Hannah Forbes - LCT Programmes Manager
Heather Parker-Preece – Hub Service Manager
Carlie Unsworth – Lead SEN Officer
Mick Nanyn – Wellbeing and Behavioural Manager
Michelle – Wellbeing officer
My name is Emma, I'm mum to Zac, he is 4 and was diagnosed with autism at 2 years old. After he was diagnosed I was sent on my way with a leaflet about autism, no offers of support, no guidance where I could get support, and no other parents I knew who truly understood having an ASD child.
A friend I met at Zac's ASD assessment group told me about 'A Team', a place for ASD kids (diagnosed and under assessment) she took her child on a Saturday. Brilliant i thought, somewhere we could go with hopefully no judgement and stares! Well its so much more, its a place with others in the same boat, no stares or whispering from other parents at Zacs flapping and high pitched noises! Support and friendship from amazing staff and families, somewhere to share stories and seek advice for disrupted (or lack of) sleep, beige diets, loud noises and much more! Most importantly a safe happy place our kids can play and run around and be themselves!
The A Team is a lifeline for us parents and kids!
My son Tyler, was diagnosed as being on the autistic spectrum in spring 2019 when he was 6 years old.
Since his diagnosis he has attended the A-Team support group every Saturday.
This brilliant group is run by Leigh Community Trust and is a brilliant outlet for children with sensory and development difficulties. The staff are incredibly patient with all of the children and parents and the support they provide is great. They provide a safe environment where the children can express themselves without judgement and Tyler always finishes each session with excitement and looks forward in anticipation to the coming week.
As a family we have been to so many toddler classes and playgroups to see if they could accommodate our autistic son, but we always felt on edge and out of place at most of the classes, there have been a handful of times I'd see people staring at my son stimming, and sometimes even laughing. I'd spend most of the class following him around ready to divert him from hurting himself or accidentally someone else, and eventually when the negatives of going to places far outweighed the positive, we just stopped going.
Then by chance a lovely lady from a charity told me about The A Team and I can't tell you how amazing it is to have somewhere my son can run riot safely. He is accepted for who he is and it's so lovely. He still asks can we go every week even though we haven't been since the gymnastics class finished before Christmas due to covid.
Sadly there isn't enough inclusion for autistic children in Wigan, and trust me I've tried everywhere. The A Team is that place!! We feel so lucky to have found them and the work that has gone in to creating the new hub is incredible. Thank you for everything you do!
Trafford House, Plattfold Street
Leigh, WN7 1JH
What we do and when we do it.