2024-05-31-accounts

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Registered Charity Number :- 1198909

AUTISTIC PARENTS UK

a Charitable Incorporated Organisation

TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR END 31 May 2024

Office 1 Izabella House 24 - 26 Regent Place Birmingham 07585906069 jenni@autisticparentsuk.org

AUTISTIC PARENTS UK

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 May 2024

TRUSTEES' REPORT ............................................................................................................................................................. 3 INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT ................................................................................................................................. 9 STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES ............................................................................................................................ 10 BALANCE SHEET ............................................................................................................................................................... 11 NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ......................................................................................................................... 12

AUTISTIC PARENTS UK

TRUSTEES' REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 May 2024

Objectives and Activities

Purposes of the charity

Autistic Parents UK (APUK) is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) dedicated to promoting social inclusion and improving the physical and mental well-being of Autistic parents in the UK. The charity seeks to address the social exclusion that may Autistic parents experience and to advocate for greater understanding and support.

The core purposes of the charity, as set out in its governing document (constitution), are;

Promoting Social Inclusion - Supporting Autistic parents at risk of social exclusion by providing education, information, and opportunities to help then integrate into society.
Advocacy & Awareness - Representing Autistic parents, raising awareness of their experiences, and engaging with healthcare professionals and service providers to improve inclusion and access to support.
Protecting & Promoting Well-being - Enhancing the mental and physical health of Autistic parents through peer support groups, information sharing, advocacy, and access to resources.

We achieve these aims through peer support, training, and advocacy initiatives, including online support groups, webinars, resource development, professional training, and collaborative advocacy efforts.

Main activities

During this financial year, APUK continued to expand its support services, training, and advocacy work, delivering highimpact projects that directly benefited Autistic parents across the UK.

Peer Support Services

One-to-One Support: Delivered personalised peer support sessions to 26 individuals, offering tailored guidance and emotional support.
Group Support: Facilitated peer support groups for 54 participants, creating a safe and understanding space for shared experiences.
Counselling Services: Provided dedicated counselling support to over 10 Autistic parents, addressing their unique mental health needs.
Online Community:
Facebook Support Group: Grew to over 2,000 members, providing a moderated space for peer connections.
Discord Server: Developed a small but growing space with topic- and location-based channels for Autistic Parents.
Volunteer Support: Trained and supported over 10 volunteers in delivering peer support, with a small number of paid positions further reinforcing our service capacity.

AUTISTIC PARENTS UK

TRUSTEES' REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 May 2024

Forward Carers Project

Supporting Autistic Parent Carers in Birmingham. With £13,000 in funding from Forward Carers, APUK committed to supporting 50 carers in the wellbeing domains of "feeling safe", "health and wellbeing", and "relationships". By the end of this financial year:

51 carers had already received support, with 5 months of the project still remaining.
Delivered educational webinars with expert speakers on key social car topics (eg. PIP applications, FII accusations).
Ran reflective peer support sessions for participants to discuss their experiences and challenges.
Developed a self-paced online resource package on navigating social care in Birmingham, due for release in 2025.

Research & Training Initiatives

Birth and Beyond Project (Swansea University, Research Wales Innovation Fund):
Contributed educational resources, webinars, and training materials to support, research on Autistic parents' experiences.
Internal Training for Healthcare & Family Services:
Delivered training to NHS teams, FAASS Family Services, and North Lincolnshire Council, improving professional understanding of Autistic parents' needs.
Commissioned by New Baby Network to provide peer support training and perinatal education sessions.

Employment & Volunteering Opportunities

Provided employment or self-employed contracts to 11 Autistic parents, enabling them to contribute to APUK's mission while gaining financial stability.
Supported over 10 volunteers in various roles.

Ongoing Public Education & Advocacy

Continued to deliver regular educational webinars & Q&A sessions on critical topics relevant to Autistic parents, such as Autistic burnout.
Advocated for improved policies and support structures through engagement with professionals, researchers, and service providers.

