Watch our Films
My Voice Matters
We speak with children and young people featured in our films about their experience of mental health and neurodiversity and why their voice and perspective matters.
Autism in Children Information Film
This film explains how to recognise and support an autistic child.
The film focuses on children who may have lower support needs or are able to mask their difficulties. The film also highlights mental health conditions which commonly co-exist with autism.
Read and download our fact sheets, watch more videos or sign up for our mailing list.
Dan & Charlie: 5 years on, life on the Autism Spectrum
Dad and son, Dan and Charlie share how their experience of living with Autism has changed in the five years since we last spoke in this Real life experience film.
Rachel – Life as a SENCO
In this 13-minute interview Rachel, the SENCO explains that Parents are often the first to notice if their child might be struggling. This might come to light when they’re watching their child in playgroups. A nursery teacher can pick things up too. She highlights the importance of the check that is done by a health visitor when the child is two years old.
Fathers on Caring
Are you a dad getting to grips with parenting a child with additional needs?
Here, we talk to three dads who have an active and engaged role in looking after their child with additional needs. In this film, Damien, Anil and Usman open up about the challenges they have faced, the reality of the day-to-day, things they have learned along the way and where they have turned to look for support.
Autism and Co-existing Conditions in Children
Autism a form of neurodiversity which affects how people see the world and how they communicate and interact. Autistic people will often experience some mental health challenges if their support needs are not being met.
It is estimated that around 70% of autistic people have one mental health condition (such as anxiety, ADHD, depression or OCD) and around 40% of the 70% will have more than one. Some of these mental health conditions begin in childhood and are sometimes referred to as co-occurring or co-existing conditions.
Early intervention can be extremely effective at limiting the effects of these co-existing mental health conditions. Watch our film which features an interview with Professor Emily Simonoff, Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at King’s College London, to find out more about autism and co-existing mental health conditions.
Read and download our fact sheets, watch more videos or sign up for our mailing list and free interactive guide.
Raising a child with autism: Carrie and David
Carrie and David describe how their happy child began to feel excluded and different when they started school. The outside world is so structured towards the neurotypical that it was causing a lot of damage to Tylan, who is autistic.
It is a misnomer that autistic children are not sociable. They want to be able to have all kinds of friends. But if they are excluded and don’t fit in anywhere, this leads to feelings of isolation, sadness and depression.
Tylan finally came into her own when they became an actor playing an autistic character for Hollyoaks. The company and other cast members were determined to understand Tylan. They constantly change the environment around them and make adjustments to suit Tylan’s needs. As a result, Tylan has flourished.
Read and download our fact sheets, watch more videos or sign up for our mailing list and free interactive guide.
Further information:
Autism affects the way a child or young person communicates, behaves, and interacts with others. The earliest signs of autism are reflected in the way your child starts to communicate and develop language skills. There may be a delay in the development of speech, or the child may never learn to speak.
On the other end, a child may be far ahead of their peers in terms of language development but may not be aware of the volume they speak at and may mimic phrases and accents they hear on tv. Your child may struggle to read other people’s body language and it may be hard for them to express their emotions to you or others.
Although you as a parent may have taken the necessary steps to understand your child and their behaviours and triggers, this doesn’t always translate to other people who interact with your child. It is important your child is in a school environment which can help them grow and make them feel safe – be aware of how your child is treated by their teachers and the school as a whole and determine whether that is the right environment for them. As a parent, you are the anchor for your child in a world that is mostly catered to neurotypical individuals.
It is a common misconception autism mostly affects boys – but it is now understood that autistic girls may be less likely to receive a diagnosis due to masking behaviours. As a result, girls may struggle in school and at home without understanding their triggers and sensitivities. A diagnosis provides a way for children to recognise approaches which work for them, helping them to thrive in the future.
Seek out a diagnosis if your child is delayed in meeting developmental milestones, seems socially withdrawn, resists different tastes and textures, or engages in challenging behaviour. The first step to getting a diagnosis would be to talk to your GP who will be able to refer you to the relevant health care professional.