MyOTAS is an Essex based registered charity (1184723) that was founded in Spring 2019 and officially registered in August that year.

Our purpose is to improve the lives of neurodiverse children and their families by delivering 3 key pillars of support: 1. Children’s activities. MyOTAS run activity sessions for autistic children and those with social anxiety. We provide a calm space for the children to make friends, develop their social skills and learn ways to recognise and regulate their own emotions. The parents present at the activities also receive emotional support and signposting to other relevant services. Our sessions take place within Wickford and Basildon, but we welcome parents and children from anywhere in Essex to come along. Children do not need a formal diagnosis to access our services.  2. Family support. We provide direct support to parents, carers and wider family members, who are seeking a kind, non-judgemental space, to discuss their problems and gain help with all the red tape restricting their child’s access to the services they need. Our Parent Support Groups run at least once a month and parents can choose to join the group chat or book a 1:1 appointment with one of our family support team to discuss their issues in depth and get help with complicated forms. Support is available via a range of channels, including zoom and face to face support groups, online via messenger and email and we also attend other support groups to reach families who cannot travel to us. Additionally, we run a support group via Facebook, which currently has over 1,300 members.  We co-wrote a book for parents ‘Supporting Your Neurodiverse Child’ in collaboration with our local CCGs and Councils and so far 4,200 hard copies have been distributed to parents and many more free digital copies have been downloaded across the country. 3. Increasing awareness of neurodiversity within the community. We work with other community groups, members of the general public and professionals to increase awareness and understanding to give our young people the best chance of acceptance and support from their local community. We represent our families lived experiences within the South East Essex Mental Health Partnership Forum, Essex Family Forum and Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition, of which we are active members.