As part of I AM’s mission to celebrate autism with the broader world, we’re happy to present the latest in a series of our ’10 questions with…’ series, featuring Cllr Tom Ross Leader of the Trafford Council.
1. When did you become leader of Trafford Council?
Following a vote by councillors I became leader of Trafford Council in January 2023, taking over from Cllr Andrew Western, who was elected as Member of Parliament for Stretford and Urmston in 2022. Tom Ross has become the new leader of Trafford Council, following a vote by councillors. Prior to this I was Executive Member for Finance and Governance since 2019 and was Mayor of Trafford during 2018-19.
2. What challenges does the Council face in setting its revenue budget, and how will it prioritise spending?
2024 will be one of the toughest revenue budgets that the Council has ever set and we are having to make some difficult choices. However, we will continue to invest in our corporate priorities, including an increase in social care spending for our most vulnerable children and adults.
3. What specific resources and support services are available in Trafford and Manchester for autistic individuals and their families?
I will address questions 3, 4, and 5 together, as there are some overlaps between them.
4. Could you share information about local autism awareness programmes and initiatives within the Trafford community?
5. Are there any support groups or networks for parents or caregivers of autistic individuals in Trafford and Manchester
If your child or young person has an autism diagnosis, there are lots of organisations that offer support to both them and their families.
For those who need advice and signposting there is support available through the Local Authority through SENAS (SEN consultant, Autism and Social Communication: SEN Advisory Service)
- They respond to referral by any Trafford school for a child or young person with social communication concerns with or without a diagnosis of autism, whether family wish to seek a diagnosis or not. Observation, offer advice (including written advice), meetings with school staff and parents/carers etc.
- Offer Training for whole staff/staff groups in schools in a variety of areas that are autism related
- Provide regular autism friendly email updates which are shared with SENCos including material to be shared with families (including social events such as relaxed performances and museum early openings) as well as material to use in the school.
- Signpost schools to the free Greater Manchester Autism Consortium webinars for parents/carers. Autism seminars for families | gmac (autismgm.org.uk
There is also direct parent support through a variety of support services and resources:-
- Our Trafford Parent Carer Forum which provides peer support, advice and information to parents and carers of children and young people. More information on them can be found here Trafford Directory | Trafford Parents Forum
- Within Trafford Parents Forum there is a support service called STEP (Stronger Together Empowering Parents). They provide emotional and practical support and advice for parent/carers of children and young people with SEND in Trafford. They also have a team of trained volunteers who can act as mentors for parent carers. They pair mentors up according to the skills and experience they have and match them accordingly with parent/carers who could benefit the most from their support. Trafford Directory | Stronger Together Empowering Parents (STEP)
Our Trafford Services for Education offers slots via their Facebook page for parents/carers to chat with them about any concerns they may have, including autism and social communication difficulties. More information can be found here Educational Psychology | Trafford Services for Education (traffordeducation.co.uk)In addition we have services that support both the individual and their families such as Trafford Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support Service (Trafford SENDIASS) which provides impartial information, advice and support to children and young people aged 0-25 with SEND, as well as their parents and carers.They can also support with:
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- The law around SEND
- Education health care plans (EHCP)
- Resolving any disagreements
- Health and social care in relation to special educational needs provision
- Transition post 16 – Preparing for adulthood
- Personal budgets
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More information on this service can be found here Trafford Directory | Trafford SEND Information Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS)
As well as SENDIASS we have KIDS SEND Mediation Service and Trafford SEND Parent Carers Chatty Café. KIDS SEND helps parents and young people resolve disputes about Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessments and Plans, as well as other SEND related issues. Ages 0-25 years. Trafford SEND Parent Carers Chatty Café supports Trafford parents who have children and young people with SEN, disability and/or additional needs. They are a source of help, advice and support for parents, offering anything from a cup of coffee to the opportunity to meet other parents, leaflets and information to invitations to training events and conferences.
For those who need focused and specific help we provide direct parent support through SENAS (Special Educational Needs Advisory Service) who:-
- provide school parent/carer group support- one Primary as a trial, moving on to wider online offering soon.
- Co-deliver sensory workshops with OT colleagues to parents/carers on the waiting list for sensory referral
- Facilitate informal discussions with parents/carers about support for children- signposting, sharing material etc.
- Deliver training for groups of parents/carers e.g., on Zones of Regulation.
