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Autism Central - England’s Peer Education Programme | Autism Central

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Autism Central offers a wealth of resources for parents, carers and personal assistants of autistic people in England – from articles and learning materials to signposting you to services and support in your local area.

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The Leeds Local Offer provides information for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their parents or carers in a single place. It shows families what they can expect from a range of local agencies including education, health and social care.

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Does your child suffer with sleep issues?

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Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information Advice and Support Services (SENDIASS) in Leeds. Our service is free, impartial and confidential. How we can help We support children and young people with special ed…

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Amazing Things Happen - by Alexander Amelines

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Autism Central for Parents and Carers | Autism Central

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Autism Central offers a wealth of resources for parents, carers and personal assistants of autistic people in England – from articles and learning materials to signposting you to services and support in your local area.

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Support for autistic and neurodivergent children, adults and families

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Sesame Street: Meet Julia (Full Clip | 10 Min)

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Upcoming workshops

Our next Sleep Tight Workshop is running June-July 2024 for parents/carers of children ages 2-5.

The workshop runs for 5 weeks, and sessions will be on the following dates and times:

Friday 21st June, 12:30 - 2:00

Friday 28th June, 12:30 - 2:00

Friday 5th July, 12:30 - 2:00

Friday 12th July, 12:30 - 2:00

Friday 19th July, 12:30 - 2:00

Sessions will run in-person at The Vinery Centre. They are completely free, and refreshments will be provided. Please register your interest below, and a member of the team will give you a ring to chat about suitability before confirming your place on the course.

With thanks to:

Frequently Asked Questions
What does the workshop cover?
The course covers what is called behavioural approaches to managing sleep - this includes strategies to support with self-settling and night wakening, bedtime routines , healthy sleep associations, natural production of melatonin and understanding the science of sleep. The team uses SEND experience and knowledge to tailor the content to children with additional needs. This includes sensory considerations, communication barriers and talking about the ways neurodivergence can affect sleep.
Do I need to attend all sessions?
Yes - each parent/carer must attend all 5 sessions to complete the content and gain their certificate.
Why is this workshop only open to a certain age range?
While the content of the workshop is relevant to children aged 2-11, there are times when we have to limit the age group we are able to offer the course to. As we are an entirely independent charity, our work is made possible by generous funders. It is these funders who dictate the scope of our work, and what we can deliver to who. Narrowing the age group also means we can tailor the workshop content, making it as helpful and relevant to the people in attendance as possible. Throughout the year we aim to run workshops suitable for all age groups. Register your interest and enter your child's age to keep informed.
I can't attend these dates/times, will there be another workshop?
Please still complete the online referral form, but select the 'I would like to register my interest in future courses' option. Each time we run a workshop we aim to choose different days of the week to suit as many people as possible, and we will get in touch when our next workshop is scheduled.
Can I bring my child to the workshops?
Unfortunately we don't have any creche facilities and want all parents/carers to be able to get the most out of the sessions with no distractions. For those reasons we ask that people don't bring their little ones to sessions.

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Sleep Tight - Learning Disability Charity - Leeds Mencap

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Sleep Tight is a 5 week programme for parents/carers of a child/ren with additional needs specifically tailored to support you and your child to get the rest they need. Upcoming workshops Our next Sleep Tight Workshop is running June-July 2024 for parents/carers of children ages 2-5.

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SENDIASS autism signposting and support 

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SENDIASS autism signposting and support 

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SENDIASS FACTSHEET Support pre and post Autism diagnosis

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About Us Leeds Parent Carer Forum is a voluntary organisation led by passionate parents and carers, who are working in partnership with the Local Authority, Education, Health and Social Care services to improve the quality of life for children and young people with additional needs, and their families, across Leeds.

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Parent support information - right to choose

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Our dedicated sleep service is here to help.

Alongside our Sleep Tips booklet and relevant guides, we also offer one-to-one support. This involves completing an application form for your child and two weeks' worth of sleep diaries which we'll send out to you as long as you come under our criteria for support.

If you need one-to-one support and are a parent/carer or a professional referring a family with their consent to having sleep support, please click the button below to contact the sleep service.

