Berkshire Adult Autism Support Service

Workshops for Parents & Carers of Autistic Adults

The Berkshire Adult Autism Support Service offers a range of workshops for parents and family carers (i.e. not paid care staff) of autistic adults, to help them increase their understanding of aspects of autism and support their relatives.

These workshops, which are free of charge, are open to parents and family carers of autistic adults who are registered as patients with a GP surgery in Berkshire.

For more information about any of these workshops and to request free places, email  or call 01189 594 594 and leave a voicemail – please include a daytime telephone member in your message so that our advisers can contact you.

This programme of evidence-based workshops, developed by Autism Berkshire, provides information, practical tips and strategies tailored for parents and carers. At each session there will be a presentation, followed by time to ask questions, discuss the topics covered and share ideas and experiences.

The workshops available are:

Sensory Differences

This interactive workshop looks at the sensory processing differences that are thought to affect at least 80% of autistic people and strengths and challenges that they may experience as a result. It includes tips and strategies that autistic people can use in daily life and social situations.

Planning & Organising

This workshop covers executive functioning – thinking through what we need to do, carrying out the task and remaining in control of our emotions, even if things change. It looks at ways to achieve better executive functioning, including using mind maps, decision trees and critical thinking, along with problem-solving, plus tips on ways to create calm and manage emotions.

Anxiety & Autism

This workshop provides an introduction to anxiety, which is thought to affect about 40% of autistic people, some of the things that can trigger anxiety and the problems that it can cause, including meltdowns, shutdowns and burnout. It explores ways to recognise signs of anxiety, cope with it and manage emotions, plus therapies that can help some autistic people who are affected by anxiety.

Understanding Other People

This interactive workshop explores relationships, the different ways in which individuals relate to other people, and the visual, verbal and hidden clues (theory of mind) as to how someone may be feeling. It also looks interactions in a range of situations, including at home, at work, when socialising and in intimate relationships, with tips on things to think about in each case.
https://www.autismberkshire.org.uk/workshops-for-parents-carers-of-autistic-adults/