This service also has a specific Early Years offer for those ages 0 – 5 years including:
- Working closely with parents and carers to offer advice and support for their child’s assessment, provision, intervention, inclusion, and transition.
- Work with Trafford Early Development Service (TEDS) and Trafford Children’s Speech and Language Therapy Service
There is also direct support through The Counselling & Family Centre who provide support and guidance for Parents and Carers of children aged 5+ displaying SEND behaviours who are not already accessing family support. Website – The Counselling & Family Centre | Courses | SEND Parents.
Also supported by Trafford Council and delivered in partnership with Gorse Hill Studios are Sports Works Sessions. These are fun, relaxed and totally inclusive sessions designed to increase social skills, healthy habits and give children new experiences.
Sport Works provides engaging and stimulating sessions of mixed activities some developing skills in leadership, group working, communication and organisation, examples of activities are; target hoops, basketball, boccia, dodgeball, tag rugby, hockey, cricket, gymnastics, Danish cricket, tag rounders, street dance, cheerleading, non-contact martial arts, rock climbing, volleyball, new age Curling, bean bag ball and many more.
At the same sessions Gorse Hill Studios provides mixed sessions based around creative arts and expressions, as such young people have a complete choice of which to do at each visit.
Gorse Hill Studios implements a rolling programme of innovative arts (Drama, Dance, Media, Visual Arts and Music) and youth work techniques to create and provide opportunities, empower participants, increase wellbeing and potential. The group explores and identifies a theme for each session that culminates in a series of skills sharing and show back events.
Website – Sportworks website
Finally there is support, help and advice through non-commissioned services such as Spectrum Gaming which is an online community for autistic young people which has three main intended outcomes, building friendships, increasing self-acceptance and advocacy. Website – About Us | Spectrum Gaming. Spectrum Gaming have also made a website so that everyone can gain a better understanding of what autism is, since most people they meet seem a little confused about what autism actually is.
There is also the services provided by yourselves at I AM Celebrating Autism, the Ambitious Youth Network which offers online space to meet other autistic young people, take on paid opportunities, and join group panels. Ages 16 – 25 years Ambitious About Autism and other non-commissioned services such as Disability Support Network – South Asian Family Health, National Autistic Society North, National Sleep Helpline, Navigate (Scope) and Parents Connect.
For those who need more extensive and specialist help, professionals across Trafford including Early Help and clinicians are trained in RTR (Riding the Rapids) as well as staff in a small number of schools.
RTR is a ten-week group intervention aimed at helping parents/carers of children aged up to 14 with additional needs to positively understand and manage their child’s behaviour, improving quality of life and equipping families with skills to take on their journey with them. Designed for parents/carers of children with learning disabilities and/or autism the group materials can be adapted to support parents/carers of children in specialist or in
mainstream provision. The course is divided into different modules including:
- understanding the function of behaviour that challenges
- making environmental changes to support positive behaviour
- developing strategies to promote positive behaviour based on this understanding
- promoting positive attachments through better communication and play
- supporting parents/carers self-care and promoting parental coping and wellbeing.
Based on well researched principles of functional analysis, the course aims to give parents/carers strategies to help them in that moment in time, as well as skills they can apply to future challenges. Website – Parenting Courses
In addition Trafford Sleep and Therapy Services is a commisioned service to help children thrive by providing experienced professionals who can help them overcome the difficulties they face with sleep and other issues such as social and communication skills. If you live in Trafford and are a parent or carer of a child aged 2 to 18 years who has sleep problems you can join a webinar to access free help and support. For children with an EHCP or a named worker can access 1:1 clinic appointment service. Website – Trafford Sleep Services
And lastly Get Out There – Trafford Holiday Club – Short Breaks by SENSE is a group supporting children with a diagnosis of autism, run in school holidays. The group helps children with socialisation with a range of activities so children can choose individually or join a group activity.
More information on these services and support groups as well as extra additional information is provided on the Trafford Directory Website Trafford Directory | Trafford Autism and Social Communication Hub
6. What steps are being taken to promote inclusivity and understanding of autism in local schools and workplaces in Trafford and Manchester?
School based support is the first stage of the current Trafford Autism and Social Communication (TASC) pathway. When a parent/carer or teacher thinks that a child may be showing signs of social communication difficulties or autism the Graduated Approach is started. The school-based support part of the pathway will usually be for 2 terms.
