Parents and Carers

What is the Wiltshire Hub directory for?

The Hub provides support and advice for parents and carers of people with autism. The aim is to help you to develop a greater understanding of their needs and give you the knowledge to help support their choices.

We aim to empower parents and carers to support individuals, to understand how autism is experienced and provide signposting to relevant guidance and services.

What information does the hub provide for parents/carers?

The hub links to a number of different resources for parents and carers, including:

• Diagnosis support – Information and resources about going through an autism diagnosis and how the assessment works.
• Education – Links to resources aimed at helping dependents through school, college and University.
• Helplines, support services and forums – a directory of helplines, forums and advice pages for help from others with a similar concern, professional advice and emergency support in a crisis.
• Leisure, days out and socialising – Advice and guidance on going out, socialising and taking part in leisure activities. Including suggestions of autism-friendly days out in Wiltshire.
• LGBTQ+ support – Information and support to help an individual who has questions or concerns relating to their sexual identity.
• Money, debts, and housing – Advice on finding appropriate allowances and benefits, dealing with debt, managing money and securing appropriate housing.
• Resources, training, and strategies – A directory of resources that includes local training providers, apps and strategies for creating helpful habits to support independent living and links to people who share their experiences of living with autism.
• Work and employment – Advice on how to help an individual find and maintain gainful employment and how to encourage that from a carers perspective.

How do I use the hub?

This is the section dedicated to parents and carers of people with autism. We have streamlined information to try and signpost you to the most relevant services and information for you.

Not a parent or carer?

If you are not a parent and carer, you may want to:

• Browse topics for individuals with autism
• Browse topics for professionals.

How to browse this site

• Click the relevant section you wish to read about on the left-hand side (such as Diagnosis).
• You will then get a further set of options. Select from one of the sub-categories that appear on the left (such as Post-Diagnosis support).
• Here you will find a page of information, each resource card links to a piece of helpful guidance, a learning resource, a services available in your local area or a national support offering.
• If you wish to go back a level, click the ‘Go back’ button at the top of the menu on the left.
• If you would like to find something specific, you can search for a word in the search box on the homepage.
• You can also search using the “help me with…” drop down selector on the homepage.