Upcoming Events
The Autism Group – Parent Support Group Tuesday 6th June 10-11.30am with guest speaker
All parents and Carers are invited to the next Parent Support group for parents of children and young people with Autism on Tuesday 6th June from 10am-11.30am .
The sessions will be run by The Autism Group, (https://www.theautismgroup.org.uk/) a charity with a wealth of experience who are here to help. The lead facilitating practitioners are highly experienced and are also parents of young people with autism.
The aim of this group is to share your experiences, talk about strategies, have a chat with other parents, or perhaps just sit and listen if this feels more comfortable to you. We want you to know that you are not alone and that there are other parents experiencing similar issues.
We will have a guest speaker, Joe Harvey a young man who will be giving us an insight into how he experiences sensory differences due to his autism. This may help us understand the sensory differences and difficulties that our children experience.
The Autism Group offers free parent support and social groups, parent training sessions and a home visit service* for residents in the Boroughs of Windsor and Maidenhead, Slough and Bracknell. These services are offered to parents of children and young people of any age who either have a diagnosis of an autism spectrum condition or are on the diagnosis pathway awaiting assessment. Click the link below
Parenting Special Children
Parenting Special Children has a popular Facebook group, providing a platform for discussion and meeting other parents with similar questions and needs. We encourage our parents to be part of this community and not to suffer in silence. You are not alone. https://www.facebook.com/groups/256486568684381/
They have a webpage dedicated to supporting you with sleep issues and advice. For resources as well as information about further courses please take a look: http://www.parentingspecialchildren.co.uk/support-we-offer/sleep/
Parenting Special Children also has a Helpline: Call 01189 863 532 for general advice.
Arbour Vale School is pleased to host a Parent/Carer Support Group organised by Parenting Special Children. For information about the next support groups please contact Charlie Taylor (via the Parenting Special Children website/helpline).
SEND-AID (SEND Advice and Information) Sessions – Summer 2023 sessions
This information is from Slough Children First – Targeted Early Help Team
Early Help Team’s SEND-AID provision, for parents of children with Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) that require advice or information.
Further details, please contact: To book a session please email EarlyHelp@sloughchildrenfirst.co.uk
Special Voices – Parent/Carer Forum for Slough
Special Voices is a group of parents/carers of children and young people with special/additional needs. The main aim of Special Voices is to raise awareness about the rights and needs of children/young people with special needs and to ensure that they and their families are consulted and involved in any decisions made during planning or developing services for them.
Special Voices November newsletter
Click here to visit the Special Voices website.
Positive Behaviour Support Workshops
Support for Families from Slough Council
Slough Family Information Services (FIS) website is for everyone and many services details are included via the link below https://www.sloughfamilyservices.org.uk/kb5/sloughcst/directory/home.page
SCVS – Frimley Information for families
Some key details shared by SCVS to help families:
- Worried about the health and wellbeing of a child – If your child is unwell and you’re not sure where the best place to go for advice is, visit the NHS Frimley Healthier Together website or download the app. Designed by local experts, it provides support to parents and carers to help them manage a range of common childhood illnesses. https://frimley-healthiertogether.nhs.uk/ alternatively you can get advice from NHS 111 on the phone, and online
- Mental health support – If you are feeling worried about your mental health there are number of services available, visit Mental Wellbeing | Frimley Health and Care.
If you are in a mental health crisis, call 111 or text Shout to 85258. Shout is a free, confidential, 24/7 text messaging support service for anyone who is struggling to cope. - Local Pharmacy – can be a great place to get clinical advice and over-the-counter medicines for a range of minor illnesses, such as coughs, colds, sore throats, tummy trouble and aches and pains. If symptoms suggest it’s more serious, they will ensure you get the help you need. Click here for details of local pharmacy opening times over the Bank Holiday.
- Think NHS 111 – Available on the phone or online, 24/7 they can offer advice or direct you to the right service.
- Minor Injuries Unit – The Minor Injuries Unit in Bracknell, is open 8am – 8pm every day, including bank holidays. Get help with things like burns, bites, and broken bones (x-ray not available Saturdays) and most other minor injuries. Bracknell Minor Injury Unit, Brants Bridge, London Road, Bracknell, RG12 9RT You can find details of local minor injury units or urgent care centres here: Find Urgent Care services – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
- Dental care – If you think you need urgent dental treatment, call your regular dentist. If you cannot reach your dentist or you do not have one, use the NHS 111 online service. If you need an appointment, this will be arranged at an urgent dental care centre.
- Attend the Emergency Department or call 999 – Only for very serious or life threatening situations. This includes: loss of consciousness, a sudden confused state, fits that are not stopping, chest pain, breathing difficulties, severe bleeding that cannot be stopped, severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis), severe burns or scalds, stroke, major trauma such as a road traffic collision, feelings of self-harm or suicide, If you’re unsure remember to think NHS 111.
