Autism Acceptance Week: What’s on offer in North Tyneside
This week we’re marking Autism Acceptance Week (27 March – 2 April), a week to raise awareness of the support available for people with autism and their families.
In 2021, we launched our Autism Strategy that takes us through to 2026 and outlines our ambitions to enhance what’s available in our borough.
We worked with local partners including the NHS, North Tyneside Carers Centre, Healthwatch, Inclusion North and North Tyneside Parent Carer Forum to identify six priorities that put people with autism and their families at the heart of everything we do.
We recently supported the launch of monthly Autism Support and Friendship Group – Better Together – that runs at the Oxford Centre in Longbenton.
The sessions are aimed at autistic people, their families, and professionals as a way of coming together. They’re open to anyone and run between 1pm and 4.30pm each month and the next session takes place on Monday 24 April.
For children and young people, we have a wide range of provision available through our special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) support and our local offer. There’s more information on our local offer, including support, advice and things to do here.
To mark the week, we’ll be lighting St Mary’s Lighthouse and our Killingworth offices gold alongside other national landmarks on Sunday 2 April 2023.
As the Easter Holiday’s kickstart, St Mary’s Lighthouse will be offering dedicated autism aware slots to visit the lighthouse on a morning. They’ll be running on the 4th, 5th and 6th of April in support of the National Autism Society. Booking is essential, please call 0191 643 4778 and leave a message for a member of the team to call you back.
Jackie Laughton, Assistant Chief Executive at North Tyneside Council, said: “We’re committed to ensuring North Tyneside is a safe, inclusive borough for every one and our vision to create a borough where autistic people of all ages have the same opportunities as everyone else, and where they and their families feel supported.
“We have an important role to play to ensure those with autism are supported both as an employer and as the local authority that delivers a wide range of services directly to our residents.
“From our special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision for children and young people through to support groups for all residents and their families, there’s lots on offer in North Tyneside.”