Cookies

It has to be said that clicking Accept all is the quickest way to get rid of the cookie question when you visit a new website.      Choosing the minimum of cookies often comes a close second, though.      When you go into the settings many websites show all except the essential cookies switched off.       Scroll down to the bottom, click Save & exit and it is all done.

Safety on the media

If you take things in via the spoken word better than the written word this page may be worth a try.      Click icon to view.

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See Technical for information about the safety of this site.       See also:  Using Facebook      PC trouble shooting

Safety

Ambitious about Autism has sets out the soft/people skills needed for online safety.      Click PDF icon to view.       

The National autistic society sets out the risks and benefits of the internet for autistic people and their families.       See article        new

UK Safer Internet Centre have produced resources to help children, young people, parents and teachers with on-line safety.      This includes when using the social networking sites.      Click icon to view.      Also, here are some handy tips for parents.

Get safe online

For an in-depth guide, Get safe online offers a UK based encyclopaedia of online safety.      Their Safe internet use page has some handy bullet points for checking websites.     

For example try clicking icons in web browser address bar – circled in red in example below.      The website information you get may vary according to which browser you use and browser extensions and addons in use.      Click icon to browse or brush up on the basics.

Before spending money or giving personal details a website needs to be checked.      This can be tricky, especially if they are not well known companies.      Here is an introduction to checking out a company in the UK, with links at the bottom.

Returning to dip into these resources from time to time could help to develop better awareness and produce better safety.      The online world is a bit different to the physical world.       new

Firewall

You only want one.      If you have more than one active at a time they may clash.      To increase security look for a range of different measures, such as browser extension/add-ons to cover more bases.        updated

Some security packages have them bundled in but all versions of Windows have one available.      For more information see: Technical Tips:

• To see why one firewall is enough see the not overdoing things bullet point.
• To find Windows Firewall settings see under security screens.

Anti-virus

For a sound introduction to the issues and context see Do you really need antivirus software?

For a guide to free options click Best free antivirus software .

Again, you only want one Anti-virus package.      You can have too much security.

Things to avoid

You may see adverts or find software on Google claiming to fix problems on your PC or speed up performance.      Treat these with a great deal of suspicion.

Cambridge research

Archive

Just dance

Researchers at the University of Essex are currently working on a new project that involves autistic children playing the exercise game Just Dance with their parent or primary caregiver at home.      Online taster session on 15 September 2021.     Click icon to find out more.

GAIN was contacted by Phoebe Morris (MBPsS). PhD Studentship at the University of Essex.

School environment

This is a study of the ways in which a changed school environment has affected primary school children with ASD.    Would any parents/carers with a child aged 5-15 who has been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum disorder like to take part in three online questionnaires?       Click icon for a letter from the researcher and a link to the first survey.

Sleep study

The University of York is running a project charting the early sleep patterns of infants at risk of developing Autism Spectrum Disorders.     If you have a baby with an older brother or sister with Autism they would love to hear from you.     This project explores sleep patterns in infant siblings through the use of sleep diaries.     Click icon for poster.     See also official project information.   The university will provide all items and materials as needed.       (Posted Oct 2017)

Child study

Are you a woman with autism?      Are you pregnant?      Click icon for the study poster.       Here is the study summary.     See also the website associated with their email address.

Carer technology

Would you be interested in taking part in a 3 month trial of a technology package to assist in co-ordinating home care?

1.      It provides the person being cared for with greater social interaction with their friends and family as well as reminding them to take their medication.
2.      Gives Carers the peace of mind with information about the person they are caring for such as through movement sensors confirming that they have visiting the toilet, opened the fridge door or medicine cabinet.         This is done by setting up various sensors and equipment, such as blood pressure monitors that can be linked to the technology.

See:   Technology       Letter        Form         Everyone website – emerging from Lincolnshire Carers & Young Carers Partnership (LCYCP)

Non-compliance behaviour

Could you spare some time for a telephone interview for a research project.            Click button for a video introduction.

