Autistic Family Support Oxfordshire (AFSO) has announced plans to close as a registered charity on 31 March 2026, bringing to an end 48 years of support for autistic children, young people and their families across the county.
The charity confirmed the decision on Monday 09 February 2026, citing a significant fundraising deficit that has made it impossible to sustain its services unless a funder, organisation or benefactor steps forward to secure their continuation.
Founded nearly five decades ago, AFSO has provided a wide range of support, advice and activities for families, including youth clubs, holiday programmes, family support services, advice and training for parents, young people and professionals. Over the years, the charity has supported more than 4,000 families across Oxfordshire.
AFSO works closely with both NHS and private diagnostic clinics, which routinely refer parents to the charity when a child receives an autism diagnosis or is awaiting an autism diagnostic assessment.
The organisation currently receives around 30 new referrals each month. According to the charity, 92 per cent of parents who access its family support go on to use AFSO’s services repeatedly.
Demand for AFSO’s youth groups has continued to grow, with the charity almost doubling the number of youth group places last year alone in an effort to meet increasing need from families across the county.
Trustees said the decision to close had been made with “heavy hearts” and followed extensive efforts to secure funding. These included fundraising appeals, attempts to generate income and a range of cost-saving measures, none of which proved sufficient to ensure the charity’s long-term sustainability.
Unless significant financial support is secured before the end of March 2026, the charity will focus on supporting families and staff through the transition period and ensuring a planned and responsible closure. All donations made through AFSO’s JustGiving fundraising appeal in January 2026 will be refunded at the end of March.
A spokesperson for the trustees said:
“This has been an incredibly painful decision. We are so proud of what AFSO has meant to families over the past 48 years, and deeply grateful to everyone who has walked alongside us on this journey.
“For nearly five decades, AFSO has been a lifeline for families, offering care, understanding and a sense of belonging. Its impact has been felt across generations, and its loss would be deeply felt by the community it has served. Our priority is to support people with compassion, as we prepare to say goodbye.”
