Meet and Connect gives you a chance to learn. Previous sessions have looked at: 

• Digital skills

• Mental health

• Racism 

We also have picnics together when the weather is nice. 

Want to find out when the next Meet and Connect sessions are? Then look through our monthly Groups Newsletters posted on our Skills for People Facebook Page.

We work in partnership with people with a learning disability, and all our services support people to live life as they choose.

Our work includes:

Daisy Chain offers a variety of free online learning sessions to support individuals and families. These sessions are available to families in the North East and Yorkshire.

What Autism Central Offers:

• High-quality autism education, training, and support.

• Peer educators who are autistic people, and parents and carers of autistic people, trained to support other families.

• A dedicated website for resources and information.

Who Can Join:

Do you have an autistic child (with or without diagnosis) and need support? Do you live in Newcastle?

As part of the Autism Central programme, Daisy Chain provides a range of in-person learning workshops. These cover many different topics to help support individuals and families.

Help and Connect is a service offered by Skills for People.

If you live in Newcastle upon Tyne and are aged 16 or over, our Help and Connect team can help you to get your support right and to make the most of what’s going on in your area.

What does Help and Connect offer?

Our team will help you make the most of the information we have. You can find out about:

For over 35 years we've led the way in providing specialist care, education and services for children, young people and adults with autism, across the North-east of England.

Recognised for our innovation and excellence, everything we do stems from an unswerving belief in providing bespoke person-centered support. It’s at the heart of who we are to recognise the uniqueness of every human being, and to understand that as a spectrum condition no two people with autism will have the same needs or wants.

NEAS Newcastle Autism Hubs are a supportive environment for parents and carers of autistic children. Currently these hubs offer:

• one-to-one sessions where families can discuss any issues in confidence

• workshops designed to help parents understand and support their autistic children. 

The workshops cover topics such as common misconceptions, differences in autistic children, and practical strategies for everyday life.

For parents/carers of children who are on the diagnostic pathway or post diagnosis of Autism. Children must be living in Newcastle.

Supporting your autistic child workshop

These sessions will cover:

• worries and action planning

• common misconceptions

• differences in autistic children

• practical strategies to use in everyday life

These sessions will run 10-12 and must be pre-booked.

A group for parents and carers of children aged 2 to 5.

This group will help you:

• understand autism

• learn strategies to support your child's development

• focus on play and sensory development

• maintain routines and boundaries

• learn how to support your child with language and social skills 

There are 12 sessions every Thursday starting on 11th September 2025. Sessions will take place at Byker Sands Family Hub.

For more information or to book:

Does your child have a special educational need or disability?

Come to our support group. It’s a friendly place for parents and carers to chat and get advice.

• Get advice from professionals.

• Talk to other parents and carers.

• Share ideas.

This group meets on the first Monday of every month. 

No need to book - just turn up.

Geordie Mums is a self-advocacy, social and supportive group for Mums with a learning disability and autistic Mums.

The group meets once a month, on a Wednesday morning.

The group always welcomes new members. To find out more, or to talk about joining the group, please get in touch by phone or email. 

Contact is the UK charity for families with disabled children. They support families, bring families together and help families take action for others. They give support through:

Dimensions helps people with learning disabilities, autism, and complex needs live fulfilling lives in their communities. They offer personalized support to give individuals more voice, choice, and control. With 7,000 staff, Dimensions works with families and those they support to improve services. Their goal is to empower people to lead happy, ordinary lives.

Through our person-centred approach we support:

Education and Services for People with Autism Limited is a Registered Charity with over 24 years’ experience of supporting people on the autism spectrum.

ESPA’s services include:

Disabled Children’s Register

By law we are required to keep a Disabled Children’s Register. We use it to help us improve services now and in the future.

By being on the register you will be kept informed of what services are available and how you can get involved if you want to.  Joining the register is voluntary but if you register your child we will:

Family Advice and Support Team at Skills for People

Services Offered:

The Toby Henderson Trust (TTHT) is an independently funded charity supporting autistic children, their families and carers.  After 15 years at Whitehouse Farm the trust has recently moved to Toby House, Earth Balance, Bedlington, Northumberland.

We are the one and only charity in the North East focused on life changing early intervention with autistic children (aged 2 to 7). Our service users tell us early intervention can transform the life of a child…

A group for women in the North East (18+) with learning disabilities and/or autism.  Make new friends, do new things and feel safe whilst doing so.  Anyone who identifies as a women is welcome.  

Trips out, coffee morning, pamper sessions and MORE.

There is no cost to attend the group.  On days where there are entry fees, ticket costs, or food and drinks, group members much pay for themselves.  

Email andrea.mullen@skillsforpeople.org.uk or call 0191 281 8737 to learn more. 

For parents/carers of children who are on the diagnostic pathway or post diagnosis of Autism.

Children must be living in Newcastle.

Supporting your autistic child workshop

These sessions will cover:

• worries and action planning

• common misconceptions

• differences in autistic children

• practical strategies to use in everyday life

These sessions will run 10-12 and must be pre-booked.

For parents/carers of children who are on the diagnostic pathway or post diagnosis of Autism. Children must be living in Newcastle.

Supporting your autistic child workshop

These sessions will cover:

• worries and action planning

• common misconceptions

• differences in autistic children

• practical strategies to use in everyday life

We have the following dates available:

Molehill Mountain is an app to help autistic people understand and self-manage anxiety.

You can use Molehill Mountain to explore the causes and symptoms of anxiety.

• Track your worries and the situations that trigger anxiety.

• Get evidence-based daily tips to understand more about anxiety.

• Feel more confident to self-manage anxiety.

It was developed by Autistica and King's College London.  Adults with autism were consulted throughout the development of the app.

A course to help parents/carers manage the behaviour of people with learning disabilities and/or autism. It will help you understand their behaviour and ways to support them.

Find out more about Positive Behaviour Support here: Positive Behavioural Support

For more information about this course, call 0191 281 8737 or email information@skillsforpeople.org.uk. 

Tuesday 5th August 2025, 1.30pm to 3pm
Tuesday 2nd September 2025, 1.30pm to 3pm
Tuesday 7th October 2025, 1.30pm to 3pm
Tuesday 4th November 2025, 1.30pm to 3pm
Tuesday 2nd December 2025, 1.30pm to 3pm

We can support you if your child (aged 5 to 11) are waiting for a neurodevelopmental assessment.

We are running Monthly Cuppa and Cake Parent Support drop-ins for parents and carers both in Metrocentre Community Hub in Gateshead and Gosforth Civic Centre.

Are you a neurodivergent young person aged 16-25 who could benefit from a mentor to support you with the skills for employment? 

The Neurodiversity Employability Project works with neurodivergent young people, whether you have a formal diagnosis or self-identify. We match young people across Tyne and Wear with mentors who can help you:

Inclusion North promotes the inclusion of people with learning disabilities, their families and carers.

The world is a better place when people with learning disabilities are included in everything.

We try to make this happen by: