Back in September, we updated how our Family Support service was delivered, with the introduction of the new website and referral system as well as our Family Support Clinics things are running a lot smoother and we are able to see those families we need to support a lot quicker.
After reviewing this service we have noticed somethings we need to change and adapt to make it even better, therefore we are making some minor changes to how things are run.
Since we set up our Family Support Clinics we have seen over 80 families in our clinics and made over 120 phone calls to those who requested phone support. However, for every 3 appointments made only see 2 were attended, this means that we have families waiting for support who can’t receive it sooner due to missed appointments. Therefore we are now introducing a £5.00 refundable on request deposit on all future clinic bookings to ensure that clinic appointments are kept. These deposits are refundable and can be requested at the appointment or within 7 days after the appointment. Any missed appointments or those cancelled within 48 hours of the appointment start time will result in the loss of the deposit and will be used towards the orginsations other charitable activities.
We understand that this may upset some of our families but it is a step we feel we need to take to ensure that our services run as efficiently as possible.
The second change we are making is that you can now book a time slot to receive your phone call. We know that having a phone call at inconvenient times isn’t the best especially when you aren’t expecting it. From today you can now book a phone call between 10:00-15:00 every Wednesday (excluding school holidays). That way you can be prepared with all the information you need to make full use of our advisors. There is no charge or deposit for this service.
For full details on the changes to our Family Support Service our Family Support policy can be found here
Our Family Support service is run completely by volunteers, who give their time to help others who have been in the same position as you are now. They are fully trained to deal with a number of ASD relating issues as well as give advice on Educational support and issues relating to Social Care.
We hope you can understand why we have made these changes and thank you for your understanding.