Home Support for adult siblings Confident Caring programme Confident Caring programme: Cuppa and chat sessions

Cuppa and chat sessions

Are you an adult who has an autistic brother or sister? Would you like to meet others, share experiences and feel more confident as a sibling? Join a support session below.

What’s happening?

We’re running two online cuppa and chat sessions to bring together siblings who have an autistic brother or sister. It’s a great way to meet other siblings and chat about the highs and lows of sibling life. This is part of our Confident Caring programme, supported by the Boshier Grant Scheme and the National Lottery Community Fund (Awards for All).

Where and when?

We’re running two cuppa and chat sessions:

Tuesday 16^th July, 7pm – 8.30pm
Tuesday 24^th September, 7pm – 8.30pm

Online via Zoom.

Both sessions are the same, so please sign up for one or the other. We are unable to offer a sibling a place at two sessions.

Who can attend?

To join you must:

Be aged 18 or over
Currently live in the UK
Have a brother or sister who is autistic (this includes Asperger Syndrome)

“Thank you so much for hosting a fabulous session this morning. I feel much more positive about my situation and knowing there are others who feel the same. It was a great boost.” – Adult sibling, previous session

What’s the cost?

It’s just £5 to attend.

This is a fraction of the actual cost of your place. We are fortunate to be able to offer this very low ticket cost to siblings, thanks to funding from the Boshier Grant Scheme and the National Lottery Community Fund (Awards for All)
The fee is non-refundable under any circumstances, because of the cost to the charity of processing this, unless the event has to be cancelled by us due to reasons beyond our control
If you’re able to, please consider making an additional donation to cover extra places for siblings in financial need
If you’re in need of a free place, just let us know in confidence by emailing info@sibs.org.uk – we do not want payment to be a barrier for siblings wishing to attend

Why should I come along?

Come to a cuppa and chat session if you’d like to meet other siblings who just ‘get’ what sibling life is like in a friendly and welcoming space. Meeting others and sharing experiences can really help you to feel more resilient, less isolated and more confident in your sibling role.

“I came into that [session] wanting to cry and left feeling upbeat and hopeful!” – Adult sibling, previous session

What can I expect?

A friendly hello from us at Sibs!
The chance to meet and say hello to other siblings like you – everyone will have their video on and there will be the opportunity for discussion
We’ll talk about what it’s like to be a sibling to an autistic brother or sister and strategies for support – the positives, the challenges and everything in between!
A confidential, sibling-only environment – no recording or screenshots, no parents or professionals

What isn’t included?

Please note that this is a large group session and that one-to-one support cannot be provided for individual personal issues
The session will not be recorded. This is so that siblings can feel comfortable sharing their experiences in a confidential environment

Frequently asked questions

“My sister has a severe learning disability, and doesn’t have a diagnosis of autism. I think I’d still benefit from attending this session. Can I come along?”

Yes. We’re very grateful to have received funding from the National Lottery Community Fund (Awards for All) to help towards the cost of providing spaces for siblings whose brother or sister has a diagnosis that isn’t autism.

Yes. This session is for siblings who may have been a carer in the past, are currently carers or may be a carer in the future.