Cygnet

Does your child have a diagnosis of Autism?

Cygnet is a skills-building programme for parents and carers of autistic children and young people aged 5-17.

Parents and carers of autistic children face the usual positives and challenges of parenting and quite a few more.

Attending Cygnet gives you an opportunity to:

Develop your understanding of autism.
Identify practical solutions to support each individual child.
Meet other people in a similar position.
Share experiences in an informal but supportive atmosphere.

The 9 week programme covers the following topics:

What we know about autism – facts and myths
Autism and diagnosis
Strengths and challenges
Your journey as a parent
The senses and sensory issues
Strategies and resources
Different types of communication
Visual aids and support strategies
Self-regulation & behaviour
Siblings
Puberty, sexual well-being and relationships
Sleep

Cygnet Group Options

The sessions are delivered by trained and experienced facilitators, who provide a friendly, supportive space to share concerns and develop new skills.

You can choose a programme that suits you:

Face to face groups take place in the daytime and consist of 9 weekly sessions at various venues in Hampshire and IOW.
Online groups with a choice of day or evening sessions and consist of 9 weeks of online learning and weekly discussion sessions on zoom.
Independent Online Learning with 9 weeks of independent online learning plus 2 zoom workshops to consolidate the learning, ask questions and meet other parents.

The referral form is accessible through the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Support for Neurodiverse Families webpage.

If you would like more information you can call our friendly team on 01489 799178 or email neurodiversefamilies @barnardos.org.uk

Some of our Parents/Carers have told us:

Great and in depth course. It was nice to be dealt with by such friendly and competent people, who really understood the struggles and offered great help and advice.

This course has been a complete game changer for myself and my family. I have learnt so many skills and have a newly gained confidence. My own mental wellbeing has also improved. Thank you!

Where all of our children are of different sex, gender, age etc, it's been useful to hear how the parents are experiencing neurodiverse children from all ages, and gives us food for thought for when she also gets older and faces other issues, such as puberty & relationships.