Here is a little bit of background information about the project, that could be posted up to accompany the video:

We are researchers at the School of Psychology, Queen’s University Belfast and our project focuses on children’s non-compliance behaviour.
Non-compliance behaviour is when a child:

• Ignore your requests…
• Tries to talk their way out of doing things
• Directly defies you
• Says “no” a lot

Almost all children show some of these behaviours, but some children with autism seem to struggle especially with these sorts of behaviours.
Surprisingly little research has been carried out on why some children particularly struggle with non-compliance.    We aim to find out more about the factors that can influence the non-compliant behaviour children show so that we can start to develop bespoke helping strategies specifically designed for these behaviours.

We would like to hear from you if you are a caregiver of a child aged 5-11 years old who frequently shows the behaviour described above, and who behaves like this across different settings and where you feel the behaviour may be having a negative impact on the child and/or on the family. 

In this initial study, we would like caregivers to take part in an interview over the phone to talk about the behaviour.      Everyone who takes part will receive a feedback report about what we have found when this initial study is finished and we will update any families who wish with information about our ongoing progress in this project and future participation opportunities.

If you are interested in hearing more about the study and would like more information, please contact:

• Katherine Grady:          kgrady01@qub.ac.uk                07926 076 790 
• Luke McCann:               lmccann32@qub.ac.uk
• Kate Woodcock:            k.woodcock@qub.ac.uk            028 9097 4886
  

The interviews are due to be completed by the end of June 2016.

Self-Injurious Behaviour

This was an on-line survey.      The project leader said, We have developed two new questionnaires which measure beliefs about suicide and nonsuicidal self-injury.        Dr Andy Siddaway

See also  Support sheet       Stirling University

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NHS services

Lincolnshire NHS offers a range of services to support people over 18 with learning disabilities and/or autism  in the community.      Click icon for their web page.      The Lincolnshire Family Services directory has a series of pages covering that range of services .       See: Introduction and notice links to specific services at the bottom.

Occupational therapists

What do occupational therapists have to offer children and adults on the autism spectrum?       Where can they be found?       Click icon to help find out.

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Floating services

Framwork’s floating support aims to promote the kind if skills and confidences needed for young people aged 18-25 in Lincoln to live independently.      Self-referrals can be made.      Click icon for more information.

Cauldwell Autism Services

Cauldwell Children’s Centre was opened at  Keele Science & Innovation Park, Newcastle-under-Lyme, ST5 5NT, in 2019.      Click icon to find out about autism services.        The page has a service guide download.       Autism services cater for ages 4 – 11.      See also:  Home       FAQ      apply       map.

Family graffiti 

Before Covid, Family Graffiti was putting on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy based workshops in Sleaford and Boston for parents – including those with an autistic child.       Children learn via their cognitive process.    They are constantly receiving and retaining information from everything they see, do, hear, witness, touch, taste… but children are psychologically ‘tuned in’ with their primary carer.    Therefore, cognitive behavioural therapy is quicker, more effective and longer lasting when it is delivered via the parent.       Click icon to see if anything is happening now.

Earlybird

The National Autistic Society (NAS) Early Bird Programme is a three-month programme designed to help parents and carers understand their child’s autism and find ways to communicate, interact and generally make contact.       See Family support to find out more.

Advance

Advance offers support and housing across Lincolnshire for young people with a learning disability.       Their support is primary delivered in the Boston area.       Anyone can contact them.

Family Action Support

North East Lincs Family Action Support Team (FAST) is a specialist service for families with children with attention and behavioural difficulties, including Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and other complex needs, aged 3-17 years. 

Linkage

Linkage supports children, parents and carers where the children are aged between the age of 5-18 and have special educational needs, learning disabilities /difficulties across the whole of Lincolnshire.       The service is free.      They can:

• Provide guidance and reassurance in completing referral, benefit forms and support in following appeal processes and attending tribunals.
• Provide support on strategies that can be used in the home or in school.
• Support young people and their parents getting the right support in school, preparing to leave school or college, training courses, colleges, supported internships and supported employment  and day activity opportunities.
• Planning for the future – work, supported accommodation, available leisure activities.
• Meet children and families at home, liaise with the school.

