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Courses in Reading offer range of advice to parents of children with autism

Reading Borough Council is funding two courses this autumn to support parents and carers of children with autism.

The first course, for parents and carers of secondary school-age children living in Reading, is a free five-week Time Out For Autism course, being run by Parenting Special Children for the council.

The course starts next Tuesday, October 3, and ends on November 7 (with a break for the October half-term holiday).

It is open to parents and carers of children who live in the Reading Borough Council area or attend a school in Reading, with a diagnosis or awaiting an NHS autism assessment.

Sessions will take place on Tuesday evenings, between 7pm and 9pm, at the Arcade Building, 11 Glebe Road, Reading, RG2 7AG.

To register for places on this course, contact the parenting team at Reading Borough Council by email at parenting@reading.gov.uk or call 0118 327 7424.

The council is also providing a 5-week Living with Autism programme from November, for parents and carers whose children have received a diagnosis of autism.

The course helps to improve understanding of autism and offers effective strategies to use at home.

The course will run on Wednesday mornings from November 8 to December 6, between 9.30am and 12.30pm at Katesgrove Children’s Centre, in Elgar Road, Reading, RG2 0BN.

Topics covered are: What is Autism?; social interaction, communication, behaviour and sensory needs.

For more information about this course and to register, please contact Reading Borough Council’s autism advisor, Jenna Redmond, by emailing jenna.redmond@reading.gov.uk or calling 07912 362341.