Parent Workshops

Practical support and guidance for families of autistic children and young people

Autism support and information workshops for parents

Autism Hampshire offers workshops for families of autistic children and young people, which are funded by the local councils.

The aim of each course is to provide insight, advice and support to family members of autistic children. Each session will explore a child’s unique experiences and suggest practical ways in which their differences can be accommodated and supported.


What will happen during the course?

The course consists of six workshops, lasting up to two or three hours, providing learning, support and advice on various aspects of being autistic. This can be pre, during or post your child’s assessment/diagnosis. The workshops are open to family members and others closely associated with the care and support of the child. Professionals may only attend in their capacity as parents or carers.

Each session will cover a different area with the aim of increasing understanding of your child’s perception of the world, and how this may show itself in how they react to everyday situations.

Schedule

Session 1 – Introduction to autism

This session will provide some general context for the other sessions.

Session 2 – Thinking

Explores how differences in brain structure can generate some unique and individual styles of thinking, and offers practical advice on how to support some areas of difficulty.

Session 3 – Communication

Discusses autistic perspectives on the use and processing of communication and ideas for adapting interactive styles in order to respect and accommodate them.

Session 4 – Social interaction

The focus is on rethinking social expectations and helping autistic people develop relationships in an authentically autistic way.

Session 5 – Sensory perception

Explores autistic people's unique sensory profiles including strategies to support sensory needs. Also covers how atypical sensory perception is manifested in stims, how to interpret them, and suggests things to try in the absence of viable strategies created by the person themselves.

Session 6 – Behaviour

Demonstrates how accepting, understanding and adapting to how children and young people see the world can dramatically reduce anxiety and behaviours of concern.


Funded by the Integrated Care Board, this course is open to parents/carers who live in the Hampshire County Council (HCC) area or whose child attends an HCC school or doctors’ surgery. For those in Southampton, please see below for courses.

Unfortunately, we do not currently have any courses available for residents of Portsmouth or the Isle of Wight, but if this is you and you are interested in the above course, please contact us at trainingadmin@autismhampshire.org.uk, so we can let you know if anything becomes available in your area.

Course dates for April to July 2025



Group 1 : Online

Group 2: Online
Via Microsoft Teams
Via Microsoft Teams
Time: 10am - 1pm
Time: 10am - 1pm
Tuesday 22nd April Thursday 12th June
Tuesday 29th April Thursday 19th June
Tuesday 6th May Thursday 26th June
Tuesday 13th May Thursday 3rd July
Tuesday 20th May Thursday 10th July
Tuesday 3rd June Thursday 17th July
https://buytickets.at/autismhampshire1/1525603 https://buytickets.at/autismhampshire1/1525604

Please check your availability for all six sessions before booking.



Group 3: Online
Via Microsoft Teams
Time: 6pm - 8pm
Monday 16th June
Monday 23rd June
Monday 30th June
Monday 7th July
Monday 14th July
Monday 21st July
https://buytickets.at/autismhampshire1/1525605

Please check your availability for all six sessions before booking.

  • Please be aware that we expect participants to attend and actively engage with all six sessions.
  • A certificate will be issued on successful completion of the full course. 
  • In the event that you are unable to attend a session, please let us know in advance, where possible, at trainingadmin@autismhampshire.org.uk.
  • All sessions will all be held virtually via Microsoft Teams, so you will need to have access to the appropriate technology, including camera and microphone. If you require any reasonable adjustments in order to attend, please contact us to discuss prior to the start of the course. 

Any queries, please email: trainingadmin@autismhampshire.org.uk.

Funded by Southampton City Council (SCC), these courses are open to parents/carers who live in the SCC area or whose child attends an SCC school or doctors’ surgery. 


Course dates for 2025/26

Group 1 : In person - Bitterne Group 2: Online
Neurodiversity Connections Hub Via Microsoft Teams
Time: 10am - 1pm Time: 6pm - 8pm
Monday 28th April 2025 Tuesday 9th September 2025
Monday 5th May 2025 Tuesday 16th September 2025
Monday 12th May 2025 Tuesday 23rd September 2025
Monday 19th May 2025 Tuesday 30th September 2025
Monday 2nd June 2025 Tuesday 7th October 2025
Monday 9th June 2025 Tuesday 14th October 2025
Book here: https://buytickets.at/autismhampshire1/1530396&nbs...; Book here: https://buytickets.at/autismhampshire1/1535041&nbs...;

Please check your availability for all six sessions before booking.

Group 3: Online Group 4: Online
Via Microsoft Teams Via Microsoft Teams
Time: 10am - 1pm Time: 10am - 1pm
Thursday 6th November 2025 Thursday 29th January 2026
Thursday 13th November 2025 Thursday 5th February 2026
Thursday 20th November 2025 Thursday 12th February 2026
Thursday 27th November 2025 Thursday 26th February 2026
Thursday 4th December 2025 Thursday 5th March 2026
Thursday 11th December 2025 Thursday 12th March 2026
Book here: https://buytickets.at/autismhampshire1/1535080&nbs...; Book here: https://buytickets.at/autismhampshire1/1535081&nbs...;

Please check your availability for all six sessions before booking.

The course is open to family members and others closely associated with the care and support of the child. Professionals may only attend in their capacity as parents or carers (except for CAMHS professionals). 

Course dates for April to July 2025



Group 1 : Online


Group 2: Online
Via Microsoft Teams
Via Microsoft Teams
Time: 10am - 1pm
Time: 6pm - 8pm
Thursday 24th April Tuesday 29th April
Thursday 1st May Tuesday 6th May
Thursday 8th May Tuesday 13th May
Thursday 15th May Tuesday 20th May
Thursday 22nd May Tuesday 3rd June
Thursday 5th June Tuesday 10th June
https://buytickets.at/autismhampshire1/1526792 https://buytickets.at/autismhampshire1/1526793

Please check your availability for all six sessions before booking.




Group 3: Online


Group 4: Online
Via Microsoft Teams
Via Microsoft Teams
Time: 10am - 1pm
Time: 10am - 1pm
Wednesday 14th May Tuesday 17th June
Wednesday 21st May Tuesday 24th June
Wednesday 4th June Tuesday 1st July
Wednesday 11th June Tuesday 8th July
Wednesday 18th June Tuesday 15th July
Wednesday 25th June Tuesday 22nd July
https://buytickets.at/autismhampshire1/1526794 https://buytickets.at/autismhampshire1/1526795

Please check your availability for all six sessions before booking. 

  • Please be aware that we expect participants to attend and actively engage with all six sessions. 
  • A certificate will be issued on successful completion of the full course. 
  • In the event that you are unable to attend a session, please let us know in advance, where possible, at trainingadmin@autismhampshire.org.uk.
  • These sessions will all be held virtually via Microsoft Teams, so you will need to have access to the appropriate technology, including camera and microphone. If you require any reasonable adjustments in order to attend, please contact us to discuss prior to the start of the course.

Any queries, please email: trainingadmin@autismhampshire.org.uk.

Hampshire Parent Workshop April to July 2025 Leaflet Hampshire CAMHS Workshops April-July 2025 Leaflet Southampton Family Information Workshops 2025/26 Leaflet

Don't live in Hampshire? We can provide bespoke training courses for individuals or organisations. Find out more here.

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