0161-762 1440
“Supporting the whole family”
Post Diagnostic Service ADHD and ASD
Referrals are received from Healthy Young Minds for families to access our Post Diagnostic Service. We work with families who have children/young people diagnosed with Autism or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. We offer a 5-week course that will inform, empower and support families who have received a recent diagnosis. Person centred, 1-1 work is carried out with the families that attend the course to ensure that the whole family understand their young persons diagnosis and work together going forward.
1-1 Support for Social Care Families
Referrals are received from Bury Council's Social Care Teams. We offer 1-1 support to families who have been referred in. This includes emotional support, upskilling and empowering parents, signposting and support for families in navigating their way through any difficulties they may be having. We can support with various strategies within the home environment. We support and empower families to complete DLA/PIP and charity forms etc. We can also, if necessary, signpost families to various services in Bury. Families are offered our seminars free of charge (please see the upcoming events page).
Parent Carer Seminars
Referrals from School Nursing Team
We receive referrals from the School Nursing Teams in Bury. Families are referred into our service for individual 1-1 support. We aim to empower families so they can manage any issues they are currently facing. We work closely with the relevant school so behaviours are worked on across all settings promoting consistency.
Our Parent Carer Seminars offer support, guidance and information that help to empower and upskill families for their futures. They are an opportunity to meet other parents who are in the same position. Many parents have said that it is one of the most powerful parts of the seminars, realising you are not alone and the only one struggling.
(please see the upcoming events page). We try to arrange the seminars mornings, afternoons and evenings so that everybody is able to attend.
CAMHS - Step Down Service
We receive referrals from CAMHS in Bury in relation to supporting parent’s emotional health and wellbeing. We offer 1-1 support to parents supporting them with the day to day challenges they may be facing. We inform and empower parents and help them develop their own natural support and support network. We can also signpost families to various statutory or voluntary/third sector organisations to ensure they are getting the correct support.
PACT and IBASIS
Sensory Seminars
First Point Family Support Services are the contract leads for the Sensory Pilot in Bury. Rehabilitation for Independence are the specialist private company that are commissioned through the contract to deliver the sensory assessments and sensory seminars (see their webpage link below). As contract lead we report on the anonymous statistical data to contract leads and manage the bookings, provide the venues and refreshments for all the seminars.
Home - Rehabilitation for Independence (rehabforindependence.co.uk)
PACT
First Point Family Support Services have been delivering Paediatric Autism Communication Therapy since May 2022. We have four qualified PACT Therapists.
Paediatric Autism Communication Therapy (PACT) is an intervention that supports connection, celebrates difference, and enhances communication.
PACT is a partnership between professionals and you as the parent/carer. It draws on your individual positive attributes and builds on your relationship with your child. This leads to a better understanding of your child and enhances your ability to accommodate and adapt to their individual differences. In the process, your child will learn to initiate communication on many more occasions, which positively affects their overall ability to interact, meet their needs, and self- advocate.
The PACT therapist uses specific video feedback techniques to help you, as parents/carers, recognise, respond to, and enhance your child’s communication. In this way, children are supported to develop their interaction and communication skills in their natural environment, which is one of the most effective ways of ensuring enduring development in social communication skills.
IBASIS
What is IBasis?
iBASIS (Intervention for the British Autism Study of Infant Siblings) uses videos of parents and carers playing with their babies. This helps parents/carers to better understand their babies and help to develop their interaction skills. The iBASIS practitioner records the adult and child playing together; then the adult and iBASIS practitioner watch the video back together and talk about what is going well and why. From watching their child and talking about them, the parents and carers develop more understanding of their baby and strategies that help their child.
Who runs the IBasis programme?
iBASIS is carried out by a Specialist iBASIS practitioner from the Bury Health Visiting Service, SEND Health Visiting Team in partnership with First Point Family Support.
Bespoke Training
First Point Family Support Services offer bespoke training packages to a wide variety of people and organisations including; schools, parents/carers, children and young people, local authorities, health care professionals, private establishments, voluntary and third sector organisations.
