A percentage of the Gross Profits from Universal Alert will go towards the Sparkle Sheffield Charity
Sparkle Sheffield is a small registered charity, based in Sheffield but with wider reach. The charity was Founded by Liesje Dusauzay (Leesh) in September 2014. Liesje noticed there was no autism specific groups in Sheffield, where she could learn more to help her child. So she started a group with just 3 parents, hoping to learn from others. The demand for autism knowledge among the parents and carers was very high, Sparkle Sheffield grew at an extraordinary rate.
The charity operates to support Autistic children and young people and their families and those who are Autistic and whom may also have co-morbid conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, pathological demand avoidance, processing disorders, dyspraxia, dyslexia and dyscalculia, mental health challenges, chronic physical sicknesses such as cystic fibrosis, diabetes, and those with life limiting conditions such as cancers etc. Sparkle Sheffield volunteers in recognition of their work and reach were honoured to be selected and awarded the Queens Award for voluntary Service during HRH Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee on the 5th June 2022.
Our service is vital in supporting Autistic children and young people. A very high proportion of the children and young people we support, experience high levels of stress and anxiety, depression and OCD too. This arises from living in a primarily a non- Autistic society which impacts upon them with over-sensory stimuli and can go into ‘ autism meltdowns’, unable to control emotions and self-regulate , we support with triggers and to help self-regulate and therefore, we assist in strategies and techniques around this and other aspects of Autism and raising public awareness of Autism too.
Those we serve, exhibit high levels of self-harming behaviours, as well as a sizeable number expressing desires to die by suicide, as well as a worrying number seeking to act on these desires too. We have Autistic children as young as six who have been diagnosed with depression and whom have sought to die by suicide, whom we support. Since COVID-19, self-harming behaviours and expressions and actions to die by suicide has greatly increased and there is not a day goes by when we are not supporting several children and young people at once suffering in this way.
Other challenges arising from Covid-19 include children and young people experiencing loss and bereavement, we had over one hundred children lose a close relative from Covid and we are supporting them through the aftermath of this loss and grief.
Sleep and insomnia are a prevailing issue for the children, with 40 to 80% of autistic individuals, research shows, struggling with sleep disturbances. Having a sleep disorder affects not only sleep, but also waking hours. and we support children and young people through this in the home and through training with techniques and tried and tested peer support strategies and referrals to help in this regard too, as chronic lack of sleep can be debilitating for the children, young people and families. Waiting lists for statutory help are extortionate and so it’s important to secure help in other ways, in the meantime as lack of sleep can impact mood, self-regulation etc.
We also help with advocating for children and young people. Often Autistic people, especially children are not afforded their rights and entitlements and in the geographical areas we serve, the waiting list for a neuro-disability assessment is up to 3 years. This in turn leaves these children and young people facing and accruing multiple challenges and harms that we help with too. Some young people, whilst on a waiting list for support have even exceeded this waiting time up to 10 years and beyond and come to us for help in desperation. In addition, high levels of unofficial/unlawful exclusions, as well as fixed term and permanent ones take place too, from nursery age on through childhood and into young adulthood , against Autistic people, they are often rejected for appropriate schooling and services that meet their needs and require advocacy , and we are the only service that goes to Courts as advocates of children without charge as the vast majority of those we serve are on low incomes and cannot afford this type of support or representation and hearings, Court, or official school hearings can be traumatising a process fpr children and young people to understand and go through and we help in this regard.
Manoeuvring around and even accessing the myriad of provision and indeed gaining access to support and services can be very challenging and we have found from our years of operation that the community lack confidence and trust in stepping forward for help and on doing so, can be knocked back by resource limitations and not understanding systems and processes. We also provide, information and 1-1 support, family support, groups and activities to break down the isolation Autistic children’s, young people’s and families experience and to build inclusion, a sibling support group - as these children and young people within Autistic families often have to take a back seat and their needs can go ignored, an equipment loan service i.e. specialist Autism resources that are prohibitive for families to but, but which are greatly needed. Our families are on low incomes or benefits and cannot avail of paying for support paid advocacy and legal representation, nor with accessing activities and groups, including arts and crafts, visits to places of interest, trampolining, camping etc. to aid them and break down their isolation, and to secure their inclusion.
We endeavour to raise awareness of Autism and the needs of Autistic people, to help Autistic children and young people, their families and the Autistic community and also to influence society and other provisions and services and communities to be more inclusive of Autistic people.