If you have a question or query about our services please email us at [email protected].

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Sleep tips Our Sleep Tips booklet introduces and explains different techniques for you to try that may improve your child's sleep. It covers ten main topics including bedtime routines, daytime napping, comfort objects and moving bedtime backwards or forwards. It gives lots of illustrated hints and tips for putting the...

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A brilliant  book which helps children learn about their emotions... 

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A brilliant  book which helps children learn about their emotions... 

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Learn how ten habits can help children to understand and manage their emotions and behaviour - the new book from the creator of the chimp management mind model and author of the million copy selling The Chimp Paradox. My Hidden Chimp is an effective and powerful new educational book that offers parents, teachers and carers some ideas and thoughts on how to help children to develop healthy habits for life.

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Children's Journal...  I would highly recommend this book, I have used it with my own children, it is relatively cheap and is a great way to develop the idea of reviewing the day and thinking about what their successes are. 

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Children's Journal...  I would highly recommend this book, I have used it with my own children, it is relatively cheap and is a great way to develop the idea of reviewing the day and thinking about what their successes are. 

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Relaxation Music for Children  & Adult Meditation | Quiet Time | Inner peace | Sleep Deep | Nap Time

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Why this is happening

I pick up on how the adults around me are feeling as well as to the changes in my normal routine.

Being worried switches on what is known as my 'attachment system'.

This is automatic and is not something I have control over.

It 'tells' me to get close to you as soon as possible so I can feel safe and protected.

I will continue to seek contact and comfort in any way I can (in both positive and negative ways) until my need is met.

This can feel stressful and tiring for you but it is not purposeful or intentional. I'm not yet able to think about your feelings.

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Why my behaviour might become more 'demanding' during uncertain times - Cardiff Family Advice and Support

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I pick up on how the adults around me are feeling as well as to the changes in my normal routine. Being worried switches on what is known as my 'attachment system'. This is automatic and is not something I have control over.

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All behaviour is communication. I get it. Really I do. But it can be hard to remember when your child is kicking a hole in his bedroom door or throwing scissors at you down the stairs.

I don't want you to think that chaos reigns in my house though. At least, not all of the time. I am a mum 3 times over, twice by adoption and once by birth. My kids are beautiful, funny, kind and unpredictable in equal measure. For my boys, who have known loss intimately, there is also an additional layer of anxiety built into their makeup.

Anxiety plays out in different ways for my sons. My 6 year old seeks reassurance and affirmation of his place in the world. My 7 year old seeks to control everything. His emotions can overwhelm him and he can respond with anger. I want the boys to feel loved and be happy: we work at #selfcare to make anxiety manageable.

#Selfcare might seem like an odd choice of words to combat scissor throwing but it isn't, honestly. According to the Self Care Forum it consists of the, "actions that individuals take for themselves, on behalf of and with others in order to develop, protect, maintain and improve their health, wellbeing or wellness." We all want this for our children. And I love the idea that our children don't have to do it on their own.

So what do we do?

The self care toolkit is homemade. All you need is a box, card and colours. The box houses the self care cards. One side of the card is decorated by your child and the other lists a self care idea. When one of my children is finding their emotions difficult to manage they can look at their self care cards and choose an activity. Each card contains something that they believe helps to make things better; make den, get a hug, jump 20 times, do a dance...

The beauty of the toolkit is that you can add in a new activity for your child to 'play' as they come across something new that works for them. They can also play as few or as many of the cards as they need too at the time.

The longer my children have used the toolkit for, the better they are getting at selecting the right card to meet the emotion. At first I used to hear a lot of, 'you choose mummy.' Now they are more likely to reject a card for not being quite right for that moment.

Nesting

We have livingroom quilts and blankets for den making and nesting. When everything is too much they can retreat into a cocoon. Nests let you wrap yourself up and make your world smaller. They control the space. And they can add to that space too. They have each, on separate occasions, taken in books, teddies, tablets and our long suffering cat.

Sometimes, they make the den a little bigger to fit mummy in as well.

There are times when they build of their own volition. There are times when they want my help. And there are times when a gentle prompt is needed: as a parent you can often see what your child needs before they know it themselves.

