The listed services and links to websites maintained by other organisations are included on here to assist you and are provided in good faith. Some may incur costs. Their inclusion does not imply that the Leicestershire Partnership Trust endorses or supports them, nor does the absence of a service imply that we do not support them
Resources and support services for people in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland
Autism Central - information and education for parents and carers of autistic people of all ages
Autism Central offers a free, co-produced and co-delivered peer education programme created by and for families of autistic people of all ages.
They provide a welcoming, accessible learning environment where families can learn together, share lived experience, and build confidence.
They help families:
- build knowledge and confidence
- understand autistic experiences of joy, distress, and wellbeing across the lifespan
- advocate effectively for their loved ones
- support wellbeing and reduce the risk of hospitalisation.
Their offer includes:
- Group peer-to-peer training and coaching – practical online sessions where families share strategies and strengthen skills
- 1-to-1 peer support – personalised guidance from trained peer educators with lived experience
- Reflective parenting sessions – safe spaces to explore neurodiversity and mental health in family life
- Regional peer-led meetings – online and face-to-face gatherings run by families, for families
- National learning platform – high-quality resources, available anytime
- Community connections – coffee mornings, drop-ins, and conversations that reduce isolation and build belonging
Your child does not need to have a confirmed diagnosis of autism for you to be able to access support from Autism Central
To find out about what Autism Central’s offer, click the following link:
Autism East Midlands – a support service for autistic people and their families
Autism East Midlands (AEM) has been supporting autistic people and their families since 1968.
Formed by a small group of parents in Nottingham, the charity now provides support to autistic people and their families, across the East Midlands region – including, Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland – plus Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, and Northamptonshire.
They offer a range of services at a range of costs. Services include those related to employment, accommodation, education, benefits
They run a number of family support hubs around the region – including some in Leicestershire and in Leicester City.
Some of these hubs run children’s groups and there are also some ‘teen support hubs’ for over 11’s. Children do not need a formal autism diagnosis to access these. There are various ‘family support hubs’ around the East Midlands including areas of Leicestershire and Leicester City.
Follow this link for more information about the family support hubs
https://www.autismeastmidlands.org.uk/child-services/family-support-hubs
Autism East Midlands run some online courses, covering subjects such as autism awareness, autism in the workplace, autism in women and girls, autism and mental health.
Corporate training packages are also available.
For details of courses, click here
For information about other services provided by Autism East Midlands, click this link:
Or call this number: 01909 506 678
Leicestershire Autistic Society
The Leicestershire Autistic Society (LAS) provides information, advice and support to autistic people and their families – in Leicester city, Leicestershire county and Rutland.
It is a volunteer led organisation, where the vast majority of the volunteers are parents or carers of an autistic person. It has been established for over 20 years.
The LAS aims to raise awareness and acceptance of autism and to provide autism-friendly activities and support for families – including some regular groups.
Who is it for?
The Leicestershire Autistic Society is open to autistic children, young people and adults, family members and professionals.
It has no eligibility criteria. It is for anyone living in Leicester, Leicestershire or Rutland who wants information or advice about autism.
Cost?
The annual membership Fee £5.00 –
Members have priority access to leisure activities, conferences and workshops.
Contact details
To find out the most up to date information about the Leicestershire Autistic Society you can email them here: Leicestershireautisticsociety@gmail.com
Website and Social Media
You can also find out more by viewing their social media pages
Website – click here: Leicestershire Autistic Society
private Facebook group – click here: Leicester Autistic Society Facebook Group
To join the private Facebook group, you will need to answer the following 3 questions:
- Are you the parent or carer of an autistic person?
- Are you an autistic person?
- Do you live in Leicester, Leicestershire or Rutland?
Leicestershire Empowerment for Autism Today – LEAT – for autistic young people and adults
LEAT provides a range of specialist support services to autistic young people and adults in the city of Leicester and county of Leicestershire. They are a charitable organisation, though they do charge a fee for their services.
They offer comprehensive and flexible support to our clients, as well as training in Autism Awareness to professionals and employers. Services are tailored to meet individual needs and include supporting people in and with work, education, volunteering, independent living, activities of interest, and (often new) social situations and environments, as well as accessing services, appointments, the wider community, and other such essential areas. They aim to empower greater independence, confidence, connection with others and personal wellbeing.
They offer 1:1 autism support/coaching to adults and young people age 16+, covering both city and county locations; group support in the form of a weekly autism social gathering, held in venues across Leicester city centre; and informal training/consultancy to individuals, professionals and local organisations seeking our input.
They charge an hourly rate for all services. Some of their clients pay for this themselves, others may get funding from Local and Health Authority care packages (for example, via LCC Direct Payments) that they then choose to spend on LEAT services.
For general information about LEAT, visit their website here
To find out details about LEAT’s services and costs, you can get in touch with them by clicking here and completing the contact form.
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The Leicestershire Partnership Trust cannot be held responsible for any damage or loss caused by any inaccuracy on linked sites or pages. The Leicestershire Partnership Trust cannot control and is not responsible for the privacy practices of any site to which a link is provided. It is recommended that you read the privacy policy of any site you visit, particularly if you are asked to give personal data.