Achievements and Performance

During this financial year, APUK made a tangible difference in the lives of Autistic parents across the UK by providing critical peer support, educational resources, and advocacy. The charity's work not only improved the well-being of individual beneficiaries but also contributed to a wider societal shift towards greater awareness and inclusion of Autistic parents.

Empowering Autistic Parent Carers

Through the Forward Carers Project with funding from Forward Carers, APUK successfully supported Autistic parent carers in Birmingham, helping them to feel more confident, heard, and less stressed in navigating social care systems:

AUTISTIC PARENTS UK

TRUSTEES' REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 May 2024

80% of carers said they felt more confident in advocating for their families' rights and needs within social care.
75% of carers reported feeling more heard and supported in their experiences around social services and social care.
100% of carers said they felt reduced stress after engaging with the project.

Through one-to-one peer support, educational webinars, and reflective sessions, many Autistic parents expressed a greater sense of identity, belonging, and validation in their experiences.

One participant shared:

"Knowing I'm not alone in the way I think, feel, and behave as a parent with Autism allowed me to drop some of the unjustified self-guilt and shame I carried. It allowed me to lower my mask and fully embrace our unique, quirky, fabulously fun family just as we are."

A case study from the project illustrates the deep personal impact of APUK's peer support services. Naila, an Autistic parent carer, struggled with self-doubt, burnout, and fear of social services intervention. After receiving one-to-one peer support for 12 weeks, she felt more empowered to advocate for her children, navigate systems with confidence, and connect with a supportive community of fellow Autistic parents.

Expanding Peer Support and Reducing Isolation

Provided one-to-one peer support to 26 individuals.
Facilitated peer support groups for 54 participants.
Maintained a closed Facebook group with over 2,000 members, creating an accessible and safe online community for Autistic parents.
Supported over 10 volunteers in delivering peer support, with additional paid peer support roles increasing capacity.

Improving Professional Understanding and Advocacy for Autistic Parents

Delivered training and resources for professionals, including the NHS, FAASS Family Services, and North Lincolnshire Council, helping them to better understand and support Autistic parents.
Worked with Swansea University's Birth and Beyond Project to develop educational resources, webinars, and training on Autistic parenting.
Provided peer support training and perinatal education sessions for the New Baby Network.

Enhancing Access to Information and Reducing Barriers to Support

Offered regular educational webinars and Q&A sessions on key topics, such as Autistic burnout and navigating social care.
Developed a self-paced online resource package on navigating social care in Birmingham, set to launch in 2025.

Creating Employment and Volunteering Opportunities

Provided employment or self-employed contracts to 11 Autistic parents, enabling them to contribute to APUK's mission while gaining financial stability.
Supported over 10 volunteers in delivering peer support, advocacy, and community-building efforts.

AUTISTIC PARENTS UK

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 May 2024

TRUSTEES' REPORT

Wider Benefits to Society

Increased awareness and understanding of the barriers faced by Autistic parents within healthcare, social care, and educational settings.
Strengthened peer support networks, reducing isolation and improving mental well-being for Autistic parents.
o Empowered Autistic parents to self-advocate, helping them to access necessary services and navigate complex systems with confidence.
Built capacity with professional services through training and resources, leading to long-term systemic improvements in how Autistic parents are supported.

APUK's work this year has reinforced the importance of Autistic-led, community-driven support models that not only benefit individual parents and families but also create wider ripples of change in service provision and societal attitudes towards Autistic parenting.

Financial Review

Financial Position

The charity generated income of £12,073.28 (2023: £13,389.99), received donations of £170.00 (2023: £1,208.00) and grants of £13,000.00 (2023: £9,989.00) during the financial year.

The charity ended the financial year in a stable position, with the majority of income during the period coming from restricted grants, namely the National Lottery Community Fund and Forward Carers. Restricted expenditure exceeded new grant income during the period due to a portion of spending being attributed to the remainder of the previous year's ‘Awards for All’ grant (£9,989 received on 27th January 2023), which was still being utilised in this reporting year.

Reserves Policy

Total reserves held at 31 May 2024 were £21,154.27 (2023: £17,758.77). The charity aims to maintain reserves in unrestricted funds to cover at least 12 months unrestricted running costs of which were £4,482.96 during the financial year (2023: £1,143.41). The unrestricted reserves held at 31 May 2024 were £16,914.14 (2023: £8,609.40), restricted reserves held at 31 May 2024 were £4,240.13 (2023: £9,149.37).

