Essex All-Age Autism Outreach Service

2. II.2.4) Description The Authority invites responses from suitably qualified and experienced providers to deliver an All Age Autism Outreach Service (the Service) providing specialist autism support to autistic individuals of all ages, across the Transforming Care Partnership (TCP) footprint of Southend, Essex and Thurrock (SET), from 1st May 2024 to 30th April 2028, with an option to extend for a further two years un

Areas The type of support the service will include: -Sensory processing -Identity (neurodiversity, gender, sexuality etc) -Psychological interventions, adapted be expected to make more accessible for autistic people. -Practical support provide includes: • Support with things like executive functioning, communication, understanding and managing sensory processing issues. • Providing adapted psychological therapies to meet the needs of the individuals accessing support (this may include art, play, music, and animal therapy) • Support individuals with understanding their identity (in relation to autism, neurodiversity, sexuality, and gender etc.) • Autism specialist strategies and skill development -Emotionally based school avoidance -An around issues such as, but not limited to, executive functioning, problem solving, communication, relationships, socialising, behaviour, and sleep. • Peer to peer support (for individuals and their families) to offer advice and knowledge from a lived experience perspective. • Joint working with other teams/service to support the better understanding of an individual’s needs ‘through an autism lens’- this may include, but isn’t limited to, CAMHS teams, adult mental health teams and ability to provide consultation around eating disorders disorder teams etc. • Offer consultation and Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) development support to other teams/services to improve their understanding of autism, ultimately resulting in a better experience and outcomes for autistic people accessing those services.’