Autism Central - England's Peer Education Programme

The Autism Central programme is now led by Anna Freud, a world-leading mental health charity with a strong background in supporting children, young people, families, and the professionals around them.

The Anna Freud delivery model is rooted in lived experience and strengthened by research, working in partnership with UCL’s Group for Research in Relationships And NeuroDiversity (GRRAND). 

What we offer to families

Anna Freud delivers Autism Central – a co-produced and co-delivered peer education programme created by and for families of autistic people of all ages.

We provide a welcoming, accessible learning environment where families can learn together, share lived experience, and build confidence side by side. We help families:

• build knowledge and confidence
• understand autistic experiences of joy, distress, and wellbeing across the lifespan
• advocate effectively for their loved ones
• support wellbeing and reduce the risk of hospitalisation.

Our offer includes:

• Group peer-to-peer training and coaching – practical online sessions where families share strategies and strengthen skills
• 1-to-1 peer support – personalised guidance from trained peer educators with lived experience
• Reflective parenting sessions – safe spaces to explore neurodiversity and mental health in family life
• Regional peer-led meetings – online and face-to-face gatherings run by families, for families
• National learning platform – high-quality resources, available anytime
• Community connections – coffee mornings, drop-ins, and conversations that reduce isolation and build belonging

All of our events are free NHS England Commissioned sessions delivered by Anna Freud

To find out more about what we offer families and events, please visit our website

Autism Central - England's Peer Education Programme | Autism Central