parents in your state or local area who have probably had the same questions that you are asking right now! As your child grows and encounters different challenges, your contact with parents who have been beside their children facing the same challenges may provide just the help you need.

Karen Anderson, Director

All Resources for Parents

Feel free to look at the Professional Resources section too for more information!
Resources for Parents
The Rubik's Cube is a 3D twisty puzzle. Read the beginner's solution tutorial.

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Supporting Success For Children With Hearing Loss | For parents

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Most parents and family members of children with hearing loss never expected that their child would be hard of hearing or deaf. You may have many questions. Just when you feel like you understand how to help your child, he or she grows into new challenges or needs and you may have more questions.

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Support and advice for parents.

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Resources | VICTA Parent Portal | victaparents.org.uk

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Useful resources for parents and carers raising a child who is blind or partially sighted. Find out about education, technology, leisure and more.

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Five fifteen minute memory games to play with your child at home.

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Chances are, your child will experiment with writing long before he or she learns to read. Here are some ways to help your child learn about and practice writing.

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Get advice on reading to children, how to read aloud, encouraging older children to read and helping reluctant readers with exciting, page-turning books. We also have useful leaflets full of tips and advice for you to download and tips for carers and foster families.

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Reading Support plus free ebooks and Reading Resources for Parents 

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Reading Support plus free ebooks and Reading Resources for Parents 

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If you have a child at Primary School, this is a great place to find out about how they are learning to read and what you can do to help at home.

Get some fresh ideas for encouraging your child's reading at home, check out our online eBook library with access to over 130 free books and find out more about how reading is taught in school.

There's also a handy guide to understanding phonics and information on the reading schemes used in schools.

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Advice on helping your child with reading. Simple ideas, top tips, activities and games to use at home. Expert advice on phonics and helping struggling readers.

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Free Parent's Guide to a Growth Mindset - Welcome-Big Life Journal

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Progress over Perfection - Breaking down Mental Barriers

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Progress over Perfection - Breaking down Mental Barriers

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Support for parents with understanding Autism.

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Support and advice for parents and carers of autistic children, including support to develop a greater understanding of their child's needs and accessing services that meet the familys needs.

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Support and advice for parents.

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Box of Ideas
Resource centre with lots of practical tips for home and school for a range of difficulties including ADHD. Click here for more information.

ADHD Voices brings the perspectives and experiences of children into international debates around rising child psychiatric diagnoses and the increasing use of drugs in child psychiatry.
Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD)
CHADD is an organisation that provides education, advocacy and support for individuals with ADHD and their families.
Contact a Family
Contact a Family (0808 808 3555): a UK-wide charity providing advice, information and support.

Janssen: Living With ADHD
Whether you have been diagnosed with ADHD, or are the parent/carer or teacher of someone who has the condition, this website will help you face the challenges you may have and address any questions and concerns.
Kids Health
Information on ADHD particularly useful for children and young people. Search ADHD for more information.
NHS Treatment Information
Mental Health / Emotional Support and Wellbeing / Behavioural Support
ADHD Guide for Parents and Carers
ADHD in Children and Young People: A Simple Guide for Parents and Carers booklet.
All Saints Youth Project
All Saints Youth Project (0121 4431842) falls under the umbrella of All Saints Community Projects, whose overall purpose is to provide services and facilities to improve the social welfare and health of people in Birmingham.
Anxiety Canada
Anxiety Canada provides self-help resources, programs and services for children, youth, adults and educators on anxiety.
Birmingham Children's Trust
Here for children, young people, care leavers, families and carers
Childline
Offer advice related to helping young people to build confidence and self-esteem, making new friends and coping with feelings. Available to talk about any issue.
Family Lives
Family Lives (0808 8002222): help with behaviour management.
Forward Thinking Birmingham

Support for self harm

Support for anxiety

Support for eating disorders

Support for substance misuse

Support for suicidal thoughts

Support for OCD

From Birmingham With Love
Help for all families: leaflet with useful advice and links.
NCMH (National Centre for Mental Health)
This organisation brings together world-leading researchers to learn more about the triggers and causes of mental health problems. Their website gives information on conditions like ADHD and medication used to manage it.

Mental health charity that makes short films and fact sheets about conditions like ADHD.
Pause (Forward Thinking Birmingham)
Pause (Forward Thinking Birmingham), 21 Digbeth, Birmingham, B5 6BJ (0300 300 0099): Support offered to young people up to the age of 25 years with advice, sign posting and support with any concerns related to mental and emotional wellbeing.

Drop in sessions:

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 10.00 am - 6.00 pm.

Wednesday, 12.00 pm - 8.00 pm.

Saturday and Sunday, 11.00 am - 4.00 pm.

Parenting Approach: Non-Violent Resistance (NVR) Young Minds
Young Minds (0808 802 5544 - parents' helpline): the UK's leading charity for children and young people's mental health. Provides advice on online resources, training and development, outreach work.

Youth Offending Service : telephone 0121 464 0600 kingsmere 18 Gravelly Hill Erdington Birmingham B23 6BQ https://www.birminghamchildrenstrust.co.uk

Education and training
Birmingham Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS)
Birmingham SENDIASS offers impartial information, advice and support to children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities.
Children's Services - Education and Children Social Services
Birmingham Children's Services (0121 303 1888): information about Birmingham schools including school places & regarding Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP).
South and City Birmingham College
South and City Birmingham College (121 694 5000 or 0800 111 6311): educational support for young people who have ADHD.
The Prince's Trust Birmingham - Personal development programme
Prince's Trust (0800 842 842): help for 13-25 year olds to work towards their personal goals.
National Citizen Service
National Citizen Service (0800 197 8010): a four-phase programme for 15-17 year olds designed to provide new experiences.
Queen Alexandra College - a national college for learners with disabilities
Queen Alexandra College (0121 428 5050): support and guidance for students on the Autistic spectrum (including Asperger's syndrome), with moderate to severe learning difficulties students, with physical disabilities and those with other needs.
Birmingham Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS)
Birmingham SENDIASS offers impartial information, advice and support to children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities.
Birmingham School Exclusions Team
Birmingham School Exclusions Team (0121 3032685): learning support when children are excluded.

Safeguarding/concerns for safety/family support
Children's Social Services
Contact if a child/young persons is at risk/harm (0121 303 1888). Support for families, please visit website for further details.
NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children)
Support for children, young people, parents, families and professionals. Please click here for more information.
POhWER
POhWER Advocacy Service(0300 4562370): ensures procedures are followed by health and social care services; offers advice and support with letter writing.

Sleep
Cerebra Sleep Service
Cerebra Sleep Service (0800 328 1159) to help children (and their families, ) who have trouble sleeping. They have a team of sleep practitioners who can offer help and advice on overcoming sleep problems such as anxiety at night and not being able to go to sleep.
Teen Sleep Guide
How to Sleep Guide: Teen Sleep Guide download.
Why Do We Need Sleep?
Why do we need sleep leaflet.

Other useful services
AccessAble
Identifies local amenities that are accessible to children with additional needs
Tourettes Action
Tourettes support for young people.
Understood
An excellent resource for educators.

Suggested reading

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A range of resources compiled by the ADHD Team.