The Ealing EarlyBird and EarlyBird Plus teams run regular programmes for parents and carers of children who have a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. We offer the programmes for different age ranges:
EarlyBird : For parents/ carers of children under 5 years old. Consists of 11 weekly sessions (including home visits), and a 3-month follow-up session.
EarlyBird Plus : For parents/ carers of children over 4 and under 10 years old, plus a local professional who works with the child. Consists of11 weekly sessions (including 2 home or school visits), and a 3-month follow-up session
Families can access a programme if their child:
-Is an Ealing resident or;
-Has an Ealing GP or;
-Attends an Ealing placement / school.
Each of the programmes runs once each term, i.e. a total of 3 EarlyBird and 3 EarlyBird Plus programmes offered each year.
Following referral, the current waiting times are as follows for:
-EarlyBird Programme – About 3 to 6 months
-EarlyBird Plus Programme – About 18 to 24 months
The programme consists of weekly group meetings and home/ school visits. The aim of the programmes are to help parents and carers explore what it means to have a child with Autism, to feel more in control of their child’s behaviour and to develop their child’s communication and other skills. The group setting provides a supportive place for parents and carers to share their hopes, concerns and practical advice.
Referral process
If a child receives a diagnosis of Autism from the Ealing Social Communication Assessment (SoCA) team then a referral to the EarlyBird team is usually made at that point. If a child receives a diagnosis from another Trust, then parents and other professionals can make a referral using the referral form located in downloads or please call 020 8825 5050.
To have an update on current waiting times, please contact a EarlyBird/Plus Trainer directly:
EarlyBird Team
– Gill Hilton (Tel: 020 8825 8858) or Ying Herng Heng (Tel: 020 8825 8768)
EarlyBird Plus Team
– Dzifa Wilkins (Tel: 020 8825 5050)
Further information can be found in the Early Bird Programme Leaflet. While awaiting a place on this programme, families can still access other services and support. Please refer to the Local Offer for more information.
