Outreach and support

The Hayes Outreach and Support Team (HOST), based at Pinkers Court, provides:

• assessment by a team of experienced therapists, who will identify the interventions and support which people could most benefit from
• detailed, autism-specific assessment of need in the areas of language and communication, behavioural difficulties, personal strengths and abilities, level of functioning, general health and fitness, and recreation and leisure interests
• person-centred support programmes based on our assessment and people's own strengths, needs and aspirations
• flexible, needs-led professional and specialist support.

Our team includes psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, an occupational therapist, an art therapist, a music therapist and an aromatherapist. Access to other professionals can be provided on a sessional basis through local NHS services.

All our outreach staff have extensive experience of working with people with autism spectrum disorders. We work with parents, carers and siblings: that way, the progress people make in our day centre can be encouraged and supported when they are at home, and vice versa.

We can support adults with autism spectrum disorders and other complex needs, which may include:

• mental health needs
• anxiety
• behavioural issues (which might include contact with the criminal justice system)
• health-related needs.

This support can be provided in people's homes or residential services, and through wider community experience and/or access to our specialist community resource centre.