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Person Centred Planning (including Graphic Facilitating)
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Tactics for Home Parenting Sessions
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Safeguarding (Children)
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Safeguarding (Adults)
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Skill Building Courses
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Disability Awareness
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Understanding Autism
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Understanding ADHD
If you would like to discuss any of the above, please don’t hesitate to get in touch and we can devise personalised courses for your intended audience. Please contact us on 0161-762-1440 or via email - admin@firstpointsupport.org.uk
Padlets for support
Thriving in Bury for Children and Young People https://padlet.com/ThriveinBury/YoungPeople
Thriving in Bury for Parents and Carers https://padlet.com/ThriveinBury/ParentandCarers
Thriving in Bury for Education https://padlet.com/ThriveinBury/Education
Thriving in Bury for Professionals https://padlet.com/ThriveinBury/Professionals
Sensory Padlet https://padlet.com/ThriveinBury/Sensorysupport
Neurodiversity Padlet Autism and ADHD My Neurodiversity support Padlet
What We Offer:
The Team
Lynsey Blears - Company Director, PACT , IBASIS & SACS-r, Practitioner
Debi Walker - Company Director, PACT Practitioner, ADOS Practitioner
Amy Price - Higher Level - Family Support Worker & SACS-r Practitioner
Helen Bainbridge - Family Support Worker
Nicole Blears -PACT , IBASIS & SACS-r, Practitioner
Lucy Lee - Financial Support, PACT Practitioner
Lauren Minshull Brown - Navigator
Jenny Burns - Service Co-Ordinator
Social Work Students and Volunteers
“We passionately empower families and professionals to make informed choices. Built on our innovative and personable approach we aim to make life changing differences.”
Sensory & Communication Support for Families – Free for a Limited Time
Thanks to funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, we’re offering our complete BLOOM Toolkit completely free to families across the UK.
A Calmer, More Connected Home – Without the Wait
Does this sound familiar?
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Daily meltdowns over sounds, textures, transitions
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Constant chewing, climbing, or shutting down
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Limited speech, no interest in talking, or only scripts
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Long NHS waiting lists or no support at all
You're not alone. And you're not doing anything wrong.
Many families are told to "wait and see" - but your child deserves support now. The BLOOM Toolkit is here to help.
What Is the BLOOM Toolkit?
Created by a UK children’s Occupational Therapist and Speech & Language Therapist, this gentle, neuro-affirming resource helps parents reduce sensory struggles and support communication at home.
What You’ll Get:
✅ The BLOOM Handbook – a step-by-step sensory and communication guide
✅ Personalised Sensory & Communication Quiz – discover what your child really needs
✅ Home + School Activity Packs – calming, engaging strategies for daily life
✅ Supportive Parent Community – ask questions, feel heard, get guidance
Everything is designed for busy families - with practical ideas you can use right away.
Who Is It For?
✔️ Families of autistic or neurodivergent children (with or without a diagnosis)
✔️ Children with speech delays, sensory sensitivities, or shutdowns
✔️ Parents who want clear, respectful, home-based tools, not pressure or quick fixes
Whether your child is speaking, non-speaking, sensory-seeking, sensitive or shutdown, this toolkit will help you understand and support them in a calmer, more connected way.
What Makes BLOOM Different?
🔸 Based on the proven SPARK and CanDo™ frameworks
🔸 Created by qualified and experienced UK therapists
🔸 Focused on regulation before speech, connection before correction
🔸 Fully digital and mobile-friendly - we even have an app
What Parents Are Saying
"We finally feel like we have a plan. This toolkit explained so much we’d never been told. My child feels more settled – and I do too."
– Parent of 5-year-old
Get Free Access Today
This resource is 100% free for a limited time thanks to grant funding.
No diagnosis needed. No forms. No waiting.
Just one small ask - please complete the questionnaire first!
ensory & Communication Support for Families – Free for a Limited Time
Thanks to funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, we’re offering our complete BLOOM Toolkit completely free to families across the UK.
Bereavement Support for different Language Speakers
Please find our address and contact details below
Thank You
Phoenix house, 100 Brierley Street, Bury, Manchester, BL9 9HN
0161-762-1440