Click icon for more information,

Options Autism

This is the new name for Options Group.      They accept referrals for specialist autistic services in North Lincolnshire.      Click icon to see their map.      They offer:

• An outreach service for home and community
• Community-based living services
• Longer term adult residential care:  Options Watermill       Thorpe House.

Autism East Midlands

Autism East Midlands aims to to ensure people with autism can live their lives with dignity, choice and independence.      The nearest services to Grantham are in the Nottingham area.      They offer:

• outreach services,
• day services
• residential services.

Short breaks

Lincolnshire County Council has a Short breaks team.

Pathological demand avoidance (PDA) is a profile that describes those whose main characteristic is to avoid everyday demands and expectations to an extreme extent.      Click icon for the National autistic society page.   

PDA society

Mental health

The National Autistic Society has a page about mental health and autism.       Click page icon to view.        Also, Autistica has produced a help sheet about autism and mental health.       Click PDF icon to view.

Here is a handy guide to Healthy coping skills for uncomfortable emotions written by a psychotherapist.         (new)

Patients may be referred to a psychiatrist for associated mental health issues.       See NHS introduction.        Ambitious about Autism has produced a guide to making the most of an appointment.

NHS reforms

The NHS Transforming care agenda has been aiming to support autistic children and adults in the community rather than inappropriate inpatient units.      Click icon to read about it.

Executive Functioning

Executive functions are the brain’s self-management system.        Problems with executive function can be linked to autistic traits in later life.      Click icon for Options help sheet.       It starts with James at school.

For more examples and how to address them read about Josh in this article.

Tourettes

Tourette’s syndrome is a condition that causes a person to make involuntary sounds and movements called tics.       See introduction

• Tourettes Action website seems to be the go-to place for all things Tourettes.      Click icon on the left to browse.       They have a Find support menu.
• The Lincolnshire support group meets in Lincoln and Grantham.
• Discussions :  Netmums        Tourettes & Aspergers
• Facebook videos might be worth a look.

Swallowing difficulties

Click icon to view help sheet for people with Autism about Dysphagia by a speech and language therapist.

Epilepsy

Autistica has produced a help sheet about autism and epilepsy.       Click icon to view.  See also Epilepsy Action:  Website           Information         Help & support

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Walk-in vaccinations

The county’s two Mass Vaccination Centres at PRSA, Boston, and at the Lincolnshire Showground offer walk-ins as well as booked appointments.      Click icon for more about vaccinations in Lincolnshire.      It has an option for Walk-in clinics this week, showing up-coming pop-up walk-in sessions:

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For online workshops see: Related calendar         More resources:

Easy read

Mencap has several easy read guides for the life under current Coronavirus restrictions.      Click icon to browse.      Maybe the vaccine page might be of particular interest.

See also UK Government:  Road map out of lockdown       Census 2021

Support for carers

The government and the NHS has produced a Covid-19 carer support letter to identify yourself as a carer in shops etc.      Click icon for more information and to download the letter.

Health

The NHS continues to update its Coronavirus page.       It is straight forward to browse.      Click icon to view.

Government guidance

SKDC has launched its Covid community information hub.       Click icon to get the latest for the Grantham area.

• Phone: 01476 406177 / 406358 : 8am – 7pm
• Email:  SKCommunityHub@southkesteven.gov.uk

See also  for the UK government’s complete Guidance and support

Resources and updates

Here is a collection of resources and updates for the current situation from the National Autistic Society and others       Click icon to browse.

Scams

Covid has changed many things over the past year and scammers are seeking to take advantage.      Click icon to read about it.

Social story

Here is a social story about seeing people with face masks.        Click icon to take a look.      If it is not just what you want, does it give you any ideas?      See also: how to write your own         free images

Face coverings

Professor Ellen Townsend makes a plea for compassion for those who cannot wear face coverings.       She outlines the many reasons why some people may not be using a face covering.       Professor Townsend leads research at the School of Psychology, University of Nottingham.
Click icon for article.       See also:  Mask anxiety

Lincolnshire heritage & culture

Lincolnshire County Council have a number of short stories from long ago, produced by Lincoln Castle, on Youtube.       Click icon to see the list.