Autism is an issue that is raised with me time and again by local parents, whether that is in relation to speech and language therapy, the need for better early years support or problems in finding work for young adults.
At a recent surgery, Yasmin, a dynamic young mum with an autistic son, asked whether we could help her set up a new support group for parents of autistic children. My team worked with Havering Council on Yasmin’s request and we have now been able to launch the group at MyPlace on Harold Hill. The Autism & SEN Parent Support Group will be running from 9am to midday every Friday next to the soft play area in Frankie’s Café on the upper level of MyPlace, and we have discussed whether it might be possible to set something up in Havering like the SNAP group in Brentwood, particularly to provide support over the summer holidays.
If there are any parents out there who are struggling, please do go along and speak to Yasmin, who can provide advice about online courses to help your child with speech, and techniques to help them manage their experience of the world. Meanwhile, my team and I will continue to push the broader issues of SEN support up the political agenda in Westminster, and I shall be visiting the Romford Autistic Group Support (RAGS) exhibition at Queen’s Theatre to mark National Autism Awareness Week.