Principle Sources of Funding

The principle source of income was grant funding, which enabled the charity to deliver its core services, including peer support, training, and advocacy for Autistic parents.

Key funding sources included:

The National Lottery Awards For All Fund - Supporting peer support services and organisational development.
o Forward Carers Grant - Funding targeted support for Autistic parent carers in Birmingham.

In addition to grant funding, the charity also generated income through:

Donations - Contributions from supporters, both one-off and regular, which help sustain ongoing activities.
o Training and consultancy income - Fees from delivering training sessions to professionals and organisations, helping to raise awareness and improve service provision for Autistic parents.

AUTISTIC PARENTS UK

TRUSTEES' REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 May 2024

While grants remain the primary source of funding, the charity is committed to exploring diversified income streams, including increased fundraising, partnerships, and training services, to enhance financial sustainability in future years.

Structure, Governance and Management

Governing document

The charity is governed by a Constitution, as adopted on 11/05/2022. Autistic Parents UK is constituted as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO).

Risk Management

Effective risk management processes enable Autistic Parents UK to identify areas of risk and strategies to mitigate these. This is a document approach throughout the charity's projects and ensures all trustees , staff and volunteers are aware of how risks are escalated, updated, and resolved. These processes are regularly reviewed in trustee meetings and verified annually before the AGM in line with review of all the charity's policies.

Evidence of safeguarding is a requirement for the Charity Commission. Safeguarding training is essential for all trustees, staff and volunteers. The core risks lie within personal engagement. Peer support differs from other forms of health services and supports in important ways. Crucially, the people involved play an active role in creating a safe environment for each other, to give and receive support for each other. Peers make choices about what parts of their personal experiences they talk about, seek support for, and use to support other people. Detailed training is provided, and agreements are issued in terms of confidentiality, honest communication, mutual respect and respectable conduct.

Regular supervision and monitoring play an important role, as feeling safe within peer support is vital. Some peer supporters may have difficulty asking for support when they need it leading to feeling burnt out and unsupported. Additionally, there may be a risk of distress or anxiety in relation to sharing/listening to difficult experiences. Detailed distress protocols are included in the training of all supporters and clear support pathways are identified both throughout training and ongoing supervision. Safeguarding approaches are in place in case of dealing with the risk of self harm, injury, risk of suicide or harm to someone else. There is also access to support for debriefing after sessions in which difficult issues are discussed and direct contact to review their assessment of the risk.

Reference and Administrative Details

Registered Charity Number

1198909

Principle Address

Office 1, Izabella House, 24-26 Regent Place, Birmingham, B1 3NJ

AUTISTIC PARENTS UK

TRUSTEES' REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 May 2024

Trustees

Jenni Guthrie Hannah Elizabeth Eden Shona Murphy (resigned 16/09/2024) Ayesha Pusey (resigned 17/12/2024) Kieran Rose (resigned 19/12/2024) Tanya Danielle Adkin (appointed 22/10/2023) Dr Monique Botha-Kite (appointed 22/10/2023) David Gray-Hammond (appointed 22/10/2023) Charlotte Rutherford (appointed 22/10/2023 – resigned 13/04/2024) Penny Wright (appointed 22/10/2023 – resigned 20/12/2024)

Independent Examiner

Taylorhobbs Limited, Cherry Trees Barn, Walcot Lane, Drakes Broughton, Pershore, Worcestershire, WR10 2AL

31/03/2025 03:48

The trustees' report was approved by the Board on ....................... and signed on its behalf by:

J Guthrie

.......................... Jenni Guthrie Chair

AUTISTIC PARENTS UK

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 May 2024

Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of Autistic Parents UK

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 31 May 2024.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity’s trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (‘the 2006 Act’). Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5) (b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner’s statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:

accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or
the accounts do not accord with those records; or
the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or
the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities [applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)].

