So often, autistic young people are told to stop stimming, taught neurotypical ‘social skills’ and disciplined because of characteristics directly related to their autistic identity. We need to be actively promoting autistic pride and creating communities where autistic young people can understand their strengths and have their needs catered for. What is autistic identity? No stone has been left unturned in this wonderfully accessible, comprehensive cornucopia guide for parents and carers. The inclusion of 'real people' voices in the case studies throughout is particularly powerful and combined with the almost limitless information, advice and resources, this book is a must have for anyone wishing to support their late diagnosed teen or young adult.

Nurturing Your Autistic Young Person : Cathy Wassell (author

Research shows that having a positive understanding of your autistic identity is an indicator of higher self-esteem and wellbeing as an adult. (Corden, Brewer & Cage, 2021 and Cooper, Smith, & Russell, 2017). Yet, when do we teach this? Cathy's lived experience shines through - from the conversational tone and reassurance offered to the reader; the book is an easy to use, warm and wide-ranging guide to parenting an autistic teenager. I can see that this book will help countless families, and will be relevant for years to come. It turns out that this late diagnosis is more and more common, particularly in those that present in an internal way, who tend to mostly be girls. It turns out our child is NOT fine in school. In fact, they are so anxious, school is traumatising them more and more to the point they may actually become unable to attend. It also turns out that we’re parenting just fine thank you very much, and that since at least one of us is likely to be neurodivergent we’re probably parenting in a much more appropriate way for our neurodivergent child than all those neurotypically-framed parenting courses they tried to send us on. Unfortunately, an autism diagnosis carries with it a stigma, and becoming aware of this stigma can be damaging to a young person’s wellbeing as they get older – and the later they are recognised as autistic, the more problematic this becomes.Remember our emotions are often contagious: if we are feeling highly anxious, those around us may well mirror these feelings or behaviours. Always consider whose needs you are meeting - if you are doing this because you feel you ought to, but really don’t feel prepared - it might be best to let someone else take the lead (perhaps someone from school), while you access support and develop your own understanding of autism. The Autism, Identity and Me Guidebook explores this in detail and could be a good starting point.

Nurturing Your Autistic Young Person | Jessica Kingsley Nurturing Your Autistic Young Person | Jessica Kingsley

An exceptional and brilliantly written book to help navigate the conflicting advice given and keep your autistic young person safe and happy. North East Autism Society | 15 Lumley Court | Drum Industrial Estate | Chester-le-Street | County Durham | DH2 1AN As a mum to a neurodiverse son, an autism assessor and a team manager for an autism and mental health team this book is everything it says it going to be.This book is a fantastic addition to the literature out there on how to understand and support autistic young people. Getting your diagnosis after the early years still involves all kinds of difficulties, and Cathy Wassell talks through these in a friendly and informed manner, with personal insights and case studies which illustrate the challenges and the joys of being autistic. There is a wealth of knowledge and advice inside which will be invaluable for anyone working to help autistic young people thrive.

Nurturing Your Autistic Young Person - JKP Blog Nurturing Your Autistic Young Person - JKP Blog

Parents and teachers of autistic children, you need Cathy's book on your bookshelf! I'm genuinely excited about the positive change this book may bring in ensuring parents and professionals understand autistic young people better. Georgina Durrant, author of ‘100 Ways Your Child Can Learn Through Play’ and Founder of The SEN Resources Blog. Acceptance Matters is a virtual conference hosted by the North East Autism Society. Featuring a panel of autistic speakers, the conference will cover topics including double empathy, school-based anxiety and nurturing autistic young people.

Nurturing Your Autistic Young Person is my third book – it’s just the first one which has made it to publication! The first two were abandoned at a skeletal stage when it became obvious that I just didn’t care enough about writing them. But for this book, I probably cared too much. There was so much I wanted to say, and only 80,000 words to say it in! The RRP is the suggested or Recommended Retail Price of a product, set by the publisher or manufacturer.

Nurturing Your Autistic Young Person: A Parent’s Handbook to Nurturing Your Autistic Young Person: A Parent’s Handbook to

There is also strength and solace in a shared identity. Much of what has been shown to increase wellbeing and reduce anxiety is finding your place in a community of like-minded people, such as with other autistic or neurodivergent folk. Adapt your plan for your young person: consider concentration and processing times. Some young people may prefer to sit down for an hour, others may want short 10-minute bursts of information. Be flexible! The event takes place on Friday, 26th May from 9.30am.Places are limited, so please register to secure your place. As outlined above, the intended target audience for the book was parents of older children and young people who were not recognised as autistic at an early age, but in my opinion the helpful advice in this book stretches to a group wider than that. It could help parents, carers and wider family members of children diagnosed autistic at any age, and it would also offer many insights for educators, particularly those in secondary schools. This marvelous book is like a trusted friend who can relieve your worries and confusion while explaining the most promising approaches to raising a happy, healthy, and creative autistic young person. It condenses a tremendous amount of useful information into an engaging and friendly read. I'll be buying multiple copies to give away.When a young person gets a diagnosis, the parents may be offered parent programmes, and the school may be offered training, but what does the actual autistic person get? In many cases, young people are not given the opportunity to explore their autistic identity. In an ideal world, a young person would be aware of autism at the start of their autism assessment process and then be able to build their understanding on this topic gradually and over time, with the support of understanding adults. If you're looking for the ideal present for your office Secret Santa, give a gift in their name to North East Autism Society this Christmas and help us support autistic children, young people, and adults across the region. Rebecca Duffus is an Advisory Teacher working with students and educators in mainstream and specialist schools, plus local council and education services. Here, Rebecca discusses the importance of supporting young people to understand their autistic identity. If you are a professional leading these conversations (in advance of the session), you should start planning and information gathering alongside parents. The resources section of the Guidebook has tools which can be used in an informal meeting with parents/carers and key adults.