This event is for parents/carers of autistic children and young people – and the school staff that support them – to speak to local services and support groups that are beneficial to families of neurodivergent and disabled children in Manchester.

Some of the services that they can meet are:

• Manchester Parent Champions
• SEND Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS)
• SEND Local Offer team
• SPACE Group

It is also a great opportunity to meet other parents, carers, and staff in all the Manchester schools participating in the Autism in Schools (AiS) project. The six schools currently involved with AiS are:

• Didsbury High School
• Levenshulme High School
• Manchester Communication Academy
• Southern Cross School
• St. Matthew’s Roman Catholic High School
• Trinity Church of England High School

There will also be an opportunity to sign up for free autism training. Please see below for more information.

Lunch and refreshments will be provided.

WORKSHOP 1: Understanding Autism

10am-12pm @ Gaskell Room

“Understanding Autism” is the introductory module for the series of training sessions that are being developed as part of the Autism in Schools (AiS) project in Greater Manchester.

This workshop aims to help parents/carers of autistic children and young people to learn more about autism and neurodiversity. It will also be delivered to teachers and staff at the following Manchester schools that are participating in the AiS project: Didsbury High School, Levenshulme High School, Manchester Communication Academy, Southern Cross School, St. Matthew’s Roman Catholic High School, and Trinity Church of England High School.

The training workshop will cover:

• What is Autism?
• Social Understanding and Communication
• Flexibility, Information Processing and Understanding
• Sensory Processing and Integration
• Camouflaging and Masking
• Neurodiversity
• … And more!

WORKSHOP 2: Enabling Environments

10am-12pm @ Mambu Room

“Enabling Environments” is the second module for the series of training sessions that are being developed as part of the Autism in Schools (AiS) project in Greater Manchester.

This workshop aims to help us create environments that enable children to thrive, through the use of reasonable adjustments and addressing barriers to learning.

The training workshop will cover:

• Enabling Sensory Environments
• Enabling Social Understanding and Communication
• Enabling Information Processing
• … And more!

Booking is free to parents of children and young people who go to the above-mentioned schools.

Lunch and refreshments will be provided. Please let us know if you have any dietary and/or access requirements.

What is Autism in Schools?

The Autism in Schools (AiS) project is a government-funded initiative that aims to improve support for autistic children and young people in mainstream secondary schools.

There are six participating schools in Manchester – Didsbury High School, Levenshulme High School, Manchester Communication Academy, Southern Cross School, St. Matthew’s Roman Catholic High School, and Trinity Church of England High School – with potentially two or three more joining us for phase 3 later this year.

As part of the project, we aim to ensure that children and young people are supported better in the school environment; foster good relationships between and among staff, parents and students; signpost families to sources of information and support; and promote neurodiversity awareness and acceptance among young people.