We offer peer support for parents and carers of autistic girls and women
Ours is a holistic peer approach, so we don't just provide activities and space for autistic girls and women. We support their parents and carers too. We aim to offer a dedicated space for parents and carers to connect at all our in-person Girls and Teen Sessions. We have specially trained and experienced staff (also parents of autistic daughters), who gently facilitate these Sessions. It's very light touch - we help the conversation flow and offer advice and support where needed. Most of all, this is an opportunity for you to realise you are not alone and to share experiences with others.
"I loved the chance to talk to other parents and not feel like I was boring/burdening them by talking all things autism as I might with friends or family. I think I got more from it than I ever expected to."
Mum from a recent Girls Group.
Parent and Carer Support at our Monthly Girls and Teen Groups
Who are the Sessions for?
Our Parent/Carer Sessions are for parents and carers of autistic daughters aged 7-18 who are attending the Monthly Girls or Teen Group. These girls may already have a diagnosis of autism or are on the pathway to assessment or whom you may suspect are autistic.
What is the aim of the Sessions?
We hope that meeting other parents and carers who have autistic girls this will reduce social isolation and enable you to connect with others with shared experiences. We also aim to offer peer support, advice and signposting from our experienced facilitators with lived experience themselves.
What will happen in the Sessions and how long will they be?
The Parent and Carer Sessions take place at the same time as the Girls and Teen Groups. They are for around 2-3 hours. You will be able to chat to others, have a cuppa and a biscuit, catch up on work, sit quietly or access our library.
Who will be running the Sessions?
The Sessions will be gently facilitated by one of our experienced Parent and Carer Facilitators. This is normally either Jo M or Cathryn. If you would like more information, email our Parent Carer Programme Manager Cathryn on
cathryn@appeer.org.uk.
Where will the Sessions be held?
The Sessions take place
in Woking at the same venue as our Monthly Girls and Teen Groups. We have two dedicated spaces for the parents and carers:
At the Monthly Girls Group:
- The Old Dining Room - This is a lovely oak-panelled cosy room with a fireplace and plenty of seating. This is where you can get a cuppa and a biscuit and chat to other parents and carers. We arrange the groups in such a way that you will be speaking to those with daughters whose autism presents in a similar way to your daughter or are of a similar age. Parents and carers are able to connect in this space, sharing experiences, tips and stories.
- The New Dining Room - This is where we have our Lending Library. It is a quiet space where you can go and read or just have some down time. We know not everyone likes to join a large group, so we provide this quieter area for those who would like to have some space to themselves. As parents and carers of autistic young people we often don't have a lot of this kind of time, so please always feel free to use the quiet space to read, catch up on life admin or just sit peacefully. If you would prefer to be on your own we also provide a quiet space in the school's reception area, away from the main groups.
At the Monthly Teen Group:
- Left Hand Classroom- This is the last classroom on the left of the corridor if you are coming from reception. This is where you can get a cuppa and a biscuit and chat to other parents and carers. We arrange the groups in such a way that you will be speaking to those with daughters whose autism presents in a similar way to your daughter or are of a similar age. Parents and carers are able to connect in this space, sharing experiences, tips and stories.
- Right Hand Classroom - This is the last classroom on the right if you are coming from reception.. It is a quiet space where you can go and read or just have some down time. We know not everyone likes to join a large group, so we provide this quieter area for those who would like to have some space to themselves. As parents and carers of autistic young people we often don't have a lot of this kind of time, so please always feel free to use the quiet space to read, catch up on life admin or just sit peacefully. If you would prefer to be on your own we also provide a quiet space in the school's reception area, away from the main groups.
Times and Dates:
Monthly Girls Group:
Sunday 24th September 2023, Sunday 15th October 2023, Sunday 19th November 2023, Sunday 10th December 2023,
Monthly Teen Group:
Sunday 10th September 2023, Sunday 8th October 2023, Sunday 5th November 2023, Sunday 3rd December 2023
What is the cost and how do I book?
If your daughter is attending the Girls or Teen Group there is no cost for you to attend the Parent/Carer Session at the same time.
Guidelines for Parents and Carers at our Monthly Groups
Ad Hoc Sessions
During our Ad Hoc activities like the horse sanctuary visits, gaming or ceramics cafe sessions, we will always aim to provide a space for parents and carers to connect while the girls and teens enjoy their activities. We are often able to access a cafe or area at the venue where we can serve teas and coffees. We will always let you know in advance what the parent and carer offering is. When we run Ad Hoc Sessions for new joiners, we will always have an Appeer Parent/Carer Facilitator available to guide you through the Session. If your daughter is attending the Session there is no cost for you to attend the Parent/Carer Session at the same time.
Weekday Groups (Alternative Provision)
We encourage parents and carers to stay for the Weekday Group if they are able. We offer a dedicated space for parents and carers to connect, have a cuppa, chat or catch up with work. We have specially trained and experienced staff, who are also parents of autistic daughters, who gently facilitate these Sessions. It's very light touch - we help the conversation flow and offer advice and support where needed. Most of all, this is an opportunity for you to realise you are not alone.
The Appeer Parents and Carers Toolkit
As parents and carers of autistic girls and women ourselves, we continue to learn from our peers. We know how meeting others and exchanging experiences can help us understand and get to know our daughters better, and to find our own place in the autistic community. That's why supporting parents and carers is central to Appeer's mission. We provide facilitated peer support sessions for parents and carers alongside our offerings for autistic young people.
We didn't really create this Tool Kit - you did! It aims to bring together the wealth of knowledge, strategies and support that Appeer parents and carers have brought to each other and to us during our Groups. We also have added assorted highlights from specialists who have kindly shared their expertise.
You can view the individual
Resource Sheets
that make up the Tool Kit below.
If you would like a
printed copy we ask that you make a donation to Appeer to cover the printing costs and postage - suggested donation is £5. Just click the Go Fund Me icon and ensure you add your postal address and "ToolKit" to the message section. Thank you so much for your support.
Please note, our current programmes have been designed to support parent/carers of girls and women those who are suspected
or diagnosed as being autistic, who may also have other neurodiverse conditions. In the future we hope to expand our activities
to support those with other neurodiverse conditions who aren't autistic too, e.g. ADHD.
