Durham County Council (DCC) and the National Health Service (NHS) jointly fund MAIN’s Autism Post Diagnostic Support Service to support people aged 16+ who are resident in County Durham and have a diagnosis of an Autism Spectrum Disorder but who do not meet social care criteria.
We aim to support adults in five key areas:
- Understanding your diagnosis
- Health and wellbeing
- Independent living
- Accessing the community and socialising
- Employment and volunteering
Our Autism Resource Co-ordinators (ARC) are the first point of contact and make initial assessments and draw up care plans. Following this process our Autism resource workers (ARWs) work with service users in a 1:1 basis delivering practical support in these areas up to eight weeks per identified area of need.
In addition under the terms of this service MAIN also provides a range of funded training courses which are available to professionals, parents and carers living/working with the above group. In the following courses:
- Awareness Training
- Employing People with Autism
- Identifying Autistic Traits
- Understanding Care Plans
- Supporting People with Autism
- Challenging Behaviours and the Autism Spectrum (Promoting Positive behaviours)
- How to write Social Stories for people on the Autism Spectrum
- Autism and Ageing: Who Cares?