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Autism Parent Carer Training Programmes (ATLAS / CYGNET)

(Early Bird)

EarlyBird is a parenting programme for parents of 0-5 year old children who have a diagnosis of Autism. The EarlyBird programme was developed and designed by the National Autistic Society (NAS). EarlyBird trainers in Camden are licensed by the NAS to deliver the programme.

The EarlyBird programme provides information about Autism as well as information and strategies around helping your child communicate, helping with sensory difficulties, and addressing common behavioural issues that many young children with autism might experience.

The EarlyBird programme provides parents an opportunity to meet other parents and families of young children with Autism and the chance to share ideas and gain support from other parents.

The course comprises of 12 weekly sessions: 8 group sessions and 4 home visits. The purpose of the home visits is to talk about how the programme is going and to provide individual support, but also to take some video of the parents interacting with the child doing a prepared activity and to provide feedback to parents. 

Contact details

Contact Name
Contact Position
EarlyBird Administrator
Telephone
020-3317-2200
Alternative Contact
You can contact the EarlyBird Administrator on 020 3317 2231 to find out more.

Address

Activity location
The EarlyBird programme runs each term at Mosaic in Kentish Town Health Centre and is available to Camden residents.
Address
Kentish Town Health Centre
2
Bartholomew Road
London
Postcode
NW5 2BX

Further details

Ward
Cantelowes Ward
Last checked date
03/12/2015
Record ID
40071

Local Offer

About Local Offer
Local Offer Age Bands
Children under 5
SEN Provision Type
Targeted
Where is the service located and what areas does it cover?

EarlyBird is a parenting programme for parents of 0-5 year old children who have a diagnosis of Autism. The EarlyBird programme was developed and designed by the National Autistic Society (NAS). EarlyBird trainers in Camden are licensed by the NAS to deliver the programme.

The EarlyBird programme provides information about Autism as well as information and strategies around helping your child communicate, helping with sensory difficulties, and addressing common behavioural issues that many young children with autism might experience.

The EarlyBird programme provides parents an opportunity to meet other parents and families of young children with Autism and the chance to share ideas and gain support from other parents.

The course comprises of 12 weekly sessions: 8 group sessions and 4 home visits. The purpose of the home visits is to talk about how the programme is going and to provide individual support, but also to take some video of the parents interacting with the child doing a prepared activity and to provide feedback to parents. 

Who does your service provide for?

The course is available to the parents of children aged 0-5 years of age who have a diagnosis of autism and who live in Camden.

We will provide interpreters for those parents where English is not their first language

How can a child or young person start using the service?

This is a course for parents. For those children who receive a diagnosis of Autism from the Child Development Team (CDT) at Mosaic, parents are informed about this course by the team and, if they agree, are placed on the waiting list to be contacted when the next available course runs.

Parents can be referred by speaking with their GP, with any of the therapists working with their child, by speaking to nursery, or they can self-refer by calling the EarlyBird Administrator on 0203 3172231.

How are decisions made about eligibility for your service?

The course is available to the parents of 0-5 year old children who have a diagnosis of autism and who live in Camden. Priority is given to families based on the length of time since the child received the diagnosis of Autism.

How do you communicate with service users and how are they involved in decision making/planning?

At the end of each session parents are asked to complete a feedback questionnaire allowing us to address and correct/improve any issues raised at the next session. 

This information is then sent back to the EarlyBird Headquarters so that they can improve the programme nationally.

We provide individual reports to parents at the end of the programme to summarise what has been learned and the progress they have made. 

Is your service fully accessible?

Mosaic is based on the first floor of Kentish Town Health Centre, which can be accessed via a lift.

What training have the staff supporting children and young people with SEND had/or will be they be getting?

All of the EarlyBird Trainers work within the Early Years Intervention Team, in community services or at Mosaic which is a specialist service for children with disabilities. The trainers are all from a range of backgrounds including speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, clinical psychologists and teachers.

EarlyBird Trainers need to attend a training course run by the NAS to learn how to facilitate the EarlyBird programme. 

Who should a service user contact if they want to raise a concern or complain about something?

If parents have a concern or a complaint that they do not feel they could raise with the trainers of the programme then they can contact the head of MOSAIC on 0203 3172283.

Who can a parent carer/young person contact for further information?

Parents should contact the EarlyBird Administrator on 0203 3172231 and ask to talk to the EarlyBird Coordinator.

The Local Offer is a free and impartial service provided by Camden Local Authority. Any service or provider mentioned in this Local Offer, does not represent a recommendation or endorsement of the service or quality of the service provided. You are responsible for undertaking your own checks to determine suitability of the service and provider.

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