Welcome to the Autism Respite Community

My name is Miriam Brady, a mum who is part of the local autism community. My journey with this condition started when my 10-year-old son was diagnosed at the age of three. His sister was diagnosed at the same age and is now 7. As my children have gotten older, I have found entertaining them outside of the home during the school holidays increasingly difficult.

As an example, a simple trip to the park can be an exercise in sensory regulation, safety measures and social communication difficulties. You can forget about parents catching up while their children play nicely on the slide.

After speaking with other parents in the autism community it was agreed there is a very real need for this type of respite. So Anne-Marie Perry-Smith and I have created the Autism Respite Community (A.R.C.).

Anne-Marie brings a wealth of friendship and knowledge to the community. I first met her when she was teaching my daughter at kindergarten. She has also seen on a professional level the need for A.R.C and the benefits it brings to everyone involved.

The main goal of the A.R.C. is for parents and caregivers of autistic children to meet and relax for a short time during the school holidays while their children can also meet and be meaningfully engaged. We have already started this process with popular sessions at Omni gymnastics and the Napier Family Centre.