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?
An Update
Due to the Prime Minister’s announcement on Monday 23rd March 2020 we have made the decision to close our clubs until further notice.
Some of our PA services will continue.
All our staff will be working from home. We will still be contactable during our usual working hours on our landline number 01642 608012; our PA phone 077967 69272 or Serviceteam@iammain.org.uk
and for Middlesbrough and Redcar & Cleveland SENDIASS Service: 07939152653 or apinkney@iammain.org.uk . We will also be accessing our emails as usual.
We appreciate this will cause a huge amount of distress to some of our families. If you need our support please get in touch.