There is more information about Trafford’s Graduated Approach on the below links for:
We also have a transformation programme called Autism in Schools.
This aims to reduce inappropriate educational exclusions and hospital admissions for children and young people with learning disabilities, autism spectrum conditions (ASCs) and/or challenging behaviour.
This is a transformation programme which is being co-produced with Trafford Parent Carer Forums and support parent groups in schools which provides modules and learning to school staff to help them understand the needs of autistic students and, where possible, make reasonable adjustments within the school environment.
It also promotes the voice of autistic children through ‘Understanding Me’ helping young people and their families understand the young person autism.
In Trafford, this is being developed with Trafford Parents Forum and will be rolled out in 6 Schools:
- Moorlands Junior School
- Lostock High School
- Wellington High School
- Flixton Girls School
- Stretford Grammar School
In terms of additional school provision many of the schools are independent of the local authority and undertake their own programs.
7. Are there any upcoming events or workshops in Trafford or Manchester focused on autism awareness and education?
There are Autism Awareness Training Sessions being held for staff on the 29th January 2025. There are also Inclusive Leadership Sessions for managers which are run throughout the year.
8. How can the community be more proactive in creating an inclusive environment for autistic individuals, particularly in social and recreational activities?
As highlighted above there are several community led initiatives that create an inclusive environment for autistic individuals such as Sports Work Sessions run by Gorse Hill Studios, Spectrum Gaming, the work undertaken by yourselves at I AM Celebrating Autism, the Ambitious Youth Network, Disability Support Network – South Asian Family Health, National Autistic Society North and Get Out There – Trafford Holiday Club – Short Breaks by SENSE .
9. Are there any partnerships or collaborations with local businesses to promote employment opportunities for autistic individuals in Trafford and Manchester?
Through Job Centre Plus there are Disability Employment Advisors at their Trafford branches in Stretford, Alexandra Park and Altrincham. A Disability Employment Adviser (DEA) can offer:
- an employment assessment to identify what type of work or training suits the individual best;
- a referral, where appropriate, to a work programme for disabled people, like Work and Health Programme or Access to Work;
- a referral, if needed, to an Work Psychologist for a more detailed employment assessment to identify the best work or training for you;
- a job-matching and referral service – the DEA can let people know about jobs that match your experience and skills;
- information on employers in your area who have adopted the ‘two ticks’ disability symbol.
We also have a partnership with Pure Innovations which offers pre-employment programmes that provide formal autism/disability training in the workplace and supported internships.
Also within Trafford there is the United Response Supported Employment Service which provides support for adults with Learning Disabilities and Autism to gain employment. They provide a range of employment opportunities for people with learning disabilities in the Trafford area and can support people into employment in lots of different settings, working with each person and the employer to make sure they get it right.
Their service offers:
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- Support into paid work
- Vocational profiling
- Job search support
- Soft Skills Development
- Work Experience
- One to one tailored job coaching
- In work support
They also have two social enterprises in Trafford. These provide employment opportunities for people with learning disabilities in a setting that suits them.
Both services are run under the banner of UR in Business. They are a disability consultancy, UR Consultants, and UR Sorted, a mailing and fulfillment service staffed by people with learning disabilities. Their website has more information United Response
And finally we have Connexions Trafford . Connexions is a service for young people in Trafford aged 13-19 (or 25 if they have disability). They offer support in relation to education and employment. They provide support from qualified Careers Advisors.
10. What initiatives or programmes do you recommend for spreading awareness about autism in the broader Trafford and Manchester community?
There are Autism Awareness Training Sessions being held for staff on 5th December and 29th January. There are also Inclusive Leadership Sessions for managers and I’ll continue to identify other opportunities.
This is the information on the autism awareness sessions:-
Any staff member who wishes to understand more about autism, so that they can work more effectively with colleagues and the public.
Course aims and objectives
By the end of the course delegates will be able to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the Autism Spectrum
- Explain the differences experienced by autistic people e.g., stress, anxiety
- Have a knowledge of top tips for working with autistic people
- Achieve an understanding correlating to level 1 of Core Capabilities Framework for Supporting Autistic people
If you or someone you know is interested in taking part in I AM Profiles, please drop us an email at enquiries@i-am-autism.org.uk
