Siblings (TAG)

One often overlooked aspect of autism is the impact beyond the individual given the diagnosis- and to that of the family. Specifically the siblings- the brothers and sisters. There is precious little written, guidance given or support given to those who are sibling to a child with ASC. The exceptions to this rule are exceptional- primarily the work of Sandra Harris who has written an ESSENTIAL book and detailed impact in valuable research articles.

It has been a long-standing policy for the TLC groups we’ve run to invite & include siblings to attend or participate wherever possible. And guidance to our direct care staff to ensure that home-based sessions include some small portion of time devoted to providing any siblings some specific time to play, share or talk.

So this year (2020) we were delighted to team up and collaborate again with mASCot and design a bespoke siblings support group…

Based on interviews & meetings with parents, and informed by clinical support from research and our staffs experience- This project was designed to incorporate aspects of Acceptance & Commitment Therapy, forming a monthly event that looks to build connection.

The TAG (Totally Awesome Group)- a name generated by the Siblings themselves is an ACT based group for siblings of children with Autism.

The group provides a safe space where members are encouraged to ‘be’ in the present moment, connect through shared experiences and involve themselves in actions that are of value to them. Caring for siblings means that, so often, these young people are not given the special attention that they deserve. This can affect low self-esteem, anxiety and issues surrounding self-regulation. Our TAG aims to develop children’s relationships with their internal worlds, fostering flexibility, building resilience, and helping individuals to value their ‘Totally Awesome’ selves. We learn the importance of connecting with ourselves through a creative expressive approach, tapping into our imaginations to develop mindful awareness. We use the metaphor of ‘tags’ to explore our identities, the labels we are given, as well as the tags we can give ourselves to promote self-healing and acceptance.

If you are interested in learning more contact us at partners@thetlc.org and/or go to https://asc-mascot.com/

have a look below at some of the content and ideas we are exploring about the ‘tag’ way to think about things…