Welcome to
Neuroaffirming therapy and group programs for autistic, ADHD, and neurodivergent children, young people, adults, and their families in Melbourne, Australia.
Affirming Care Services
Affirming Care Services is a neuroaffirming therapeutic service supporting autistic, ADHD, and otherwise neurodivergent people of all ages in ways that uplift and affirm all neurotypes. We provide support that respects different ways of thinking and being. Our work helps people understand themselves, navigate everyday life with greater ease, and build lives that genuinely suit them, while also working with families, schools, and systems to reduce barriers and make environments more friendly for neurodivergent brains.
Our Group Programs
Our group programs support social, emotional, and relational development in ways that respect autonomy, encourage natural connection, and leverage interests to maximise fun! Groups are structured, facilitated by experienced clinicians, and grounded in neuroaffirming practice.
About Affirming Care Services
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We are a small, experienced team of neuroaffirming clinicians. Our team includes psychotherapists, counsellors, social workers, teachers, and therapy assistants who work across childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.
Many of us are neurodivergent ourselves, which means we bring lived experience alongside professional training.
We support autistic, ADHD, and neurodivergent people, as well as the families, schools, and systems around them.
Our work is grounded in both evidence-based practice and a genuine understanding of what it feels like to move through a world that is not always designed for neurodivergent minds.
We share a commitment to:
neuroaffirming, respectful practice
understanding behaviour through a nervous system and relational lens
changing systems, not neurodivergent people
supporting capacity without asking people to mask or change who they are
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Autistic, ADHD, and neurodivergent children, young people, and adults
Parents and families supporting neurodivergent children
Schools and care teams seeking neuroaffirming support
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We offer a range of 1:1 therapies for neurodivergent people of all ages, in person and online:
Counselling
Key work services
Care team management
Family and school consultation and environmental audits
Executive functioning support
Neurological Care and Emergency Response Plans (NCERP)
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We run structured, neuroaffirming group programs that support social and emotional capacity through play, connection, and shared interests. These programs run throughout the year from our office in Yarraville.
Programs include:
Dragon’s of the Spectrum (DOTS)
LEGO
Secret Agent Society
Dungeons & Dragons
Minecraft
Little School (school readiness for preps)
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We offer training and professional development across a range of areas, such as:
Autism, ADHD, Complex Neurodiversity
Neuroaffirming teaching practices
Neuroaffirming practices for allied health professionals
PDA (Persistent Drive for Autonomy aka Pathological Demand Avoidance)
Creating Neuroaffirming School Environments
We also offer custom training, tailored to your needs. Please contact us if you’re looking for something that isn’t on the list above.
Meet the Team
SARAH HAMPTON
EMILY KELLY
ASHLEY ELLIS-SMITH
MICHAEL THORBURN
THERAPY ASSISTANTS
Read our
Latest Articles
What’s On at Yaraville HQ
Term 4 2026
Step Up to School Programs
New programs and Social Work Services in Melbourne’s Eastern Suburbs
Affirming Care Services now has a satellite office in Emerald, Victoria.
Click here to find out more
Little Folks
Neuroaffirming Playgroup
What’s On at ACS Emerald?
Little Folks is a neuroaffirming facilitated playgroup for children aged 2-4 and their parents/caregivers, designed for fun, connection and belonging.
Each week, children are invited into a new and exciting theme, brought to life through music, storytelling, nature-based activities and sensory play. Our carefully designed sessions encourage early social skill development, communication, curiosity and connection, while nurturing a sense of joy, imagination and wonder.
Children’s Therapy
Our children's therapy sessions draw on a social work approach that considers the whole child, including their emotional wellbeing, relationships, family, school environment and individual needs. Through creative therapies, play-based activities and social and emotional learning, we provide a safe, neuroaffirming space for children to explore feelings, build confidence and develop meaningful connections.
Sessions are tailored to each child's strengths, interests and developmental stage, supporting emotional regulation, social understanding, problem-solving and everyday challenges. We also work collaboratively with families to develop practical strategies that support children's wellbeing across home, school and community settings.
Social Work Services
Social Work support looks at the whole picture, not just one behaviour, skill, or diagnosis. We consider your child’s development, relationships, environment, nervous system, family routines, school context, and the pressures sitting around your family.
A social work approach can help parents understand what may be driving behaviour, strengthen connection, build practical strategies, and advocate more confidently across home, kinder, school, therapy, and community settings.
This support is especially helpful when families are navigating big emotions, developmental differences, school challenges, family stress, transitions, or complex systems like the NDIS. The goal is to help you feel clearer, more supported, and better equipped to respond in ways that fit your child and your family.