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[Family Support Team]

From Helen (Co-ordinator of Gold Coast ASD Support Group): -
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There are Autism Support Groups functioning across the state, many of
us are now ‘on our own’, that is facilitating the face-to face support
group meetings ourselves and also supporting our local communities in
various ways to meet the diverse needs of our community. Parents and
supporters caring for each other. Good networks amongst parents are
extremely important. Parents are a vital resource to nuturing the
lives of others who face similar challenges in their lives.
At times we need professional support, as we access such for our
children and adults on the spectrum. This is where AQ delivers its
services and can be a strong resource for parents. As for supporting
networks such as this group, I am unsure whether there is a capacity
for AQ to deliver in this way. I would expect that 2 people running
the Family Support Team across Qld is a pretty time intensive task.

Hence my suggestion is to reform/reinvigorate and strengthen this
resource to families in a fashion that members of this group are happy
with.

If you are a regional person outside of Brisbane, may I suggest that
you consider contacting the support groups’ coordinators of the larger
centres along the coast and get involved in their networks and webs of
support. The beauty of the internet is that you can connect at unusual
times of the day or night.

Here on the Gold Coast, our support group runs face to face meetings,
and has an ASD email newsgroup. Through the recent Positive
Partnerships project we now have a Facebook group which is “closed”
where parents are asking questions, sharing ideas, meeting up for
coffee, having playdates, for example. There are several other ASD
groups who are connecting via Facebook that I have noticed and some of
these networks are starting to intertwine.

I am not averse to having people from outside the local area involved
in our Gold Coast network – I have a person who lives in Central Qld.
I would think that if new networks can’t be formed then other existing
networks would welcome anyone from this group.

Apart from this, there are other online Autism-AS-ASD groups within
Australia which have been around for years which wax and wane.

I encourage members of this group to seek the types of support that
will assist you, and create what you may need if it is not there.
Don’t reinvent the wheel and possibly waste time and energy. Seek out
the experience of others. The knowledge and experience is out there –
just ask and see what the response is.

Regards
Helen