Support for parents & carers
This page signposts some sources of useful information, support and advice regarding health, social care, justice, benefits and more.
The PDA Society takes considerable care to check the services that we signpost, however we’re not responsible for the quality, experience or outcomes from third party organisations. We’re currently developing an accreditation process for services and organisations and will list these in due course, in the meantime please use our enquiry line service for more information if required.
When accessing services and support, it is likely that you’ll need to share information about the PDA profile of autism and what approaches are helpful with PDA with all the people (including clinicians) you are in contact with – please feel free to print off or send links to any of the information on our website. We’ve also put together some PDA-related suggestions for healthcare passports.
PDA specific support
- PDA Society Enquiry Line Service
- PDA Society Forum
- Local PDA support groups
- Online PDA support groups
- Training
Mental Health
Your first step in terms of accessing mental health support would normally be to contact your GP who will be able to refer you on to the relevant services, such as CAMHS (Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services). The following links may also be helpful:
- Mind
- Young Minds
- Child Mind Institute
- Kooth – online counselling for children
- Shout
- Autism Mental Health Support
- Eating disorders:
- Self harm:
- Suicidal thoughts:
These links and organisations can offer advice and support for individuals in inpatient settings:
- PDA and ATUs/inpatient mental health settings
- The National Autistic Society's Autism Inpatient Mental Health Service also offers advice and support to autistic people and their families in England who have been detained in a mental health hospital, or are at imminent risk of detention or re-detention
- National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTi)
- Mental Health
- "It's Not Rocket Science" (CAMHS inpatient services)
Behaviour that challenges
- Child Psychologists at your local Child Development Centre or CAMHS
- Yvonne Newbold
- Family Lives
- Mencap
- The Challenging Behaviour Foundation (n.b. only for families of people with severe learning disabilities)
Speech & language therapy
Support for Selective Mutism
Occupational therapy
Social care
Carers
Siblings/young carers
Toileting
Encounters with the law
- Criminal Justice - a guide for parents and carers – National Autistic Society
- Expert witnesses for family court or criminal justice cases – please contact us for more info
Health Services – rights/complaints
- Cerebra – Accessing Public Services Toolkit – a problem solving approach
- Healthwatch
- Contact – Health Services
- Citizens Advice – Health Services
Benefits
- Benefits & tax credits | Contact
- Department of Work & Pensions
- Citizens Advice Bureau
- Fightback4Justice
- National Autistic Society benefits advice