Praise Positives

We try to praise all positives - highlighting kindness and signposting thoughtfulness. The idea is to provide a running commentary that picks up on the behaviours that we want to encourage. We want the children to see themselves as kind and thoughtful - for our voices to help shape their internal voice.

Part of praising positives also includes modelling this behaviour between myself and my other half in front of the kids. Just be warned though, my enthusiastic 'Oh thank you daddy for packing the shopping. How kind!' can garner some funny looks in the supermarket.

Senses

Finally, we are recent converts to the use of a light aroma diffuser for aromatherapy - vanilla seems to work best for us. This helps my 7 year old regulate but, if I'm honest, I'm not sure how. I'm torn between

A) this sensory input is effective in itself OR

B) the act of putting the diffuser on has an affect on me and this is what has a calming effect on my son.

Either way, it's a positive self care activity in our house. 'It smells like fruit and love mummy.'

I don't think that any one thing can be relied on to work all the time and there are definitely occasions when I'm not the parent I want to be. But if I can work towards helping my three to develop, protect, maintain and improve their wellbeing then this is a good start. And I try to remember that all behaviour is communication, including mine.

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All behaviour is communication. I get it. Really I do. But it can be hard to remember when your child is kicking a hole in his bedroom door or throwing scissors at you down the stairs. I don't want you to think that chaos reigns in my house though.

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Children are growing and dealing with changes and different challenges all the time. It can be helpful to acknowledge with your child that change can feel difficult and it takes time to adjust.

You might notice some behaviours in your child during times of change or when life is feeling difficult, for example:

They might be especially clingy, tearful or reluctant to go to school.

They might have physical symptoms like an upset stomach, feeling sick or a headache.

Their sleep might be affected and they might wet the bed.

They might be very argumentative, be uncooperative or behave in a way that you find really challenging.

If your child is having particular problems or worries and in need of extra emotional support, you might want to take a look together at MindMate's pages for young people about coping with common issues. If your child sometimes feels overwhelmed with anxiety and is prone to worry a lot, it might help to take a look at this leaflet on Coping with Anxiety.

What helps?

Some general things which you can do at home will encourage children to be more resilient and able to cope with life's ups and downs

Agree house rules and be consistent as far as possible. Routine is really helpful for children to feel safe.

Reward good behaviour and acknowledge this by clearly saying what it is your child has done well and why you are pleased.

Provide a healthy and balanced diet and try to eat family meals together as much as possible.

Encourage your child to talk about their day, and offer reassurance and praise. Talking and listening properly require hard work and patience, but are really important especially as children get older or when things feel tense or difficult.

Support your child to sleep well. Ensure wind down time at bed time, read a book or tell a story.

Useful links

Getting ready for high school

Transition to high school can be a tough time for children and their parents. Find out what helps.

Transition to high school

Coping with anxiety

Is your child suffering with feelings of anxiety? This online booklet guides parents on what might help.

Booklet on anxiety

Additional needs and support

Does your child have additional needs or a disability? This guide for families gives details of support offered in Leeds including what you can expect from your child's school.

Support in Leeds

Parent experience - Erica

Hear from another parent and the strategies she uses when her children display challenging behaviour.

Parent experience

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Parenting children 5 - 11 years - MindMate

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Children are growing and dealing with changes and different challenges all the time. It can be helpful to acknowledge these changes with your child to ensure that everyone understands that change can feel difficult and it takes time to adjust.

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Little Parachutes * children's picture books about

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A hand-picked collection of picture books that gently explains anxiety, worry and stress to young children

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A Park Problem | Sesame Street and Autism

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Ways to build flexibility and ease children's disappointment and frustration when things don't go as planned.

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A Social Story is a resource to help improve social skills of children and adults with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other children.

These social stories demonstrate appropriate social interaction, re-enacting different situations using social cues and recommended responses.

Social Stories are a defined form of story that have set rules the author needs to follow. They are similar to an essay and use carefully researched facts, rather than opinions.

Research is very important for the basis of a Social Story. They analyse life using reliable information that has been collected.

A Social Story is usually written by the author from the audiences perspective and point of view for a topic or situation. They help interactions with people on the autism spectrum and help to develop their confidence and ability to cope with social situations on a daily basis.

