mASCot supporting ASC families

31/03/2026

Could you and your family help future doctors learn about autism?

Time for Autism is an education programme at Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) in collaboration with Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust. It aims to teach medical students about autism with the help of autistic children and young people (up to around age 18) and their families.

The programme began in September 2021 and so far around 900 students and 250 families have taken part. Our fifth group of students began the programme in September 2025. The programme is for all fourth-year medical students at BSMS who learn about autism both in the classroom and by visiting a family at home three times (once a term) over the academic year.

During the visits, students have a unique opportunity to meet children and young people and talk to families to learn from their lived experience. This helps them learn how to improve the care they give to autistic people in their future careers as doctors.
“The students were brilliant and so interested... It’s a great programme, we are very happy that we got involved.” (TfA family no. 97)

“This experience has definitely been a highlight of medical school. We found it extremely insightful and thoroughly enjoyed our experience.” (TfA student 2025)

We are looking for new families to join the programme:

'We are looking for families in Brighton and Hove and neighbouring parts of Sussex (up to approximately one hour’s travel from Brighton) to take part in an education programme designed to teach medical students about autism. Each family will be paired with two students from Brighton and Sussex Medical School who will visit them at home three times over the course of a year. This is an exciting opportunity for autistic children and young people (up to around age 18) and their families to share experiences and expertise with medical students, to help them provide better care in the future.’

If you would like to know more, please contact: Alison Smith, Time for Autism Development Manager E: [email protected] T: 07717 450954

Please visit the following web page for more information and to watch a short video about Time for Autism:

https://www.bsms.ac.uk/research/clinical-neuroscience/cds/time-for-autism/time-for-autism.aspx

Facebook: TimeforAutism

31/03/2026

Thankfully we have mASCot Members who come forward to raise well needed funds for us, these wonderful acts of kindness helps us to be able to continue to support our members.

We have a “Look who’s Supporting us” page on the website to promote the great things members do for mASCot.

Supporters at the moment include:

-Sam Rutter, running the Brighton Marathon
-Kate Banfield, Walking from London to Brighton

Please follow the link to support Sam & Kate, the more support the more funds they raise.

You'll also find a link to many more who have supported mASCot over the years.

If you or anyone you know are thinking of doing a fundraiser for a good cause, please choose mASCot, find out more here:

https://www.asc-mascot.com/supporting-mascot

Don't forget I've built the website for us all as a one stop shop for all info you need, all that is happening in mASCot, so if there's anything you think needs adding let me know.

https://www.asc-mascot.com/look-who-s-supporting-mascot

All the people who are fundraising at the moment for mASCot.

31/03/2026

Make sure you visit our resources page to see if there's anything you may find useful.

Resources include:

-Transition to Secondary
-Periods
-Consent and Tea
-Buying new shoes
-And many more.........

There's also useful Books and Films, plus a form for you to suggest resources yourself.

Don't forget I've built the website for us all as a one stop shop for all info you need, so if there's anything you think needs adding let me know.

Disclaimer mASCot continually add to our signposting database of services, places, groups, agencies, individuals etc that our mASCot members have shared with fellow members on our forum. We include many of these suggestions on our website, please be aware, these links are provided as signposting for...

19/03/2026

The Brilliant Mark Allen, AKA Neuroshambles, has chosen mASCot to celebrate and raise funds for as his chosen organisation for Podcasthon, He invited Sam Bayley to chat about starting mASCot and the importance of finding your people.

Thank you Mark 💚🧡💙

Read more about Podcasthon here:
https://podcasthon.org/podcaster/neuroshambles

Listen to Mark & Sam chat here:
https://neuroshambles.com/episode/finding-your-people-when-you-have-neurodivergent-kids-sam-bayley

Mark is joined by Sam Bayley - founder of mASCot, a Sussex-based parent-to-parent support network for families of autistic, ADHD and PDA children and young...

07/01/2026

Celebrating those who make Brighton a Place To Belong 💚🧡💙

The Brighton Neurodivergent Community, has been shortlisted for an award for best community group in the Brighton Girl Awards for Celebrating those who make Brighton a Place To Belong.

What Bill and his partner Leigh have achieved in the past couple of years is amazing, creating a much needed space for 18-40 ND adults (without a learning disability) to meet and have a great social life and a space to make friends and build relationships.

https://www.asc-mascot.com/brighton-neurodiverse-community

Please take a moment to vote for them, it will mean so much for them to win this category.

Follow this link, add you details then scroll down to Community Award and choose Brighton Neurodiverse Community, press submit, it's that easy 😜

Thank you so much, remember your little ones will be 18 in a blink of an eye, so make sure we keep our community strong for long.

https://citygirlnetwork.com/brighton-girl-awards...
https://citygirlnetwork.com/brighton-girl-awards?fbclid=IwY2xjawPLjllleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAEwAAEeu9qphNYJFWrI287mMwaleqjfuc7sBzNJXQSfJ3vjy15mx13SiPHZgvmNNwo_aem_TPaEp8YQ2EpDyk2X3AIkcQ

The idea of this space is to create an inclusive hub where an ND community of young adults can meet virtually to chat, make friends and to plan and arrange meet ups, including:

01/01/2026

Happy New Year 💚🧡💙

Have a read of all we have achieved in 2025 😁

What an amazing year and we look forward to all we’re going to be doing in 2026 💚🧡💙

As this year comes to a close, mASCot wants to look back and reflect on what has been an amazing and full 2025. Together, we’ve achieved so much, grown stronger and bigger as a community, and set the bar high again for an eventful, busy 2026.

04/11/2025

So happy you have chosen us to support this year, 💚🧡💙

07/10/2025

💚🧡💙Autism in Schools Project 💚🧡💙
mASCot were invited along to Bevendean School last week by PaCC as part of their working in schools Project.
Paula Donovan and Sam Bayley went along to talk to parents about mASCot, how it started, what we do and how to become part of the amazing mASCot community.
It was great to meet many new parents, and as always be in awe of everyones journey and strength when navigating the SEND world, so if we helped a little bit, then it was worth it.
Well done PaCC for running this project and look forward to joining you in November for another talk at Blatchington Mill.

20/07/2025

Looks like great holiday fun 💚🧡💙

☀️SUMMER HOLIDAY FUN! ☀️ FREE ENTRY! 😍
Join us throughout the summer holidays for some proper farm fun!🧑‍🌾 Our gates will be open for you to get close to nature and let the kids roam! 🌱
⭐️Kids Activities! ⭐️
🐔 Meet and feed the chickens
🥚Pick Your Own Eggs
⛳️Crazy Footgolf
🍄Farm Trail
🌳Wild woods Play Area
🎯Mac-tivity Sessions
🐷Farmer For a Day Sessions
🧘Outdoor Yoga
⭐️Food & Drink ⭐️
🌭 The Mac Shack
🍟 Loaded Hot Dogs and Fries
🥪 Toasted Sandwiches
🍺The Nest Box Bar
Draught Beer / Local Wine / Spirits / cocktails / Milkshakes / Smoothies / Proper coffee / Ice creams
We cant wait to see you!! No need to book!

01/07/2025

This is wonderful make sure you support Tor Support us 🧡🐝