Welcome! I'm Stacey, I am the mother of a 17 year old autistic young man as well as two daughters aged 12 and 7, whom I refer to as The Boy, The Girl and The Baby both on social media and in the book.

Over the years I have worked in schools as a teaching assistant supporting autistic children and young people right across the spectrum. I have supported parents of autistic children in my role as a volunteer for a local organisation, providing them with information and helping them to understand their child’s diagnosis, and still do so now despite a change in my job role. A friend and I also set up and currently facilitate a support group for parents and carers of autistic children and young people, as well as those with ADHD, as we realised there was a gap to be filled in relation to the support available for parents/carers.

This book is an extension of that work; it will enable me to reach more families whom are in need of support but don’t know where to turn, whom are struggling to understand their child’s behaviour but maybe can’t articulate those struggles because they’re worried about what other people might think or they just don't know where to start.

I don’t profess to be an expert or to know everything about autism; I have simply shared my knowledge as a parent to help other parents/carers with navigating those early stages, which can often be the most difficult, in the same way that I was helped and supported during my son’s diagnostic process.

 

I hope you find it useful and happy reading!.