TAILOR ED FOUNDATION is looking for individuals and families, friends and supporters to join on us for a fun day helping to raise funds for our work.

There are three walking options;

• The Wee Wander: approx. 4 miles (ideal for families)
• The Big Stroll: approx. 14 miles
• The Mighty Stride: a long, long way 24 miles!!

To encourage as many families as possible to take part on our behalf we will sponsor the first 10 families to get in touch with us (2 adults and 2 children). Please get in touch with Stuart if you are keen to go for a walk – Stuart@tailoredfoundation.co.uk

You can find lots of information on their web site: https://www.thekiltwalk.co.uk/events/edinburgh

Every single penny you raise will go to our services and Sir Tom Hunter and The Hunter Foundation will top this up by a HUGE 50%

Faith, a pupil at Liberton High School, chose Tailor Ed Foundation as her Youth Philanthropy Initiative Project, and has won!

Tailor Ed Foundation was delighted a few months ago when a student from Liberton High School contacted Stuart and asked if it was okay if she did her Youth Philanthropy Initiative Project on us. The student explained she wanted to share her experiences of being autistic to her classmates and the whole school. She said there was no better local charity to support than Tailor Ed and just maybe she could raise funding for our work. Of course we agreed and Stuart was interviewed by the student as she prepared her presentation for her YPI project.

In June a very excited student then got back in touch with Stuart to say she had WON and that we would be getting £3000 towards our services.

This was a fantastic outcome: the student told us she is delighted to have raised awareness of autism throughout her school, with her friends, other students and school staff and she was over the moon that she had raised so much for us.

Tailor Ed Foundation would like to thank Faith Sinclair for choosing us as her local charity and for sharing her experiences so powerfully and convincingly with everyone at Liberton High School.

Youth Philanthropy Initiative is a well established part of social studies in the school curriculum for all High Schools for second year students and there is a separate programme for senior pupils: if your child ever comes home and tells you they are taking part in YPI but not sure which local charity to carry out their project on, please point them in our direction! Stuart would be delighted to help and support them – stuart@tailoredfoundation.co.uk

During school holidays, you can join us to start the day at Circle Time, each weekday at 10 am. You can join the group from 9.55am. Feel free to participate in any way you want and you feel comfortable; by having the camera on or off, microphone mute or unmute, dressing in your favourite costume or accompanied by parents or siblings. Please display your child’s name so we can welcome them.

If you joined Circle time before, you can use the same Zoom link; or if you want to join circle time for the first time, you need any help accessing this or have any questions contact contact@tailoredfoundation.co.uk 

Again this year we’re running our workshop for parents who want to teach their child to ride a bike. The practical sessions are for parents and carers and their child to practice riding a bike.

The sessions will be Saturday 9^th July and Saturday 30^th July at the Edinburgh Academy Junior School grounds in Canonmills (some free parking may be available). Our team will be on hand to help you teach your child and practice the various exercises. We can provide bikes if needed.

Places on this workshop must be booked in advance as there are limited places. To book email contact@tailoredfoundation.co.uk or speak to your project worker

Tailor Ed Foundation are moving on 14th June to 18 Forth Street, Edinburgh, EH1 3LH

After many years in Leith, Tailor Ed Foundation are moving offices to a more central location at 18 Forth Street, Edinburgh EH1 3LH. The new office has excellent transport links for our families travelling from across Edinburgh and East Lothian. Click here for a map or to get directions.

We would be grateful if you can make sure that you update our address and contact details on your records, and please note that we also have a brand new Enquiries telephone number – 07842 104368 – where you can leave a message for one of the team.

We look forward to welcoming you in our new Office soon!

Tailor Ed Foundation are recruiting for a further Project Worker within the Target Specific Service.

Applications for the role are open until 20th June 2022 – please see link below for full job description and Application Form. Please feel free share this advert with anyone who might be interested in or suitable for this position!

Tailor Ed Foundation are pleased to announce they are expanding their services to include an East Lothian Schools pilot service, working initially with a small group of autistic children to support them both at home and at school.

Headed up by our Senior Project Worker Pete McNaughton, this project will aim to support autistic children in mainstream East Lothian primary schools access their education. We will work intensively with a small group of children identified by the local authority over 12 months. We’ll work holistically across school and home environments and with the team around the child including parents.

Our dedicated Senior Project Worker will assess and then formulate targets for each child in collaboration with school, home and other key professionals using the SCERTS framework. We’ll deliver intervention strategies directly, drawing on our expertise in evidence-based approaches for autistic children. With effective methods in place to support each child better access their education we’ll work to embed these, modelling, coaching and providing training as necessary. We will then look to fade our direct involvement and evaluate the impact of the service.

Email pete@tailoredfoundation.co.uk for more information

There’s a range of initiatives underway to help address gaps in services for families across the city. Tailor Ed is keen to ensure that the needs of families of autistic children are considered and inform service developments and so we’ll share with you news and opportunities to have your say. We have work underway with partners Barnardos and Autism Initiatives on a new offer to help support the mental health and wellbeing of neurodiverse children and young people which we hope to be able to share with you soon.

In addition, Jillian Hart, Development Officer for Parent & Carer Support in the Department of Schools and Lifelong Learning, City of Edinburgh Council has created a survey to help capture need and inform service planning around mental health supports for parents…