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Corpus Christi parent/carer dyslexia leaflet

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Multisensory spelling ideas

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An online teaching programme that we subscribe to, to develop spelling and reading skills

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Improve Your Spelling, the latest book written by Nessy founder Mike Jones, explains the rules of reading and spelling. It will help teachers teach, and parents to understand how to help their children.

By the end, you'll be a master speller!

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You've found Nessy; World leader in helping children who learn differently. Founded and run by educators and dyslexia specialists, our award-winning programs are guided by the Science of Reading.

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Signposting and groups for parents

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Visuals to help with routine at home, print them off and help your child with routine

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How to Include Simple Language in Daily Activities

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Leeds Mencap - Learning Disability Charity | Mencap Learning Disability

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Leeds Mencap are a charity that supports children and young people with a learning disability, their parents and carers, from across Leeds.

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Little Hiccups is a Leeds based support group that has been set up by parents who have children with additional needs and disabilities.

Thirteen years ago Linsay, the founder of Little Hiccups gave birth to her little boy, full of the joys of becoming a parent and filled with all of the dreams and aspirations for their lives ahead.... those dreams were shattered just a few days afterwards as they very nearly lost their boy. They spent the following weeks in PICU before finally bringing their son home, only to keep returning to the LGI as the extent of his injuries came apparent. Jack had been left with scarring all over his brain, resulting in him having severe cortical visual impairment, he cannot sit, stand, hold up his head, or use his hands. He cannot speak (though he can certainly vocalise and express his teenage strops! He is fed via a gastrostomy, has a very difficult to treat form of Epilepsy called Lennox Gastaut Syndrome which means he has 20-30 seizures a day of every different kind and his condition is life limiting. All that said, he is the most loving and inspirational boy we have ever met."

The journey he has taken Linsay on since then has been a roller coaster. He is also the inspiration behind Little Hiccups. In fact, he is the reason behind the Little Hiccups name. The name came about because when Jack was first born he appeared to be having 'little hiccups'. We later found out they were seizures and this was the start of our journey ....

It is through personal experience we recognise the importance of allowing parents and families of a child with an additional needs/disability the opportunity to meet people in similar situations, to make friends and support each other. Little Hiccups can support families that have a child(ren) under 16 with additional needs or a disability.

We know that to every family that this is an individual journey but we also recognise the importance of sharing the events of that journey with other people in similar situations. We offer a range of support from our Outreach Programme for those families that are just not quite ready to come to one of our sessions. But for those that are, we offer support a variety of support from Stay n Play to monthly Family Fun Days.

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Little Hiccups is a Leeds based support group that has been set up by parents who have children with additional needs and disabilities. Thirteen years ago Linsay, the founder of Little Hiccups gave birth to her little boy, full of the joys of becoming a parent and filled with all of the dreams and aspirations for their lives ahead....

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Leeds Mencap ActivitiesClubs Brochure (3)

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They collect information about:

how you use our website. For example, pages you visited and links you followed. This helps us to make design decisions to improve your experience

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They also allow us to test different design versions to see which work best for customers like you. These cookies can be set by us, or service providers we use.

Switching these cookies off will stop us seeing this data. We will not be able to monitor and improve your website experience.

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Sleep Right | Disability charity Scope UK

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Analytics cookies allow us to measure and improve the performance of our website. They collect information about: how you use our website. For example, pages you visited and links you followed. This helps us to make design decisions to improve your experience how you arrived at our website.

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Are you a professional? Visit our professional's page for resources and information.
MindMate professionals

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Home › Neurodiversity information hub

Welcome to the Neurodiversity Hub, a one-stop shop for neurodivergence information and support for all children, young people and families in Leeds.
This is for those with and without formal diagnoses.

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Neurodiversity information hub - MindMate

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Access to information that can help support you if you're worried that you or your child may have a neurodevelopmental condition such as ADHD or autism.

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Bite Sized videos on topics such as sensory circuits, sensory profiles and using visuals.

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Support for parents and Carers with neurodiverse children. Complete the contact form to request support.

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Support for autistic and neurodivergent children, adults and families