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Laura Carter

Signed: …………………. Name: Laura Carter Association of Accounting Technicians

Address: TaylorHobbs Limited, Cherry Trees Barn, Walcot Lane, Drakes Broughton, Pershore, Worcestershire, WR10 2AL

31/03/2025 03:48

Date: ………………….

AUTISTIC PARENTS UK

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 May 2024

Recommended categories by activity Notes Income and endowments from: Donations and legacies 2 Charitable activities 3 Investments 4 Total Expenditure on: Raising funds 5 Charitable activities 6 Total Net income/(expenditure) Net movement in funds Reconciliation of funds: Total funds brought forward Total funds carried forward	Unrestricted funds £ Restricted income funds £ Total Funds 2024 £ Total Funds 2023 £ 170.00 13,000.00 13,170.00 11,197.00 12,073.28 - 12,073.28 13,389.99 4.45 - 4.45 -
	12,247.73 13,000.00 25,247.73 24,586.99
	50.00 - 50.00 - 4,432.96 17,369.27 21,802.23 6,828.22
	4,482.96 17,369.27 21,852.23 6,828.22
	7,764.77 (4,369.27) 3,395.50 17,758.77
	7,764.77 (4,369.27) 3,395.50 17,758.77 9,149.37 8,609.40 17,758.77 -
	16,914.14 4,240.13 21,154.27 17,758.77

AUTISTIC PARENTS UK

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 May 2024

BALANCE SHEET

Recommended categories by activity Notes Current assets Debtors 8 Cash at bank and in hand 9 Total current assets Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 10 Net current assets/(liabilities) Total net assets or liabilities Funds of the Charity Unrestricted funds 11 Restricted income funds 11 Endowment funds 11 Total funds	Unrestricted funds £ Restricted income funds £ Total Funds 2024 £ Total Funds 2023 £ - 7,050.12 7,050.12 - 17,814.14 (2,276.39) 15,537.75 17,758.77 17,814.14 4,773.73 22,587.87 17,758.77 900.00 533.60 1,433.60 - 16,914.14 4,240.13 21,154.27 17,758.77
	16,914.14 4,240.13 21,154.27 17,758.77
	16,914.14 16,914.14 9,149.37 4,240.13 4,240.13 8,609.40 - -
	16,914.14 4,240.13 21,154.27 17,758.77

31/03/2025 03:48

The financial statements were approved by the Board on .............................. and signed on its behalf by:

J Guthrie

....................................... Jenni Guthrie Trustee

AUTISTIC PARENTS UK

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 May 2024

1 Accounting Policies

1.1 Accounting Policies

The principal accounting policies adopted by the Charity, which is a public benefit entity, in the preparation of the accounts are as follows.

1.2 Basis of preparation

These accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention, as modified by the inclusion of charitable properties and fixed asset investments and investment properties at valuation.

These accounts have been prepared in accordance with “Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)” (effective 1 January 2019) - (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011.

These accounts are presented in pounds sterling and rounded to the nearest pound.

1.3 Going concern

The Trustees have prepared financial projections, taking into consideration the current economic conditions and have, at the time of approving these accounts, a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus they continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the accounts.

2 Income from Donations and Legacies

Unrestricted funds Restricted income funds £ £ 170.00 - - 13,000.00 170.00 13,000.00 Unrestricted funds £ 12,073.28 12,073.28	Restricted income funds £ - 13,000.00	Total funds 2024 £ 170.00 13,000.00	Total funds 2023 £ 1,208.00 9,989.00
	13,000.00	13,170.00	11,197.00
		Total funds 2024 £ 12,073.28 12,073.28	Total funds 2023 £ 13,389.99 13,389.99
12,073.28

