ASSIST Team (Autism Spectrum Service for Information Support and Training)

Following guidance from the Government with regard to the coronavirus (COVID-19), before attending an activity, group, drop in, course or event listed on our directory please contact the organisation who is running the service to ensure it is still taking place.

COVID-19 Update

Following guidance from the Government and Wokingham Borough Council with regard to the COVID-19 coronavirus, we are not running any parent programmes, drop in sessions, workshops or groups at the Woodley airfield centre for now.

ASSIST will continue to be available via email – assist@wokingham.gov.uk we can call you back if a discussion would be helpful.

Updated: 11/01/2021

Description

The ASSIST team (Autism Spectrum Service for Information, Support & Training) is part of the Children with Disabiities Interventions Service at Wokingham Borough Council Children's Directorate based at The Woodley Airfield Centre.

The team work in a proactive, supportive and preventative way with families and providers so that children and young people living in the Wokingham Borough who are on the autism spectrum can be the best they can be.

The approach to intervention is holistic, creative and directed by the needs of the individual and those around him or her. The service provides information, support and training, especially supporting families pre and post diagnosis.

A key factor for the service is to build capacity – always looking at ways to work with many, sharing knowledge, skills and understanding of autism.

The service can provide:

Information, support, advice and signposting to other services
Resources
Opportunities to meet with the ASSIST team to discuss strategies – contact the team for dates of monthly drop in sessions held at Woodley Airfield
Support for famiies & schools where there is crisis -See description of service
Support to leisure providers to include children with autism
Consultation support to professionals to look at issues and solutions
National Autistic Society EarlyBird, EarlyBird Plus and Teen Life parent programmes (overseen by NAS and managed locally by the ASSIST team) -
A variety of autism specific workshops

Workshops and parenting programmes

Contact the team to find out more details and when the next programmes and workshops are running.

For further details of our service please view our service description (PDF)

Transition toolkit

Transition toolkit – generated by a group of parents and practitioners, the toolkit aims to help and support the planning of a move from one setting to another. Each transition will be unique to the child, and the toolkit promotes (as an example) best practice guidance. It includes appropriate actions for parents and carers, and the professionals involved in the current setting and the new setting.

Provider:
: Service provided by Wokingham Borough Council

Who to contact

Contact Name: Pam Breslin
Contact Position: Manager of ASSIST
Telephone: 0118 908 8053
Email: assist@wokingham.gov.uk

Where to go

Name: ASSIST Team,
Address: Woodley Airfield Centre Hurricane Way, Woodley,
Woodley
Postcode: RG5 4UX

Facilities and Accessibility

Facilities: Wheelchair access
Toilets

Accessing this service

Eligibility Criteria

Support for those living with, caring for or working with a child/young person diagnosed with autism, up to their 18th birthday, who live in the Wokingham Borough.

Parent programmes and drop in sessions are also available to parents whose child or young person is on the pathway for an autism assessment, and workshops are available to anyone who has an interest in autism, or feels that the strategies shared might be useful.

Booking / Registration Required

Yes

Waiting List

Possibly for some services