- Slough Foodbank – opening hours via this link Click here for information about Slough Foodbank
The Beehive Care CIC – Youth Group
Youth Group runs at Burnham Youth Centre, 1 Minniecroft Road, Burnham SL1 7DE.
The session runs from 4-6 pm every other Saturday.
The dates for the Youth Group sessions are: 20th May 2023, 3rd June 2023, 17th June 2023, 1st July 2023, 15th July 2023
Further details, please contact: Sandra Presland, Director – a0781 3566 795 or sandrapbeehive@gmail.com
Sports Activities
See below for the SPRING ACTIVE SLOUGH PROGRAMME lasting from March to June. There is a one-off sign up charge of £10 to join the programme, and you need to register with the link below.
Active Slough registration request – Slough Borough Council
CRICKET
All Stars Cricket provides a fantastic first experience for all children aged 5-8 years old where they’re guaranteed 8 weeks of jam-packed fun, activity and skills development. The programme is designed to introduce children to the sport, teaching them new skills, helping them make new friends and have a great time doing so. Click the link below
OTHER SPORT
GEMS – free ADHD and Autism support across East Berkshire
Offers information and support to parents and carers of children with Autism and ADHD within East Berkshire.
GEMS4Health – click here
GEMS is for children, young people and adults who are diagnosed with or who may have, Autism and/or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This service also supports parents and carers and is open to anyone living in Slough, RBWM or Bracknell Forest.
More detail can be found via the following link: https://www.gems4health.com/workshops/
Further details, please contact: 01753 373244 / 0800 999 1342 email: gems.4health@nhs.net
SPECTRUM – LGBTQAI+ Support Group (1 Flyer)
This information has been brought to you through Slough Children First – Targeted Early Help Team
Slough’s Targeted Early Help Team are delivering this 10 week programme, and at the moment they have a number of YP attending, and are running the 14-16 year old group, but if there is more interest they would expand into the younger group.
Referrals for accessing Spectrum are via a MARF. Full details in attached flyer.
For more information please contact: Patrick.Harrison@sloughchildrenfirst.co.uk or Johanna.Mullin@sloughchildrenfirst.co.uk
SBC Community Development Team – Volunteering Newsletter March 2023
For anyone (including parents) that may be interested to engage in activities as volunteers. Please click the link below to read about the latest volunteering opportunities shared by Slough Borough Council’s Community Development Team.
Volunteering Newsletter March 2023
Further details, please contact:
Rebecca Curley – Community Development Officer Slough Borough Council, Rebecca.curley@slough.gov.uk 07523 936077
Aqeel Akram – Community Development Officer Slough Borough Council, aqeel.akram@slough.gov.uk 07523 935995
The Green Doctor
Groundwork’s Green Doctors help UK residents stay warm, stay well, and save money on household bills. For more information click the links below or contact
Green Doctor Newsletter – November 2022
Green Doctors London for Slough, South Bucks, Maidenhead & Windsor
Or Contact
T: 0300 365 3005
Benefits Eligibility check
Martin Lewis’ Money Saving Expert website
Browns Community Services CIC- The Rebuild Project
Supporting parents and carers of teenagers/young people who are at risk of exploitation
Support Work in Schools
Information about a Skills check ahead of a Level 2 award to run from January to July 2023 click here
Mental Health
Advice for supporting your child’s mental health with links to NHS resources
Parent Support Sessions
During term-time The Autism Group offers parent support sessions to share experiences and support each other. These are relaxed and informal sessions to give parents and carers the chance to take a little time for themselves. They will restart in the autumn.
For further details email tricia@theautismgroup.org.uk or call 07423 636339
*They are also able to offer 1:1 support to East Berkshire parents and carers of young people up to the age of 25 who either have a diagnosis of an autistic spectrum condition or are on the assessment pathway through their TAG@Home service. This is currently operating as a telephone only service.
Their parent training has now gone on-line. Details of the TAG Talks can be found here.
For more information on parent support
Contact The Autism Group on 07423 636 339
Email Tricia at tricia@theautismgroup.org.uk
Slough Children First
Home Start Slough
For more information about the volunteering programme or the support offered by Home Start Slough please click the link below
Home Start Slough – September newsletter
Grants for families
Family Fund is a UK-wide charity providing grants for essential items to families on low incomes raising disabled or seriously ill children. The Department for Education has provided Family Fund with additional funding to support more families through the pandemic, and families are encouraged to apply for grants for items that can help their child including computers, sensory toys, clothes and family breaks.
Employment Support
