Introducing Community Discovery and Recovery Services

We are pleased to announce that Community Drug and Alcohol Recovery Services (CDARS) has become Community Discovery and Recovery Services.

This change of name reflects the natural evolution of our organisation and the wider range of support we now provide. CDARS began 40 years ago as a psychosocial service supporting individuals experiencing substance and alcohol misuse issues, as well as their families and loved ones.

Over the decades, we have continued to grow and develop in response to the needs of the communities we serve. Today, our work extends across mental health, neurodiversity, and substance and alcohol misuse, providing compassionate, person-centred support to individuals, families, and communities.

While our name has changed, our commitment remains the same. Our ethos, values, and dedication to helping people discover their strengths, build recovery, and achieve their goals continue to guide everything we do.

We look forward to this next chapter as Community Discovery and Recovery Services, continuing to provide support, understanding, and hope to those who need us.

020 85404023

info@cdars.org.uk

Neurodiversity Support in South West London

Name: CDARS
Address: 296a Kingston Road, London, SW20 8LX, United Kingdom
Telephone: 020 85404023
Rating: 5

At CDARS, our Neurodiversity Support Programme works with people across Merton, Wandsworth, Sutton, Kingston and Richmond. We support people who are diagnosed, late diagnosed, undiagnosed, or beginning to recognise neurodivergent traits in themselves.

Neurodiversity looks different for everyone, and so does the support people need. We work with people with Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia and other forms of neurodivergence. We also recognise that neurodiversity can exist alongside mental health challenges, addiction or substance misuse, and other difficulties in everyday life.

Supporting People at Different Stages of Life

Our Young People’s Neurodiversity Programme supports ages 18–25, offering support around neurodiversity, mental health, social and life skills, and developing practical tools that work for the individual.

Our adult programme supports people aged 25+, with a particular focus on late-diagnosed and undiagnosed neurodivergent adults.

Something we see regularly is people coming to us following a diagnosis much later in life. We work with many people in their 40s, 50s and beyond who are beginning to understand themselves through a neurodivergent lens.

A diagnosis can provide validation and answers, but it can also bring a lot to process. People may begin looking back at school, work, relationships, friendships or their mental health and start understanding those experiences differently.

Our aim is to provide a space to explore what neurodiversity means for you, recognise your needs and strengths, and find ways of navigating everyday life that work for you.

Our Neurodiversity Team

Our team currently consists of three members of staff, each bringing different backgrounds, skills and experiences. Although our experiences differ, we have all worked closely with neurodiversity in different ways.

Support can include one-to-one work, groups, neurodiversity and diagnosis support mental health support, social connection and access to wider CDARS services.

We also offer SilverCloud, an online mental health support platform that can be used independently or with light support from our team. It provides a flexible option for neurodiversity-informed support, particularly while waiting for one-to-one work.

M Gallego is our Neurodiversity Support Programme Manager

Come Along to Our Neurodiversity Hub

Every Wednesday from 3pm–5pm, our Neurodiversity Hub & Drop-In Centre runs at the Sunshine Recovery Café in Wimbledon Chase.

Come along to chat, create, meet others, use our quiet sensory space or speak with our team. There is no pressure to participate in a particular way.

Come hang out, find your space, create, express, release and regulate — or simply come and be.

A Book We Recommend

For anyone who has been diagnosed with autism later in life, or is currently questioning whether they may be autistic, one book we recommend is Very Late Diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome (Autism Spectrum Disorder): How Seeking a Diagnosis in Adulthood Can Change Your Life by Philip Wylie.

It speaks specifically to the experience of discovering and understanding autism in adulthood, which is something that comes up regularly in our work.

A diagnosis later in life doesn't change who you have always been, but it can change the way you understand yourself and your experiences.

For Neurodiversity support in South West London: Merton, Wandsworth, Sutton, Kingston, Richmond, contact M Gallego (She/her) - Manager neurodiversitysupportprogramme@cdars.org.uk