The board of directors at Spectrum Connection CIC is made up of autistic adults and allies who are passionate about respectful, child- and family-focused support. We all have lived experience of autism and neurodiversity.
Amanda is autistic, and the founder of Spectrum Connection CIC. Amanda ran The Rainbow Project, an Ofsted-rated ‘outstanding’ early support service for autistic children, for over three years. Amanda is trained in respectful, child-led methods of support, particularly the DIR/Floortime model. She is a certified PACT therapist. Amanda is an Associate for IMPACT CIC, the creators of PACT. Amanda has a Masters in Autism in Children from the University of Birmingham (Merit: 2019). Amanda has written for The National Autistic Society: Network Autism, I Love Manchester, and has presented at several conferences on the subject of early support for autistic children. She is passionate about child- and family-centred, autism-positive, relationship-based support, and to widening access to this kind of early intervention.
Jen is autistic and has many years of experience in supporting autistic and neurodivergent children and adults in education settings. She currently works with autistic adults in a university setting, and has a compassionate and person-centred approach to bringing the best out of everyone she meets. She has qualifications in autism and dyslexia. Jen supports and develops Spectrum Connection CIC’s fundraising bids, our advertising, our policies and procedures, our website and social media, and is our designated Safeguarding Officer.
Julie is neurodivergent and is a parent of a non-speaking autistic adult. Julie is trained in person-centred approaches, and has years of experience of running provisions that put autistic people at the heart of everything they do. Julie’s interests are wide-ranging and innovative, and she is brimming with ideas about Spectrum Connection CIC’s service development. She is most passionate about parent support, and putting that in place as early as possible so that parents can feel empowered. She also has an interest in developing communication methods in non-speaking or minimally-speaking children. Julie is our Treasurer.
Spectrum Connection CIC believes in the importance of relationships on children’s development. Parents know their children best, and have specialist knowledge of them. There is no limit to how much autistic children can grow and achieve through strong connections and play. We are passionate about supporting and empowering parents to confidently understand, connect with and advocate for their own child.
Spectrum Connection CIC is a not-for-profit Community Interest Company that exists for the benefit of autistic children and their families, providing high-quality, evidence-based early intervention. We can offer free or subsidised places through generous funding, and our fees are on a sliding scale of cost depending on what families can afford. If you would like to participate in intervention but are finding it difficult financially, you may be eligible for funded therapy. Please contact us – we are excited to hear from you.
We are now part of the Autism Services Directory from the National Autistic Society.
