We recommend reaching out and joining a support group to a find a community of people who understand what you are going through. Your child/ young person does not need a diagnosis for you to attend any of these parent support groups. 

Click on the titles to find out more.

SEND Friends at Parent House

Parent/carer's fortnightly term-time coffee mornings on Wednesdays, 10am to 12pm, From September it will be taking place fortnightly  on Tuesdays.

Calshot Street,  London, N1 9AS 

ADHD Islington Parent Support Group

 Coffee Mornings run every 1st Thursday of the month 9.30-11.30pm at The Rose Bowl Youth Centre, N1 2PT 

SENDIASS Coffee Mornings

Join the SENDIASS team and other parents/carers for coffee mornings once a month. Family Action, Lough Road Centre, 61-71 Lough Road, N7 8RH.

St Luke’s Coffee Mornings

Join the coffee morning run by the Parent Carer Forum, for all SEND needs . Mondays fortnightly 9.30 to 11am.

Centre 404 Coffee Mornings

Monthly meetings in N7 0SJ. For more information visit their Instagram: @centre404 

Islington Parent Carer Forum

A parent-led organisation who work with Islington council to improve SEN service. Parent support coffee mornings monthly at 61-71 Lough Road .N7 8FF . 9.30-11.00. Last Friday of the month.

The Brandon Centre CAMHS Waiting List Parent Support Group 

An 8-week online parent support programme to support parents/carers of adolescents aged 11-16 who are on a waiting list for CAMHS services (treatment or assessment).

SEN Family Saturdays

Saturday drop-in session for children with SEN, aged 0-7, and their families. There is currently a waiting list for this service but you can find out more here.

Growing Hope Organisation

Growing Hope King’s Cross is a charity offering free therapy for children and young people (0-18) with additional needs. They also provide support for parents, carers and siblings through our groups and courses. The clinic is open to everyone in the Camden and Islington area. 

We know the transition from the school to summer holidays can be really hard. Our parent worker, Anna, found these useful tips from the Autability Newsletter. We highly recommend signing up!

1. Start “Holiday Mapping”

Create a visual countdown or calendar with your child so they know when school ends, what’s happening each week, and when things will return to normal.

       Predictability = peace.

2. Talk About Transitions

Even if your child doesn’t seem worried, they may be internalising anxiety about school ending, friendships changing, or a new year group coming. Keep chats low-pressure:

“School’s ending soon. What do you think we will still do the same at home?”

                     “If anything feels big or weird, we can write it down and talk later.”

5. Stick With Bedtime (Mostly)

Summer bedtime drift is tempting, but routine is one of the most powerful regulators for autistic and ADHD brains. Keep wind-downs consistent, even if they’re later, keep the steps the same.

Morrisons introducing sensory support boxes in store for autistic and neurodiverse young people

Did you know about the sunflower lanyard scheme? You don't need a diagnosis to get one and it identifies a hidden disability to enable your young person to access more support and understanding. You can find them at supermarkets, such as Tesco, for free. 

Are you travelling abroad this summer? You can ask airports and airline companies for special assistance without a diagnosis. For example, if you are travelling by BA, you can contact their assistance helpline. This means that you can avoid long queues, have help travelling around the airport and you can choose seats in advance. Most other airlines offer a similar service without having to proof of additional need. 

Heathrow

Gatwick 

Travelling at this time of year can be stressful and very overwhelming for your child or young person. It can be helpful to travel with communication cards to help your young person express how they are feeling. These cards work well for my teenager.

BBC Bitesize have lots of helpful advice and resources around SEN for parent/carers and young people. 

CAMHS Waitlist Workshops

We will be running two different waitlist workshops for families with primary and secondary aged children in July and September and beyond. As you are on the waitlist, you will receive the links to sign up for this on Eventbrite.

Primary aged at the North Islington Library:

Tuesday 1^st July

Tuesday 15^th July

Secondary aged at Centre 404:

Monday 22^nd September

Monday 29^th September

CWP Workshops

Our Child Wellbeing Practitioners are running a 2-part online workshop supporting anxiety in children aged 5-11. Sign up here

Part 1: 23/06/2025 - 09:30-11:00am - Online 

Part 2: 30/06/2025 - 09:30 -11:00am - Online 

NCL Waiting Room Website

To find out more about what our team does and resources they recommend visit NCL waiting room. Its full of really helpful information on how to best support your young person.

NCL website Parents corner & Specialist Webpage for Neurodivergence   - coming very soon.

We have been developing a Parents Corner of the Waiting Room website with all the information  we think may me helpful for you as a parent. It will also have a live calendar with  groups and workshops you can sign up for attend free of charge.

We are also almost ready to share a new microsite dedicated specifically to all things Neurodivergence, so you can find lots of specialist advice and resources in one place. We will email you when  these new resources are up and running, 

Our waiting times have continued to change and are currently at 3 years 2 months from the date of referral. The demand for assessments has continued to grow. We are working hard to ensure that all our assessments reach a good quality standard and any additional neurodevelopmental conditions are considered during the assessment process.

If you require additional support or referrals in the waiting period, or you are worried about your child’s mental health, please contact our SEMH duty line on 0207 527 3355.

If your child has changed schools before they were referred for assessment, please contact CAMHS receptions 02033161824. There is no need to contact us if your child's school is unchanged. 

Are your contact details up to date? We are now sending more correspondence via text or email. Please make sure we have the most up-to-date details to send this information. 

 We have lots of resources to help while you wait.  https://www.nclwaitingroom.nhs.uk/icamhs-ndt 

  What can I do while waiting for an autism assessment?