3 Income from Charitable Activities

AUTISTIC PARENTS UK

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 May 2024

4 Income from Investments

Analysis Interest income 5 Expenditure on Raising Funds Analysis Operating membership schemes and social lotteries 6 Expenditure on Charitable Activities Analysis Bank charges Charity management & administration Charity running cost Cost of services Employee costs Advertising and marketing Legal/professional fees Wages and salaries Support Costs 7 Support Costs Analysis Governance Costs Accountants fees	Unrestricted funds £ 4.45		Total funds 2024 £ 4.45 4.45 Total funds 2024 £ 50.00 50.00 Total funds 2024 £ 3.00 1,445.77 3,229.91 8,269.50 7,754.80 199.25 - - 900.00 21,802.23 Total funds 2024 £ 900.00 900.00	Total funds 2023 £ - - Total funds 2023 £ - - Total funds 2023 £ - 859.02 488.58 850.75 - 77.57 2,672.70 1,879.60 - 6,828.22 Total funds 2023 £ -
	4.45





				-

AUTISTIC PARENTS UK

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 May 2024

8 Debtors: Amounts falling due within one year

Prepayments & accrued income Trade debtors 9 Cash at bank and in hand Cash at bank and on hand 10 Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year Accruals and deferred income Taxation and social security Other creditors	Total funds 2024 £ 550.12 6,500.00 7,050.12 Total funds 2024 £ 15,537.75 15,537.75 Total funds 2024 £ 900.00 137.60 396.00 1,433.60	Total funds 2023 £ - - -
		Total funds 2023 £ 17,758.77 17,758.77 Total funds 2023 £ - - - -

AUTISTIC PARENTS UK

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 May 2024

11 Charity funds

11.1 Details of material funds held and movements during the CURRENT reporting period

Fund names Unrestricted funds Restricted income funds Total	Fund balances brought forward Income Expenditure Transfers Gains and losses Fund balances carried forward £ £ £ £ £ £ 9,149.37 12,247.73 (4,482.96) - - 16,914.14 8,609.40 13,000.00 (17,369.27) - - 4,240.13
	17,758.77 25,247.73 (21,852.23) - - 21,154.27

11.2 Details of material funds held and movements during the PREVIOUS reporting period

Fund names Unrestricted funds Restricted income funds Total	Fund balances brought forward Income Expenditure Transfers Gains and losses Fund balances carried forward £ £ £ £ £ £ - 14,597.99 (5,448.62) - - 9,149.37 - 9,989.00 (1,379.60) - - 8,609.40
	- 24,586.99 (6,828.22) - - 17,758.77

11.3 Transfers between funds

	Amount
	£
Between unrestricted and restricted funds		-
Between endowment and restricted funds		-
Between endowment and unrestricted funds		-

AUTISTIC PARENTS UK

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 May 2024

	Amount
	£
Between unrestricted and restricted funds		-
Between endowment and restricted funds		-
Between endowment and unrestricted funds		-

CONTENTS

Objectives and Activities

Purposes of the charity

Main activities

Peer Support Services

Forward Carers Project

Research & Training Initiatives

Employment & Volunteering Opportunities

Ongoing Public Education & Advocacy

Achievements and Performance

Empowering Autistic Parent Carers

One participant shared:

Expanding Peer Support and Reducing Isolation

Improving Professional Understanding and Advocacy for Autistic Parents

Enhancing Access to Information and Reducing Barriers to Support

Creating Employment and Volunteering Opportunities

TRUSTEES' REPORT

Wider Benefits to Society

Financial Review

Financial Position

Reserves Policy

Principle Sources of Funding

Structure, Governance and Management

Governing document

Risk Management

Reference and Administrative Details

Registered Charity Number

Principle Address

TRUSTEES' REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 May 2024

Trustees

Independent Examiner

31/03/2025 03:48

J Guthrie

Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of Autistic Parents UK

Responsibilities and basis of report

Independent examiner’s statement

Laura Carter

31/03/2025 03:48

BALANCE SHEET

31/03/2025 03:48

J Guthrie

1 Accounting Policies

1.1 Accounting Policies

1.2 Basis of preparation

1.3 Going concern

2 Income from Donations and Legacies

3 Income from Charitable Activities

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 May 2024

4 Income from Investments

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 May 2024

8 Debtors: Amounts falling due within one year

AUTISTIC PARENTS UK

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 May 2024

11 Charity funds

11.1 Details of material funds held and movements during the CURRENT reporting period

11.2 Details of material funds held and movements during the PREVIOUS reporting period

11.3 Transfers between funds