Autism NI is a parent led partnership organisation formed to promote positive collaboration between parents, professionals and individuals with Autism and address the need for appropriate services. This partnership ethos extends to the charities promotion of a multi disciplinary, cross agency response to issues such as assessment, diagnosis and early intervention. The charity’s mission to support parents and individuals with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder is core to its work and is based on individualised assessed need. The charity is committed to promoting best practice, accessible to all irrespective of family circumstances.
Services:
Family Support
Autism NI’s Family Support team offers support to parents/carers of newly diagnosed children as well as support to families who have been living with Autism for longer periods. Autism NI has a family support team who are committed to supporting all families with many issues and challenges they may face.
Our Family Support team offers a regional Helpline by calling 02890401729 (Option 1) from Monday – Friday 9.00am – 5pm.
We currently have 20+ Family Support Groups across Northern Ireland offering support to thousands of parents and carers and individuals affected by Autism. To find out more about our Support Groups, please click here.
Please visit Family Support for further information.
Training
Autism NI is Northern Ireland’s longest serving Autism Training provider, providing a range of training courses to parents, carers, family members and professionals. We train over 2500 delegates a year, with 440 individuals choosing to complete a nationally recognised AQA accreditation annually.
We pride ourselves on providing training and advice that is evidence based, practical and to the highest standard of accuracy to ensure it is effective in supporting individuals with Autism and their families.
For more information on our Training courses, please click here.
RAFT Early Intervention Service
The RAFT (Reaching Autism Families Together) early intervention service is a partnership service, led by Autism NI, which aims to build and strengthen relationships for families of children with Autism aged 12 and under in the Carrickfergus and Newtownabbey areas. They:
- Encourage early childhood intervention through practical skills training
- Set up and run support groups for family members in the community
- Engage in home-based programmes for up to 6 weeks
- Provide training courses for parents and family members
Campaigning
Autism NI’s ongoing lobbying efforts are based upon a general campaign of Autism Awareness. The main activities in this campaign are focused on Autism Awareness Month and the United Nations Designated ‘World Autism Awareness Day’ (2nd April).
The focus of the lobby has been to improve understanding and promote the need for specialist services for Autism. Through hard work, lobbying and the establishment of partnerships with the All Party Group in Autism (APGA), Parents Autism Lobby (PAL) and the Celtic Nations Autism Partnership (CNAP); the historic Autism Act (NI) in 2011 led by Autism NI was obtained and enacted on August 9th 2011. Autism is now fully engaged in the post legislation process. To read more about the Autism Act NI, please click here
Autism NI has built its Lobby on researched evidence and partnership building. Please visit Campaigning for further information
