Thousands of online support sessions have been launched each year for families and supporters of autistic people through Autism Central, a service delivered by Anna Freud, a mental health charity for children, young people and families, and funded by NHS England.
Autism Central provides peer support nationally and is now offering 7,000 one-to-one and 1,000 group support sessions annually to build knowledge and understanding of autism. The fully-funded service emphasises empathy and connection, with the aim of empowering families to support their autistic loved ones to thrive.
To be as accessible as possible, the support is available online and over the phone, with some in-person sessions set to be introduced.
This comes as, according to the latest data, over 250,000 people are waiting for an autism diagnosis in England, with the service offering support to families of autistic people with and without a formal diagnosis.1
The service was originally launched in 2023 with a focus on peer support for parents and carers. Anna Freud, who took over delivery in October 2025, has expanded it to offer help for everyone in the support networks of autistic people of all ages, such as grandparents, partners, friends, and siblings, along with broadening the range of topics covered.
There are around 700,000 autistic people in the UK and, including families, autism impacts 2.8 million people.2 However, research on underdiagnosis suggests this figure is likely to be much higher.3 Autistic people are at significantly increased risk of experiencing mental health issues than neurotypical people, with around eight in ten affected in their lifetime.4,5
One of Anna Freud’s aims is to understand the challenges facing children, young people and families, including those in more vulnerable positions, to help improve mental health support and outcomes. Autism Central is designed to improve the wellbeing of autistic people and help them to thrive by giving those around them better understanding, practical strategies and peer support. This can create safer, more predictable and supportive environments for autistic people.
Autism Central’s support sessions are led by peer guides, who all have lived or family experience of autism. The design and delivery of the service is coproduced with autistic people and those around them, while drawing on the latest research and evidence in autism.
Dr Georgia Pavlopoulou, Director of Autism Central at Anna Freud and Associate Professor at University College London, said:
“Too often, family members and others supporting autistic people can be left feeling alone, while juggling competing pressures and trying to navigate a system that can be difficult to access and understand. They also may not have access to trustworthy, practical and compassionate information about autism and autistic people.
“Autism Central is here for the whole support network, from parents and partners to adult siblings, friends and carers. With lived experience and neurodiversity-informed research at its core, the service offers accessible support, empathy and understanding across England, helping people feel more informed, more confident and less alone as they support their autistic loved ones.”
NHS England’s senior responsible officer for mental health, learning and autism, for workforce, training and education said:
“We know that many family members and carers of autistic people do not always get the advice, support and guidance they need, when they need it, and this can vary depending on where people live. That is why we are funding national peer support groups and networks, so that people can access help wherever they are in England.
“Autism Central is making a real difference to people’s lives, and we are proud to support their work. Every conversation reflects a person’s own experience and by providing information and helping people to connect and be understood, we can ensure that families are empowered to provide the best support for their autistic loved ones.”
Victoria Jackson, (53) and their daughter (19) live in the North East of England and are both autistic and have ADHD. Their daughter was diagnosed aged 10 after experiencing challenges attending school, with barriers to education and support continuing. Since last year, Victoria has been attending Autism Central’s sessions to help support their daughter. Victoria says:
“My daughter always found school hard, but things really fell apart when she moved to secondary school. While it looked like she was managing, she was overloaded and struggling. Being surrounded by all the noise, chaos and smells every day, along with homework pressures that left little downtime, she gradually found attending harder and harder. When the pandemic hit, she was completely burnt-out and didn’t leave the house for eight months. She then spent most of secondary school in alternative provision and is now in college.
“Accessing support involved navigating EHCP, mental health and social care processes. It was overwhelming, with a constant focus on deficits. Attending appointments, reviews and meetings took over our lives, affecting our mental health and relationship, and we became very isolated. My daughter became fearful of services and her voice was lost in processes meant to support her. Finding Autism Central last year felt like a spark of hope. The sessions are led by people with lived experience, so there’s real understanding rather than a focus on ‘fixing’. You also meet different people in similar situations, which has given me new ways of seeing and dealing with things, which has helped to ease the pressure.
“Crucially, the service always supports in centering my daughter’s voice and perspective in any plans. Autism Central has brought connection and improved our relationship and, along with providing practical strategies, this has prevented difficult situations tipping over into crisis. I feel less pressured to fix everything, and the sessions also centered and brought joy, hope, humour and empowerment into our lives.”
Find out more about Autism Central.
Image: Depositphotos
