From 1 April 2024, funding for our family support work and youth groups will be significantly reduced. This situation has led us to make some tough decisions and changes to our services, to preserve the future of the organisation.
The impact on our Family Support service is devastating. Sadly, our two Family Practitioner roles are being made redundant and we will reduce our family support services.
We will continue to fundraise for family support services, however, in the meantime, we will only provide Online Q&A sessions. Until our funds and staffing grow, we can not provide any one-to-one advice or support to parents/carers or young people.
Full details can be found in this letter to parents/carers.
We rely on donations and grants. Please donate whatever you can – your support will help us to continue to make a difference to the lives of autistic children and young people and their families.
Please CLICK HERE to donate – thank you.
There are many ways you can fundraise – it can be a big or small event. Ideas include:
A sponsored event challenge – it could be a walk, run, skip, or another challenge – big or small.
Nominate us as a charity to benefit from an event – for example a school fete, corporate event, or musical/theatre production.
Sell goods – a cake sale, car boot sale, … Read more »
Sadly, we will not be running Easter Activities this year.
Our Easter Activities are funded by the Short Breaks scheme by Oxfordshire County Council. Due to delays in the re-tendering process and ongoing discussions with Oxfordshire County Council it is not possible for us to organise Easter Activities this year.
We intend to offer activities from Summer 2024.
We will miss seeing our young people over Easter – but hope to see you for a fun-filled Summer.
For details of other holiday activities please see the Family Information Service directory: https://fisd.oxfordshire.gov.uk/…/directory/home.page
Contact fis.enquiries@oxfordshire.gov.uk or 01865 32 33 32
We are proud to be working again with
Turtle Key Arts, and the Faculty of Music – University of Oxford
to deliver this years’ Turtle Opera
A 9 week Project
for young people aged
11-15 years old
who have an autism diagnosis and are sufficiently independent to work well in a community group setting.
MUSIC – DRAMA – ART
Dates: nine Saturdays (2-5pm) from 20th April to 15th June 2024
Times: 2-5pm
Venue: The Ogston Music School, 24A South Parade, Summertown, Oxford, OX2 7JN
Cost: Free
Deadline for applications: Sunday 31st March 2024
We are looking for a new group of young people to participate in this
wonderfully creative project.
The participants will work together to discuss and create a group performance,
working with a professional composer, designer and music students from
University of Oxford.
The Project will use a variety of creative methods and disciplines.
The project will end with a group performance on the last session.
Further information and online application can be found https://www.turtlekeyarts.org.uk/turtleoperaoxford
Closing Date for applications:
Sunday 31st March 2024
For those with a child with autism you may already been in a position where you have had to explain the nature of autism and its associated behaviours.
The FREE credit card sized Autism Alert Card can be carried at all times and can be displayed if you or your child/young person are in a situation where you cannot easily explain about the condition or you need assistance.
The card will also assist any police or emergency service to identify that they are engaging with someone who has autism.
We have secured some funding, so currently the card is completely free and we provide the postage and packaging (this may change in the future).
Please email us at info@afso.org.uk and include the following information:
Name of Child
Child’s Date of birth
Your name
Your Postal Address (including postcode)
District Council area: SODC, VOWH, Cherwell, West or City
A rewarding opportunity to make a positive difference in the lives of 18 – 25 years olds.
“Youth group helped me in my darkest times. It’s hard to imagine life without youth group. There has always been people to talk to if I am having a rough time, and I have made a lot of lifelong friends along the way.”
If you want to create a fun, social, nurturing, and empowering space for young autistic adults, then this job may be for you!
You will manage our well-established weekly youth group for young adults aged 18 – 25 who are autistic without a Learning Disability.
You will coordinate the youth group, lead 1 Youth Support Worker and a group of dedicated volunteers; support and enable young people, and organise activities – with assistance from staff and volunteers.
The youth group provides a relaxed space for members to chillout, socialise, discuss and organise activities and offsite trips, build confidence, social skills, friendships, and independence. Typically, the members attend mainstream college or employment, are seeking independence, are engaging, creative, supportive of each other, and are autistic without a learning disability. They love attending our youth group because it’s their space to be themselves, socialise, go out and about, and be supported and heard by peers and staff.
Weekly working hours are Wednesdays 6PM – 9:30PM, during school term-time only (39 weeks per year). An additional 1.25 … Read more »