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Workshop: Siblings aged 55+

What’s happening?

Are you an adult who has an autistic brother/sister? (Or another neurodiversity or lifelong disability from birth?)

Siblings have to juggle competing demands and challenges throughout their lives, however these can increase with age.

Older siblings may be ‘sandwich carers’ (caring for older parents and teenage children) alongside caring for their autistic and/or disabled brother/sister. They may be navigating their own ageing process and their brother/sister’s too. Their parent(s) may have died, and they may be the only remaining relative for their brother/sister.

Older siblings may also feel more confident as a sibling through years of experience, may have developed strong social support/resources and may be enjoying their own good health and opportunities.

When and where?

Workshop: Siblings aged 55+
Monday 10th March, 7pm – 8.30pm
Online via Zoom
Tickets £5

If you’re in need of a free place, just let us know in confidence by emailing [email protected] – we do not want payment to be a barrier for siblings wishing to attend.

Why attend?

At this friendly, informal and interactive session you will:

  • Understand more about the specific challenges of older siblings
  • Recognise the strengths of older siblings and how these can be utilised
  • Gain practical tips and insights for navigating your sibling situation going forward

This is a confidential, sibling-only environment ­– no recording or screenshots, no parents or professionals.

Who can attend?

To join the sessions you must:

  • Be aged around 55 or older
  • Currently live in the UK
  • Have a brother or sister who is autistic (or who has another neurodiversity or lifelong disability from birth)

Book your place

 

Frequently asked questions

What's the confident caring programme?

Our Confident Caring programme is a series of online events, bringing together siblings who have an autistic brother or sister. It is gratefully supported by the Boshier Grant Scheme.

We’re also very appreciative of 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.

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 [email protected] – we do not want payment to be a barrier for siblings wishing to attend

What isn't included?

  • Please note that this is a general group session and that one-to-one support cannot be provided for individual personal issues
  • This session will not be recorded. This is so that siblings can feel comfortable having their video cameras on and asking questions throughout
  • Whilst you’ll be in great company and will have the chance to say hello to others, the focus of the session isn’t on socialising. If you’re looking for this, join a support group instead.

I'm not a carer, can I still come along?

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

I'm not a sibling. Can I attend?

No, these sessions are a confidential sibling-only environment. We are only funded to support siblings and cannot accept bookings from partners, cousins, friends, parents, professionals, researchers or anyone else who hasn’t grown up with a disabled or neurodivergent brother/sister.

I'm interested in this topic but I can't make the date

We don’t take recordings of our sessions, so that siblings feel safe and relaxed to have their cameras on and participate throughout. After the session, we will upload a one-page guide with a summary of the best hints and tips that were shared – come back to this webpage to download it. Also, make sure you’re signed up to our mailing list to hear about future sessions.

Take a look at these experiences of other siblings in their 50s and 60s too:

To meet other siblings who have a neurodiverse and/or disabled brother/sister:

I'm interested in other information sessions in the Confident Caring programme

Click here to see our other information sessions in the Confident Caring programme.

I've got more questions...

We’d love to hear from you – please email [email protected]