We offer group Sessions for autistic girls aged 7-12 within or local to Surrey

Monthly Girls Group - this takes place on monthly Sundays in Woking.  This is a social interest group for girls aged 7-12 and their parents and carers. Sessions run between 10:30am-12:30pm for rising 11s to 12 year olds and between 1:30-3:30pm for 7-10 year olds.   Parents and Carers must stay at the venue during these sessions and will be looked after by one of our Parent/Carer Facilitators.

Upcoming dates -   Spring Term 2025: 26th January, 23rd February, 23rd March, 27th April 2025

                         

Weekday Groups - these take place on Wednesday mornings in Woking for girls aged 10-14 years who are out of school or struggling in school.   These groups are held at St. John's Village, Woking on Wednesday mornings click here for more information.

Ad hoc Activity Sessions - we run our Ad Hoc Activity Sessions for girls who are 8+.  These take place in local venues at weekends and during school holidays.  These Sessions may include visits to horse sanctuaries, climbing centres and gaming cafes.  Parents and Carers must stay at the venue during these sessions and will be looked after by one of our Parent/Carer Facilitators.

Online Sessions - girls from age 7 can join our regular Activity, Minecraft and Roblox Online Sessions, which offer a valuable chance for autistic girls to connect with their peers. Young people are facilitated by an experienced staff during these Sessions.

What is the cost and how do I book?  Tickets for our Groups and Sessions vary according to whether they are in-person or online and the activity.  We have a limited amount of concessionary tickets . These tickets are reserved for families who qualify as low-income households or are in receipt of Universal Credit or Pupil Premium. Details about our Sessions available for autistic girls aged 7-12 can be found below or you can see our current offer on our Sessions available to book page.   All our Sessions and Groups are booked on our software COACHA and you will need to sign up to COACHA in order to make a booking. 

We are able to offer places on our in-person sessions to residents of Surrey and surrounding areas like East Hampshire, Western London Boroughs, West Sussex.  If fewer than 4 attendees sign up for the online Sessions, we will need to reschedule (or offer a refund if preferred). 

Please email claire@appeer.org.uk if you have any queries relating to our Girls Groups and Sessions.

Appeer Monthly Girls Group - Key Information

Who is the Group for?

We run monthly group Sessions for autistic (diagnosed or suspected) girls aged 7-12 and their parents/carers on monthly Sundays.  Parents and Carers must stay at the venue during these sessions and will be looked after by one of our Parent/Carer Facilitators.

What is the aim of the Group?

We aim to provide a space for autistic girls aged 7-12 years and their parents and carers to connect with their peers to help ease social isolation.

What will happen in each Group and how long will the Sessions be?

The Groups take place on monthly Sundays.  They run between 10:30am and 12:30pm (Groups 1/2/3 for girls nearly 11 to 12) and 1:30 pm-3:30 pm (Groups 4/5/6 for girls aged 7-10).  We offer a variety of activities, including outdoor activities, a flexible break time with options available for girls to link with other group members or spend quiet time, and indoor interest-based activities including arts, crafts, cooking, tech and more.  Joining instructions and visual timetables will be sent 5 to 7 days before sessions. We will include some activities around being autistic, such as about sensory needs.

Who will be running the Groups?

The groups will be run by Nicki, Social Interest Programme Manager and will be supported by at least 6 specialist staff.  The parents and carers will be supported by one of our experience Parent/Carer Facilitators.  If you have any questions, please email nicki@appeer.org.uk.

Where will the Group be held?

The weekend Girls Groups are held at a quiet school site in Woking.  This setting includes the whole site, including Forest School, swimming pool, outside fields, courts and play equipment, a cooking room, a drama auditorium, dining rooms, classrooms and more, which enables us to plan diverse and exciting activities.  There is dedicated parking and it's only a mile from Woking station.

Times and Dates

2025

Spring Term 2025: 26th January, 23rd February, 23rd March, 27th April 2025

Summer Term 2025: 18th May, 22nd June, 13th July 2025

Autumn Term 2025: 28th Sept, 26th Oct, 23rd Nov, 14th Dec 25

Spring Term 2026: 25th Jan, 22nd Feb, 22nd March, 26th April 26

Summer 2026: 17th May, 21st June, 12th July 26

How much does it cost and how do I book?   

Sessions cost £36/£18 concessions (inc. of VAT).  As per our General Terms & Conditions, cancellations of at least 7 days prior to the event will be entitled to a full refund.  We regret no other refunds can be given.

Places are booked on a monthly basis, so you can just book and pay for the sessions you are able to attend.  If requested, we will do our best to enable girls to be with some of the same girls as the last group as they develop links with others so that there is familiarity and consistency as far as we can manage.  The day after any group has run, priority bookings will be made available to those who have attended this group previously.  The Priority Booking Window will be open for 7 days and then opened up to new families.   

You can book via the COACHA app or website and find out more about next month's Group looking at our Book a Session Page. 

How can I ensure my daughter gets a place every month?

The advance booking period for previous attendees will be open for a week.  After that, spaces will be allocated on a first-come first-served basis. We will, of course, do our best to ensure that we can provide consistent and authentic peer groups for the girls where we can and will manage any admissions according to our Admissions Policy.

What happens when I get too old for this Group?

Don't worry at all - you can go up to our Monthly Teen Group.  You can read all about what to expect here.

Please note, our current programmes have been designed to support those who are suspected or diagnosed as being autistic, who may also have other neurodiverse conditions.  In the future we hope to expand our activities to support those with other neurodiverse conditions who aren't autistic too, e.g., ADHD.  Some Programmes, Sessions or Groups are restricted to those who are resident in Surrey due to some funding restraints.